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In 2026, two of the most prestigious EuroTier awards went to a new product from WEDA Dammann & Westerkamp: the DLG Innovation Award in Gold and the Animal Welfare Award for the smart farrowing pen. The innovation, developed jointly by WEDA and VetVise, is a retrofittable, camera-based and AI-controlled assistance system for WEDA farrowing pens – in particular free-range pens. It analyses the behaviour of sows and piglets around the clock. The AI combines real-time behavioural analysis of the animals with automated housing and feeding technology to create an autonomous farrowing pen.
Hardly any direct conclusions possible so far
Conventional systems have, until now, operated purely on a time-controlled basis. They respond to fixed room temperatures or require time-consuming, manual checks. Furthermore, they do not provide a live view of the piggery and cannot record actual animal behaviour. Direct conclusions about animal behaviour are therefore not possible; instead, they are drawn solely from physical environmental parameters.
Proactive rather than reactive
The new AI, by contrast, is directly guided by animal behaviour and translates the piglets’ instinctive lying behaviour and the sow’s activity into precise control commands. The system thus operates autonomously and proactively rather than reactively, thereby bridging the gap between digital data collection and automated execution in the piggery.
Birth & Feeding Synchronisation:
For example, the AI detects impending births in real time based on the sow’s behaviour, such as inactivity, changes in standing and lying behaviour, or a lack of feed intake. Staff are informed immediately and the feeding computer is activated. Feeding is paused, and the feeding curve then starts automatically, with the sow nursing piglets receiving an optimised feed formulation and quantity.
Lactation monitoring via ‘Nutrix’
If piglets are using the WEDA supplementary feeder noticeably often, the AI recognises this as a warning of poor milk production in the sow, and a yellow WEDA Smart.Light above the trough alerts the staff.
Autonomous piglet nest climate control
Furthermore, the AI monitors the piglets’ lying positions in real time: if, for example, piglets are huddled together and crammed tightly outside the nest, thermal stress is detected. The WEDA control system then adjusts the nest heating entirely automatically in response. Ultimately, visual behavioural data is being used for the first time to proactively control the system’s hardware – ensuring maximum animal welfare.
Key features and benefits at a glance
Practical significance & animal welfare
- Reduction in crushing losses through thermal control of the nests.
- Abnormal lying behaviour or increased use of Nutrix signals a milk deficiency at an early stage, enabling prompt treatment.
Farm management & labour ef ciency
- ‘Management by exception’ only triggers an alert in the event of genuine problems.
- Automatic birth documentation and proactive feed quantity adjustment prevent feed wastage, thereby eliminating the need for manual trough emptying and improving feed conversion.
Environment & Energy
- AI control ensures demand-based nest heating without continuous full-load operation, enabling a ow temperature up to 6°C lower in practical operation.
- Precise feeding reduces nutrient losses into the slurry and lowers the carbon footprint.
Workload Reduction & Safety:
- Digital birth monitoring and live remote access replace physical night-time checks, saving on travel and time.
September 29, 2026 - WEDA Dammann & Westerkamp
