Digitalisation, emissions reduction and animal welfare – insights from the first 2026 network meeting of the pilot pig farms
On 26 and 27 February 2025, the pig pilot farms of the Fokus Tierwohl network met in Borgentreich, North Rhine-Westphalia. The meeting once again provided a valuable platform for professional exchange and practical insights into current developments in animal welfare in pig farming.
Following a welcome address by Christian Lambertz and Paulina Kluger from FiBL Deutschland e.V., the first day of the event began with a brief presentation of the EU project ‘WelFarmers’, which is researching innovative approaches to improving animal welfare. The project actively examines practical examples of how animal welfare in pig farming can be improved and highlights solutions that are already working in practice. The aim is to identify, evaluate and disseminate practical “good practices” – such as measures to increase space allocation or to reduce tail-biting.
The farms then exchanged views on their experiences on their own farms. As part of the technical programme, Dr Hagenkamp-Korth (University of Kiel, North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture) gave a presentation on the topic of “Reducing ammonia emissions in pig farming”. She presented measures such as adjusting surface area, pH value, temperature, manure-urine separation, urease activity and feeding strategies, and emphasised that all measures can, in principle, reduce emissions. Feeding strategies in particular can be implemented relatively easily, whilst technical and structural measures must be assessed on a farm-by-farm basis. Reliable data is available for fattening pig farming, whereas the data available for sow and piglet farming is more limited. When evaluating these measures, absolute emission values should always be taken into account alongside the reduction potential. Dr Johannes Schmidt-Mosig (VetVise GmbH) then presented how digital tools such as cameras and data analysis can help make informed decisions in barn management. The day concluded with Jochen Meyer and his daughter Marlene Meyer sharing their experiences with digitalisation and the issue of curled tails in Level 4 housing systems, and presenting their self-programmed AI for the early detection of tail biting. The evening drew to a close with a group dinner and an open technical discussion.
On the second day, the participants visited the model farm Jonas und Klaus Lange GbR in Borgentreich-Körbecke. The Lange family runs a pig breeding operation with just under 450 breeding sows from their own replacement stock, 2,200 piglet rearing places and 500 fattening places across 156 hectares of farmland. Particular attention was paid to the expanded housing concept: The sows utilise both the heated barn with computer-controlled ventilation and on-demand feeding, as well as a newly constructed outdoor climate barn, which allows the animals self-determined access to the inside and outside. Additionally, roughage provides stimulation. Furthermore, the participants gained insights into piglet rearing and boar fattening. At this point, a heartfelt thank you once again to Jonas and Klaus Lange.
After a light lunch, the closing session took place, featuring an evaluation of the meeting. The participants returned to their farms with fresh professional insights, strengthened contacts and practical knowledge. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all the farms that took part in the conference and contributed to its success. The project team is now beginning preparations for the next meeting, and we look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.
Author: Paulina Kluger, FiBl Deutschland e.V.