44 Development and Application of Novel Phenotyping Technologies to Swine Production and Breeding

Abstract

Abstract Advancement within numerous categories of technology are beginning to see application for improving production and genetic advancement in pigs. Digital technologies, particularly video, are creating a step change in improved animal environments, biosecurity, vaccine management and disease intervention. For breeders, video technology creates opportunity to begin assessing animal behavior on a useful scale and to expand the quantity and type of animals measured for growth rate, body composition, structural integrity and feed efficiency. A seemingly endless stream of ‘omics’ data is becoming less costly to obtain and includes such datasets as common SNP arrays in addition to DNA sequence, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, gut microbiome and more. Leveraging the capabilities of these data to predict a phenotype is key to unlocking the full potential of ‘omics’ data. Novel, at least to animal scientists, analytical techniques are required to understand gene networks and their associated expression profiles. These techniques apply equally to video data, which in its purest form, is an interpretation of complex patterns. Scaling and applying these techniques will be important over the coming decade. There exists today a very applied approach to using these technologies in the swine industry. One of the most complex and well-trained pattern recognition technologies lies within our own brain. Experienced managers reviewing video of pigs within facilities, team members entering and performing critical activities impacting biosecurity and coordinating these observations with simple interventions can make large, positive improvements in productivity. Investing in hardware and time will produce results that reduce stressors, improve processes that protect the farm from pathogens and result in better overall animal well-being. This talk will focus on examples of current applications that are of benefit today. In addition, we hope to promote discussion around priorities for genetic improvement, pig management and the practical needs to move a variety of technologies from research to development in the field.