About the project

This project develops and tests digital methods to monitor pigs from farm to slaughterhouse. We will combine welfare indicators, transport and lairage data, and meat quality measurements to identify risk factors and define practical, actionable best practices.

The outcome will be a set of measurable indicators and decision-support recommendations that can be used by producers and industry partners to improve animal welfare and product quality.

Bakgrunn

Pig welfare and meat quality are influenced by the entire chain—from daily management on farm to handling, transport, and lairage before slaughter. These phases are often assessed separately, and key stressors can be missed due to limited, inconsistent, or manual data collection.

Digital sensing and standardized welfare indicators offer new opportunities to document conditions objectively, detect risk factors early, and connect on-farm routines and pre-slaughter conditions with measurable outcomes.

Mål

Develop and validate digital methods to capture pig welfare indicators across the chain (farm, transport, lairage, slaughter).

Identify key risk factors linking management routines and pre-slaughter conditions to welfare outcomes and meat quality.

Define measurable, practical indicators and thresholds that can be used for monitoring and improvement.

Deliver actionable decision support and best-practice recommendations for producers and industry partners.

Expected utility value

The project will deliver validated digital indicators and practical decision support to reduce stress and lesions, improve welfare documentation, and strengthen the link between handling conditions and measurable meat quality outcomes.

Results will be shared through industry guidelines, partner workshops, and scientific publications, enabling implementation in routine operations and continuous improvement across the production chain.

Participants

NMBU participants

External participant

Nortura