Farmtario: Porcus Optimus scale system promises low-labour pig weighing

The three metal-framed stations in the pig barn conjure the image of a starting gate at the Kentucky Derby. A pen opens. For a minute, the air is full of galloping hoofs and excited grunts.

Twenty pigs run through three short aisles equipped with lights and cameras, and pool in the pen on the opposite side.

Why it matters: Today’s barns can integrate sophisticated computer and sensor technology to maximize efficiency and profits.

Franςois (Frank) Decarie, one of the research partners developing a new low-labour weighing method for livestock, leans over a table beside the stations. He hits play, and a recording of the rush of pigs pops up across three monitors.

Footage from the aisle cameras feeds into computer models trained to identify individual pigs, he tells attendees of his demonstration at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre near Glenlea, Man.

To read the full story of Pocus Optimus, please follow the link here to Farmtario.