SMARTFARMS Operational Group: Development of digital twin technologies in different types of pig farms to improve management and production efficiency

Type Operational group
Status Filled
Execution 2021 -2024
Assigned Budget 186.283,56 €
Scope Autonómico
Autonomous community Cataluña
Main source of financing CAP 2014-2020
Project website SMARTFARMS

Abstract

Development and implementation of digital twin (DT) technologies for the swine sector, specifically in the breeding and fattening stages, thus facilitating significant technological advancement through the implementation of intelligent tools to improve decision-making in the sector and accelerate its digital transformation.

Description

Automatic data capture using sensors and other digital devices can complement the traditional data already recorded in existing management software or spreadsheets. Existing software is very effective for analyzing historical, inventory, and current productivity, but it is not an effective tool for financial and interim management.

A set of predictive tools is proposed to explore the future impact of different production strategies, or even to evaluate the future economic profitability of investments in improvement, taking into account the individual characteristics of each farm.

Description of activities

Design and development of digital technological twins.
Validation of the technology.
Outreach activities.

Objectives

Develop a prototype virtual farm for breeding sows (Sow Farm Digital Twin) and a prototype virtual farm for fattening piglets (Fattening Farm Digital Twin) for the operating group (GO) companies, based on models from the University of Lleida (UdL) for the management of sow and fattening farms.
Improving farm efficiency by using digital twin replicators.
Validate virtual farms through monitoring and collaboration with technicians from GO companies.
Disseminate the results and drive the sector towards digitalization and the integration of digital solutions to improve: (a) decision-making, (b) animal welfare, and (c) respect for the environment through the exchange of good practices.

Results

The main outcome will be the hybridization of the physical and digital worlds, where technologies such as virtual reality and advanced visualization can be applied in the pork sector. This will allow people to interact in real time with relevant information and provide them with accurate, real-time information throughout the entire production process, focusing on the maternity and fattening stages. This will enable agile decision-making.

Thanks to these new forms of interaction and digital technology enablers, we will be able to generate significant savings for the manufacturing sector.

Contact information