Field Implementation of Precision Livestock Farming: Selected Proceedings from the 2nd U.S. Precision Livestock Farming Conference.

Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) involves the real-time monitoring of images, sounds, and other biological, physiological, and environmental parameters to assess and improve animal health and welfare within intensive and extensive production systems [...].

Indoor air quality improvement with filtration and UV-C on mitigation of particulate matter and airborne bacteria: Monitoring and modeling.

Indoor air, especially with suspended particulate matter (PM), can be a carrier of airborne infectious pathogens. Without sufficient ventilation, airborne infectious diseases can be transmitted from one person to another. Indoor air quality (IAQ) significantly impacts people's daily lives as people spend 90% of their time indoors. An industrial-grade air cleaner prototype (filtration + ultraviolet light) was previously upgraded to clean indoor air to improve IAQ on two metrics: particulate matter (PM) and viable airborne bacteria. Previous experiments were conducted to test its removal efficiency on PM and airborne bacteria between the inlet and treated air. However, the longer-term improvement on IAQ would be more informative. Therefore, this research focused on quantifying longer-term improvement in a testing environment (poultry facility) loaded with high and variable PM and airborne bacteria concentrations. A 25-day experiment was conducted to treat indoor air using an air cleaner prototype with intermittent ON and OFF days in which PM and viable airborne bacteria were measured to quantify the treatment effect. The results showed an average of 55% reduction of total suspended particulate (TSP) concentration between OFF days (110 µg/m3) and ON days (49 µg/m3). An average of 47% reduction of total airborne viable bacteria concentrations was achieved between OFF days (∼3200 CFU/m3) and ON days (∼2000 CFU/m3). A cross-validation (CV) model was established to predict PM concentrations with five input variables, including the status of the air cleaner, time (h), ambient temperature, indoor relative humidity, and day of the week to help simulate the air-cleaning effect of this prototype. The model can approximately predict the air quality trend, and future improvements may be made to improve its accuracy.

Characterization of in-barn heat processed swine mortalities.

In-barn heat processing of mass swine mortalities to inactivate pathogens could facilitate more carcass disposal options and reduce the risk of pathogen spread in the event of a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak. A 12.2 × 12.2 × 2.4 m (W × L × H) heat processing room was created using a temporary wall inside a de-commissioned commercial gestation barn in northwest Iowa. Eighteen swine carcasses (six per group) divided into three weight groups (mean ± SD initial carcass weights: 31.8 ± 3.3, 102.7 ± 8.1, and 226.3 ± 27.6 kg) were randomly assigned a location inside the room. Three carcasses per weight group were placed directly on concrete slats and on a raised platform. One carcass per weight group and placement (n=6) was instrumented with five temperature sensors, inserted into the brain, pleura, peritoneal, ham, and bone marrow of the femur, and a sensor was attached directly to the skin surface. Environmental conditions (ambient and room) and carcass temperatures were collected at 15-min intervals. Carcasses were subjected to an average room temperature of 57.3 ± 1.2°C for 14 days. The average (±SD) reduction from initial weight for the carcasses on slats was 45.0 ± 4.70% (feeder), 33.0 ± 8.30% (market), and 34.0 ± 15.80% (sow), and for the carcasses on a raised platform, it was 39.0 ± 6.80% (feeder), 49.0 ± 11.30% (market), and 45.0 ± 6.70% (sow). There was a significant interaction between carcass placement (slats and raised) and carcass weight loss for the market weight group. When average carcass surface temperature was at 40.6, 43.3, and 46.1°C (data grouped for analysis), the average internal carcass temperature for most measurement locations was significantly different across carcass weight groups and between the carcasses on a raised platform and those on slats. This preliminary analysis of carcass weight loss, leachate production, and temperature variation in carcasses of different sizes can be used for planning and evaluating mass swine mortality management strategies.

