Monitoring individual sows in group - housing : possibilities for automation

In this thesis the possibilities for automated monitoring of aspects of health and reproduction in sows were studied. The emphasis was on group-housed sows. Automation of oestrus detection was studied by means of recording visits of sows to a boar. it was concluded that automated oestrus detection with the use of parameters on sow visits to a boar is technically feasible, also in a situation were serveral sows are in oestrus simultaneously. Physical activity of sows was shown to increase around oestrus, but more research is needed before oestrus detection on basis of physical activity is ready for practical use. Around farrowing, changes in body temperature measured close under the skin, just behind the ear base, showed were similar to those previously reported for rectal and deep-body temperatures. Also, the feeding order at an individual electronic feed station was studied. Sows have been reported in quite a stable order. In this study, the feeding order was not stable enough to use deviations from that order to monitor health or reproduction in sows. it is concluded that automation of individual sow monitoring in group-housing systems could be an important aid to the stockperson.