H2020 PIGWEB Project: An infrastructure for experimental research for sustainable pig production

The response to the three TNA calls exceeded expectations, contributing to the expansion of the international network. In addition, an interactive map of research infrastructures in Europe was developed. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were developed for traits routinely measured in research facilities, and the development of SOPs for experimental procedures is ongoing. Surveys were conducted on national procedures and the differences between local practices regarding ethical standards and the ethics approval process for experiments involving pigs, which will be used to draft a policy report.

An internal survey and several events were organized to develop a common understanding of the data landscape and promote the skills and practices needed to produce FAIR data (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable data). Dissemination, training, and technology transfer activities targeted various stakeholders and actors. This included the establishment of an open, highly active PIGWEB Junior Community with more members than the PIGWEB community itself. Different non-invasive and minimally invasive experimental methods that could be used to replace the more invasive reference methods were evaluated. This included the use of NIR scanning of feed and fecal samples to replace ileal cannulation of pigs to determine nutrient digestibility, and the use of different techniques to obtain and analyze metabolites in blood, as possible alternatives to animal catheterization.

The activities in “New and Refined Methods for Measuring Behavior, Health, and Body Composition” cover a wide range of methods that are either inherently complex or complicated and/or laborious to measure. Indicators were sought in samples that are not too difficult to obtain (e.g., saliva, breath, feces) and, when necessary, using more invasive samples (e.g., blood, tissue). A joint experiment was conducted to evaluate different techniques for estimating body composition relative to the gold standard (i.e., dissection). The novelty of the approach is that the skills and equipment (e.g., CT scanner) of different partners were brought to a single location to perform the measurements.

To develop a research toolkit based on non-invasive and minimally invasive methods, activities conducted up to the reporting period focused on using existing big data to develop modeling algorithms that provide insights into growth performance, nutritional efficiency, carcass nutritional composition, and health and welfare status. The PIGWEB community consists of highly motivated researchers at different career stages. Their motivation and enthusiasm greatly facilitate the management and coordination of the overall project. The PIGWEB project is developing very smoothly (as confirmed on several occasions by the Scientific Advisory Board) and is expected to meet most of its expectations.