First sensor-based platform to monitor welfare of farm animals developed
The European-funded project ClearFarm, coordinated by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), has developed and validated the first digital animal welfare monitoring platform that integrates, analyses and displays information collected by various sensors installed on farms. The resulting tool allows consumers and farmers to make informed choices about the purchase of food of animal origin and the care of animals at different stages of their lives.
The presentation of the prototype platform took place at the final conference of the project in Brussels, which brings together 200 representatives of different sectors of animal production from all over Europe, under the title "Animal Welfare at the Heart of the Food Chain in Europe. Digital innovation for a sustainable transition".
ClearFarm proposes using precision farming technology and integrating animal-based data to improve animal welfare along the production chain. Through different sensors placed around the farms and on animals, it monitors a wide range of variables related to the behaviour of the animals, their physical and mental health, environmental impact and productivity. The platform collects these data and, by means of an algorithm, provides easy-to-understand information on animal welfare adapted to each audience. On the one hand, a website enables ranchers to see updated information on the condition of the animals with an emphasis on warning signs that can help them anticipate problems and apply changes or improvements. On the other hand, consumers can discover the health history of the meat product they buy by scanning, for example, a QR code on the label that will direct them to a website with this information.
"With this project we want to contribute to a more sustainable production of pig and dairy cattle, the two livestock systems with the most production in Europe, and more respectful of animal welfare," explains Xavier Manteca, lecturer at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and coordinator of ClearFarm.
The platform has been validated on dairy farms and its development has advanced the understanding of the technology required for pig welfare management. "The results will facilitate the design of reliable sensors adapted to the different stages of pig production", points out Xavier Manteca.
ClearFarm is the result of four years of research between the UAB, the universities of Murcia (Spain), Wageningen (Netherlands), degli Studi di Milano (Italy), Aarhus (Denmark), and the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke - Finland). It involved scientists from various disciplines: animal welfare, computing and sensor technology, sociology and environmental aspects, working with regulators, consumers, producers, policy makers and other relevant stakeholders.
Crucial moment for livestock farming in Europe
The new platform comes at a crucial moment for livestock farming on the continent, with the mobilisation of various social and economic sectors in favour of a revision of the current European legislation on animal welfare.
"European citizens are increasingly concerned about animal welfare and the EU has responded to this social demand through legislation. ClearFarm has integrated a solution that responds to the need for a good assessment of animal welfare with the opportunities offered by precision livestock technologies, emphasising the link between animal welfare and sustainability and environmental efficiency," concludes Manteca.
Hands-on demonstration and panel discussion
The final conference of the project included a practical demonstration of the platform designed to familiarise the public with the potential of the ClearFarm system by the leaders of the different phases of the work: Xavier Manteca, from the UAB; Elisabetta Canali, from the State University of Milan; and Eddie Bokkers, from the University of Wageningen (WUR); as well as Joan Serra, from the UAB; Paul Ingenbleek of WUR and Jarkko Niemi of the Natural Resources Institute of Finland (LUKE) to describe the development process and operational details of the platform.
It also included a round table with an intersectoral panel of representatives from agriculture, industry, academia, NGOs and government: Pol Llonch, from the UAB and technical coordinator of ClearFarm; Miguel Ángel Higuera of Copa-Cogeca; Andrea Gavinelli, from the General Directorate of Health and Food Safety of the European Commission (DG SANTE); Mar Maestre, from the ICF, and Stephanie Ghislain, from the Eurogroup of Animals. Moderated by environmental journalist Andrea Bertaglio, the debate focuses on the challenges of developing innovative solutions for comprehensive animal welfare assessment and ClearFarm's contribution to the current needs of different stakeholders.
The event also presented similar EU-funded research experiences on animal welfare and digitalisation, such as the TechCare, aWISH and PPILLOW projects, to analyse common challenges and discuss how research collaboration between different initiatives adds value to the improvement of agriculture throughout Europe.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq5iJKR2K8M