9 Reasons not to miss SPACE in 2023

37 product innovations got awarded for this year’s event. Altogether 28 products received 1 star, whereas 9 products received 2 stars. Of that selection, 9 products were aimed at the swine industry. 3 pig products received 2 stars, and 6 got 1 star.

Heating and/or cooling wall

Leretrif Rossard Batiment: Watt’n’Wall ⭐⭐

These prefabricated walls are equipped with a hydraulic coil in order to heat part of the area of the room or post-weaning pen. Technically, the heating wall allows to warm up the pen on the wall side to obtain a higher temperature compared to the entrance of the pen. The temperature difference creates living areas with different temperatures. The heat is diffused mainly by radiation, with a feeling of soft and homogeneous heat. The heating wall can operate using various energy sources and it will be able to adapt to energy types trends. The heating coil is incorporated into the wall, so there is no heating equipment to move or clean. The heating system is laid at the same time as the walls, in a sustainable manner. In combination with a reversible heat pump, the system will also cool the atmosphere of the room. (Hall 7, stand B18)

Tool to get more out of livestock manure

Chambres d’Agriculture de Bretagne: Agrivision’Air ⭐⭐

The Decision Support Instrument Agrivision’Air is a solution that maintains fertiliser quality of livestock manure when applied. The simulator provides for 3 days a forecast loss of nitrogen by ammonia volatilisation, and 3 indicators (i.e. spreading quality, spreading equipment performance and weather impact), for an application of fertiliser defined by the type of fertiliser, the amount, the spreading equipment and the tillage delay. Those indicators and more detailed annual summaries help to adjust practices to reduce volatilisation in the short term, or to help understand the changes to implement in a mid-term strategy. The product is easy to use, intuitive and brings together agricultural practices and weather forecast in a single tool. (Hall 5, stand B35)

Counting insect larvae in their substrate

Le Gouessant-Mutatec: Dosin’Tec ⭐⭐

Dosin’Tec is an equipment designed to assist in counting larvae of rearing insects, particularly the black soldier fly and the mealworm. The tool allows for the counting of insect larvae in breeding without separating them from their growth substrate. The innovation is based on the application of a deep learning algorithm for analysing images that are successively exposed to dual lighting. At the larval stage, tiny larvae are plentiful and their systematic burying within food particle-filled substrate makes it challenging to assess the real-time population in breeding units. The product enables to identify up to 95% of the larvae regardless of size and heterogeneity. (Hall 5, stand A23)

Individual monitoring of animal behaviour

Asserva: Pig Move ⭐

The Pig Move is a tool designed to monitor individual pig movement. It was developed using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and enables the tracking of the animals’ movements either confined or outdoors and at different physiological stages. A tracking and data recording software has been designed to collect the data related to all moves, which are then analysed by algorithms that measure the individual pigs’ behaviour as well as that of the entire group. The algorithms allow for e.g. measuring the time spent by each pig in predefined living zones, monitoring the evolution of zone occupancy and counting the number of zone changes. (Hall 8, stand A20)

Disinfecting the lower parts of a vehicle

Avicare: Avicare Universel ⭐

Avicare is an on-board disinfection system acting on the wheels and the underbody of the vehicle to prevent the spread by road transport of livestock diseases. A mobile app, available on Android smartphones or tablets, controls configuration, system control, traceability, programme updating and maintenance. The app is connected with a web page. Among the criteria guiding its design are protection of workers, speed of execution (less than 30 seconds), effectiveness of disinfection and automatic traceability of operations. (Hall 10, stand C79)

Pig slurry vacuum robot

CRD – Concept Rolland Développement: TracVac ⭐

CRD offers the solution for working in buildings without slurry with the TracVac, a pig slurry vacuum robot which makes it possible to bring out new economic value in effluent, acting to the source. That means: a better atmosphere for humans and animals, a better health and better air quality. The concept was adapted from bovine slurry vacuuming robots. Characteristics have been adapted to circulate under the gratings in the slurry prepits of existing buildings while having the capacity to absorb fresh and sometimes sandy slurry to export it from the rooms. (Open air, stand F03)

Alfalfa bale with dispenser rack

Desialis: Luza Peak ⭐

The proposed solution to tail biting is a sustainable fibre source to reduce aggression. Offered as dehydrated refined alfalfa bales (20 kg), the solution has proven to be effective in livestock farming and at the experimental farm of pig farming cooperative Cooperl. To optimise the concept, it was necessary to develop a specific distribution rack, the challenge being to allow access to the bale so as not to generate frustration or excessive consumption. Fixing the rack is easily done on any type of grating to avoid being knocked over or moved. The average durability for a bale is 8 weeks for 20 piglets, but its use may be considered curative as soon as the first signs of cannibalism would appear. (Hall 5, stand D94)

Applying detergent and disinfection safely

Schippers France: HyBag ⭐

This is a complete solution allowing secure dosing of hygiene products in livestock farming while guaranteeing optimal foam quality. The solution is made up of different elements: a foam lance to accommodate flexible bags of detergent or disinfectant; flexible bags of disinfectant, detergent and animal shampoo. The solution’s dosage is reliable in all conditions, there is safety in the handling of the products because the barrel fits directly on the bags, the ergonomics of the solution, and its use can happen in all orientations. (Hall 5, stand B36)

Automatic counting of BSF larvae

Dilepix: Prolarvae ⭐

Black soldier fly larvae offer a promising solution for finding alternative protein sources, with high protein content and reduced environmental impact. They can substitute fishmeal and soy, providing essential amino acids for complementing pig feed. This emerging sector faces a major challenge: quality control. Previously done manually, inspecting hundreds of millimeter-sized larvae is a tedious task. (Hall 3, stand C10)