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To improve traceability in the UK pork supply chain and support high welfare pig production, MSD Animal Health UK launched LeeO Precision Farming B.V. (LeeO), an innovative, real-time monitoring system, at The British Pig & Poultry Fair (15-16 May 2024).
LeeO technology, which originates from the Netherlands, enables producers to efficiently collect data about individual pigs across entire herds, and monitor their performance from birth to slaughter.
Ingrid Potter, key account manager at MSD Animal Health UK, explains the technology will theoretically allow every tagged pig to have a ‘performance’ passport when it arrives at the abattoir.
“Piglets can receive a LeeO ear tag within 24 hours of birth and, from there, have a wide variety of performance metrics tracked throughout their life cycle, including associated sire and dam line, weight, movements, antibiotic use and vaccination history,” said Potter.
“This allows producers and integrators to gain a better understanding of the health and welfare status of all pigs under their management and, ultimately, enables consumers to be more informed about where their pork comes from and how it’s been produced,” she said.
Potter said these insights can allow farmers to produce the highest quality pork that meets the most stringent regulations across the UK supply chain.
“The technology is unique because there’s currently no other commercial farm management or software application that can track pig performance, health and welfare in such an effective way and to such granular detail in the UK,” she said.