Research & Development
Research at the IFN focuses on current areas of research in the reproduction of farm animals. Our current research projects are funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.
MeatCheck
Direct traceability of regionally produced meat products back to the farm of origin for greater transparency in the meat industry
To ensure greater transparency in the traceability of regionally produced meat products, the MeatCheck project aims to develop a secure, cost-effective, and rapid method for verifying the origin of regional meat products in Brandenburg. The goal is to develop a genetic diagnostic method that will enable product monitoring along the value chain for producers, retailers, and consumers.
A standardized sampling kit will ensure that users can easily and independently test a meat product. In this way, MeatCheck empowers users to obtain direct information about the meat product they have purchased and to guarantee its origin to the buyer—thereby strengthening trust in regional meat production.
LocoBoar – Development of a Technical Method for the Automatic Assessment of the Locomotion Behavior of Breeding Boars
Definition of assessment parameters for the locomotion behavior of boars and derivation of technical surrogate parameters for the use of audio and vibration data
To meet the ever-increasing demands in swine breeding and to ensure the high quality of breeding boars in terms of the health of their musculoskeletal system, careful selection procedures are necessary. In particular, the visual assessment of the legs and gait of breeding boars remains, for the most part, a subjective process dependent on the evaluator’s experience. Despite thorough selection procedures, breeding boars are still culled at artificial insemination stations due to abnormal movement patterns. A particular challenge lies in the difficulty of reliably detecting subclinical lameness during selection. In collaboration with the Pig Improvement Company (Hendersonville, USA) and German software and hardware developers, an automated system is therefore to be developed that uses acoustic sensors to record the boars’ footfalls and can analyze and evaluate their locomotor behavior through the application of artificial intelligence.
By detecting gait abnormalities, it may be possible to make an early assessment of the reproductive suitability of the tested boars, prevent their early culling, and optimize the selection process.
IQ-TranS – IoT-Based Real-Time Monitoring System for Quality Assurance of Boar Semen During Transport
Development of an IT-supported monitoring system to prevent loss of semen quality during the transport of insemination doses to customers
Artificial insemination is the predominant biotechnology in this field. Insemination doses are produced at specialized boar stations and then transported by courier vehicles to pig farms. Despite numerous quality assurance programs in the production chain, little is currently known about the harmful influences affecting the highly perishable cargo of “boar semen” during transport. Recent studies suggest that vibration emissions impair sperm quality. The goal of this project is to develop a transport box with integrated sensors that records various environmental factors (including vibrations, temperature, humidity, and light) during transport. A smartphone app then analyzes this data in real time and provides the courier with warnings and/or recommendations for action in the event of problems. This innovative real-time monitoring system ensures higher product quality for the customer. Furthermore, the distribution process is fully digitized and can be objectively monitored through an innovative, standardized process assurance system.