Evaluation of an Air Cleaning Device Equipped with Filtration and UV: Comparison of Removal Efficiency on Particulate Matter and Viable Airborne Bacteria in the Inlet and Treated Air.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, improving indoor air quality (IAQ) has become vital for the public as COVID-19 and other infectious diseases can transmit via inhalable aerosols. Air cleaning devices with filtration and targeted pollutant treatment capabilities can help improve IAQ. However, only a few filtration/UV devices have been formally tested for their effectiveness, and little data is publicly available and UV doses comparable. In this research, we upgraded a particulate matter (PM) air filtration prototype by adding UV-C (germicidal) light. We developed realistic UV dose metrics for fast-moving air and selected performance scenarios to quantify the mitigation effect on viable airborne bacteria and PM. The targeted PM included total suspended particulate (TSP) and a coarse-to-fine range sized at PM10, PM4, PM2.5, and PM1. The PM and viable airborne bacteria concentrations were compared between the inlet and outlet of the prototype at 0.5 and 1.0 m3/s (low and high) air flow modes. The upgraded prototype inactivated nearly 100% of viable airborne bacteria and removed up to 97% of TSP, 91% of PM10, 87% of PM4, 87% of PM2.5, and 88% of PM1. The performance in the low flow rate mode was generally better than in the high flow rate mode. The combination of filtration and UV-C treatment provided 'double-barrier' assurance for air purification and lowered the risk of spreading infectious micro-organisms.

Impact of housing environment and management on pre-/post-weaning piglet productivity.

The complex environment surrounding young pigs reared in intensive housing systems directly influences their productivity and livelihood. Much of the seminal literature utilized housing and husbandry practices that have since drastically evolved through advances in genetic potential, nutrition, health, and technology. This review focuses on the environmental interaction and responses of pigs during the first 8 wk of life, separated into pre-weaning (creep areas) and post-weaning (nursery or wean-finish) phases. Further, a perspective on instrumentation and precision technologies for animal-based (physiological and behavioral) and environmental measures documents current approaches and future possibilities. A warm microclimate for piglets during the early days of life, especially the first 12 h, is critical. While caretaker interventions can mitigate the extent of hypothermia, low birth weight remains a dominant risk factor for mortality. Post-weaning, the thermoregulation capabilities have improved, but subsequent transportation, nutritional, and social stressors enhance the requisite need for a warm, low draft environment with the proper flooring. A better understanding of the individual environmental factors that affect young pigs as well as the creation of comprehensive environment indices or improved, non-contact sensing technology is needed to better evaluate and manage piglet environments. Such enhanced understanding and evaluation of pig-environment interaction could lead to innovative environmental control and husbandry interventions to foster healthy and productive pigs.

Achievement of pre-/post-weaning piglet success requires careful environmental management to ensure the thermal needs of the pigs are adequately met to reduce stress and promote livability, performance, and health. This review focuses on the impact and management of the housing environment as well as responses of pigs during the first 8 wk of life, separated into pre-weaning (creep areas) and post-weaning (nursery or wean-finish) phases. Immediately following farrowing, the wet piglet with limited insulation and thermoregulation capabilities requires proper husbandry practices and a strictly controlled microclimate. As the piglet develops throughout lactation, the weaning event and following transportation induces further stress which can be minimized through proper trailer conditions and transition to a grain-based diet. Placement in the new housing environment must prevent cold stress as piglets need to increase feed intake to increase metabolic heat production. An evaluation of available technology for monitoring piglet responses shows the urgent need for further development as their size and environment inhibits the use of wearable or implantable sensors; hence, advanced non-contact approaches are needed. This review provides a comprehensive characterization of the positive and negative impacts of housing environment and management on pre-/post-weaning piglets.

Innovative strategies for managing swine welfare during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization and its impact on animal agriculture in the United States was undeniable. By April, COVID-19 resulted in the simultaneous closure or reduced operations of many meat processing plants in the upper Midwest, leading to supply chain disruptions. In Iowa, the leading pork production and processing state, these disruptions caused producer uncertainty, confusion, and stress, including time-sensitive challenges for maintaining animal care. The Iowa Resource Coordination Center (IRCC) was quickly created and launched by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). The IRCC included public representation from the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA), Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC), and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and private partners including producers, veterinarians, and technical specialists. Supporting swine welfare, the IRCC provided information on management strategies, dietary alterations to slow pig growth, alternative markets, on-farm euthanasia, and mass depopulation under veterinary oversight. In a crisis, Iowa created a model that reacted to producers' pragmatic, mental and emotional needs. This model could be quickly replicated with an introduction of foreign animal disease.

