Project approved under the AEI 2023 grant program.
Tail-biting, or caudophagy, is one of the most serious issues in the pig industry. It refers to cannibalistic behavior, where certain pigs bite or chew on the tails of their peers. There are many causes of caudophagy, including food shortages, lack of ventilation, temperature fluctuations, other environmental conditions, the pig’s search for blood, among others.
This behavior affects animal welfare and leads to a significant loss of productivity in pig farming. Additionally, in many cases, it causes infections or even the death of the animals. Moreover, tail docking is not approved under EU regulations.
This project aims to develop a tool to measure tail damage in each pig at the slaughterhouse, providing individualized assessment. This data will be linked through traceability to farms to investigate whether a predictive model can be developed. Ultimately, by prescribing corrective measures, the goal is to reduce or eliminate caudophagy.
Thus, the main objective of the project is to conduct industrial research to develop a tail-biting assessment model based on image analysis using computer vision, enabling the implementation of reduction plans on farms and during transport.
Participants:
- LE PORC GOURMET SA
- IA SAPIENS INNOVATION SL
- INNDEO PROYECTOS INDUSTRIALES SL
- ARAGÓN FOOD · NUTRITION CLUSTER (Clúster Aragonés)
- INNOVACC
