Boehringer Ingelheim, a global leader in animal health solutions, has unveiled an innovative device called SoundTalks that will revolutionize pig management. This AI-powered tool aims to transform the detection of respiratory diseases in pigs, potentially reducing morbidity and mortality rates while equipping farmers with timely intervention strategies.
SoundTalks utilizes cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology to enhance pig health. By employing AI algorithms, the system can “listen” to the frequency and intensity of coughs in pigs, alerting producers to potential health issues.
According to Boehringer Ingelheim, this device has proven to diagnose respiratory diseases in pigs up to five days earlier than conventional methods. Unlike traditional detection techniques that rely on visual inspection or retrospective diagnosis, SoundTalks can identify respiratory issues earlier, allowing for prompt intervention.
Each SoundTalks device covers a 10-meter radius and is equipped with a microphone to capture pig noises, as well as humidity and temperature sensors. The recorded sounds are sent to “The Gateway,” which is connected to the cloud for analysis.
While devices capable of monitoring sounds are not new, SoundTalks stands out due to the data used to create its algorithms for cough detection and its continuous learning capabilities. The sound data is converted into a respiratory health score, inversely proportional to the risk of morbidity and mortality, and displayed on an online dashboard and mobile app.
The devices themselves indicate the respiratory health status of the pigs using a traffic-light system, alerting farmers to any anomalies. This allows them to focus on the appropriate groups of pigs promptly.
Findlay MacBean, head of livestock at Boehringer Ingelheim, emphasized the significance of combating respiratory diseases for both livestock health and farmers’ profitability. Given the challenges faced by British pig farmers, including labor shortages and rising production costs, maintaining herd health has become increasingly difficult, making tools like SoundTalks essential.
Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to developing new solutions, such as SoundTalks, to enable farmers to predict, prevent, and treat animal health problems, ultimately increasing productivity.
Veterinarian Paul Thompson from Garth Pig Practice lauded the positive impact of SoundTalks on pig well-being, highlighting its potential to reduce farmers’ time and costs. Thompson emphasized the importance of tools like SoundTalks in helping farmers anticipate, prevent, and treat animal health issues.