Effects of Farrowing Stall Layout and Number of Heat Lamps on Sow and Piglet Production Performance.

Most farrowing facilities in the United States use stalls and heat lamps to improve sow and piglet productivity. This study investigated these factors by comparing production outcomes for three different farrowing stall layouts (traditional, expanded creep area, expanded sow area) and use of one or two heat lamps. Data were collected on 427 sows and their litters over one year. Results showed no statistical differences due to experimental treatment for any of the production metrics recorded, excluding percent stillborn. Parity one sows had fewer piglets born alive (p < 0.001), lower percent mortality (p = 0.001) and over-lay (p = 0.003), and a greater number of piglets weaned (p < 0.001) with lower average daily weight gain (ADG) (p < 0.001) and more uniform litters (p = 0.001) as compared to higher parity sows. Farrowing turn, associated with group/seasonal changes, had a significant impact on most of the production metrics measured. Number of piglets born influenced the percent stillborn (p < 0.001). Adjusted litter size had a significant impact on percent mortality (p < 0.001), percent over-lay (p < 0.001), and number of piglets weaned (p < 0.001). As the number of piglets weaned per litter increased, both piglet ADG and litter uniformity decreased (p < 0.001). This information can be used to guide producers in farrowing facility design.

Lack of interactive effects between diet composition and acid addition with drying method on amino acid digestibility values in porcine ileal digesta.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of oven drying (OD) or freeze drying (FD) on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of AA in diets fed to pigs. In experiment 1, 15 barrows (88.4 ± 6.4 kg) were allotted to either a corn starch-soybean meal (CST), potato starch-soybean meal (PST), or corn-soybean meal (CSBM) diet, over 2 collection periods. Following collection, samples were pooled within pig and subdivided into either OD or FD, resulting in 10 observations per diet by drying-method combination. In experiment 2, 11 barrows (63.3 ± 3.8 kg) were fed a CST diet, and, following collection, samples were pooled within pig and subdivided and either adjusted to pH 4 or remain unadjusted. Subsets of these samples were then subdivided to be either FD or OD, resulting in 11 observations per pH level by drying-method combination. OD was accomplished by drying samples in a forced air oven at either 100 °C (experiment 1) or 75 °C (experiment 2). In experiment 1, there was no diet type by drying-method interactions noted for any of the AA (P > 0.10).OD resulted in a higher AID of AA compared with samples which were FD (P ≤ 0.10), for all AA except for Gly and Tyr. Averaged across all AA, AID of AA was 3.3% greater if the sample was OD compared with FD. Differences in AID of AA among the 3 diets were noted for all AA (P ≤ 0.07), except for Cys (P = 0.33), due to the fact that CST and PST diets only contained soybean meal (SBM) as an AA-providing ingredient while the CSBM diet contained both corn and SBM. Pigs fed the PST diet had greater SID for all AA compared with pigs fed the CST diet (P ≤ 0.05), except for His, Lys, Cys, and Glu. In experiment 2, there were no pH-adjustment by drying-method interactions noted on AID for any of the AA (P > 0.10). Adjusting ileal digesta to a pH of 4.0 had little effect on AID for most of the AA, except for a lowered AID of Arg, His, Lys, Trp, and Ser (P ≤ 0.10). OD resulted in a higher AID for all AA (P ≤ 0.09) except for Ile, Thr, Val, Ala, Asp, Glu, and Gly. Averaged across all AA, the increase in AID of AA was 1.7% greater if the sample was OD compared with FD. On average, OD of ileal digesta resulted in a 2.5% greater estimate of AID of AA compared with samples that were FD, and was not diet-, pH-, or AA-dependent. Because the majority of the data on AA digestibility are based on FD, a bias factor may be necessary to adjust AA digestibility data obtained on an OD-basis relative to an FD-basis for use in feed formulation.

Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source.

Pre-weaning morality (PWM) is attributed to a poor creep area microclimate and causes major economic and productivity losses for the US swine industry. Piglets need supplementary heat to overcome a high surface area to body weight ratio and minimal thermoregulation. A pilot-scale study was conducted to evaluate a semi-enclosed heated microclimate (SEHM) as a supplementary heat source for farrowing creep areas over six farrowing cycles (from January to July 2019) in two rooms with 24 farrowing stalls in each room. Six SEHMs (each SEHM covers two stalls) were randomly distributed to each room and compared to heat lamps (HLs) for productivity and electricity usage. Data from 113 (SEHM) and 101 litters (HL) showed no significant difference between treatments in average daily gain (p = 0.26), 252.4 ± 8.0 g hd-1 d-1 (SEHM) and 260.3 ± 8.1 g hd-1 d-1 (HL) and PWM (p = 0.08), 9.67% ± 0.82% (SEHM) and 12.04% ± 0.87% (HL). However, a significant difference (p = 0.02) was noted in the PWM attributed to over-lay mortalities, 4.05% ± 0.76% (SEHM) compared to 6.04% ± 0.78% (HL). The SEHM electricity averaged 3.25 kWh d-1 (2.91, 3.59 kWh d-1; 95% CI), which was significantly different (p < 0.01) from the HL equivalent (125 W bulb; 6 kWh d-1).

At the Intersection of Industry, Academia, and Government: How Do We Facilitate Productive Precision Livestock Farming in Practice?

This commentary is a comprehensive synthesis of ideas generated from a workshop, hosted by Iowa State University, encompassing precision livestock farming (PLF) research and applications for industry-academia. The goal of this workshop was to demonstrate existing institution research and strategically propel further PLF development and industry adoption. Six key thematic areas were identified from participant discussion: sensors and algorithms, implementation, economic feasibility, data, rural and societal impacts, and education and training. These themes were used to focus discussion on identifying the new knowledge needed to drive implementation and examine current and future challenges of implementing PLF. At the convergence of industry and academia sits a unique opportunity to create mutually beneficial relationships that accomplish the individual needs of all parties. Productive PLF is currently hindered by numerous technical and non-technical challenges, but an increasing demand and optimistic outlook may result in rapid producer adoption. To foster harmonious partnerships among industry, academia, and government, a nexus at the intersection of multiple disciplines and basic/applied sciences is needed to thrust future success.

Effects of number of animals monitored on representations of cattle group movement characteristics and spatial occupancy.

The number of animals required to represent the collective characteristics of a group remains a concern in animal movement monitoring with GPS. Monitoring a subset of animals from a group instead of all animals can reduce costs and labor; however, incomplete data may cause information losses and inaccuracy in subsequent data analyses. In cattle studies, little work has been conducted to determine the number of cattle within a group needed to be instrumented considering subsequent analyses. Two different groups of cattle (a mixed group of 24 beef cows and heifers, and another group of 8 beef cows) were monitored with GPS collars at 4 min intervals on intensively managed pastures and corn residue fields in 2011. The effects of subset group size on cattle movement characterization and spatial occupancy analysis were evaluated by comparing the results between subset groups and the entire group for a variety of summarization parameters. As expected, more animals yield better results for all parameters. Results show the average group travel speed and daily travel distances are overestimated as subset group size decreases, while the average group radius is underestimated. Accuracy of group centroid locations and group radii are improved linearly as subset group size increases. A kernel density estimation was performed to quantify the spatial occupancy by cattle via GPS location data. Results show animals among the group had high similarity of spatial occupancy. Decisions regarding choosing an appropriate subset group size for monitoring depend on the specific use of data for subsequent analysis: a small subset group may be adequate for identifying areas visited by cattle; larger subset group size (e.g. subset group containing more than 75% of animals) is recommended to achieve better accuracy of group movement characteristics and spatial occupancy for the use of correlating cattle locations with other environmental factors.