14 • URNER BARRY'S REPORTER / VOL. 18, NO. 4 / FALL 2023
The integration of artificial intelligence has revolutionized
numerous industries such as transportation, marketing,
healthcare, and education by enhancing their efficiency
and productivity. The agricultural sector, particularly hog
processing plants, has emerged as a notable beneficiary
of AI. By harnessing AI, some plants have optimized
their operations, elevating animal care standards and
strengthening food safety protocols. AI-driven quality
control mechanisms empower these facilities with
unmatched precision and consistency, surpassing what
was achievable with human oversight alone. This shift
has transitioned operations from a reactive approach
to a proactive one, enabling data-driven decisions and
machinery fine-tuning.
A standout benefit of AI in hog processing is its impact on
precision. AI-powered systems, with their fundamental
accuracy, often outperform traditional human methods. For
instance, AI-enabled vision systems efficiently categorize
hogs based on weight, size, and health, ensuring each
animal undergoes the most suitable processing. This not
only boosts production, but also reduces errors, which
promotes a more streamlined and efficient workflow.
Additionally, AI's cautious surveillance, assisted by sensors
and cameras, proves invaluable for monitoring hog health
and behavior. This technology uses infrared thermal imaging
to take the temperature of each hog, while also monitoring
their standing and resting durations to detect any deviations
Artificial intelligence's
transformative touch in
the hog industry
AI and swine combine for the perfect production line…
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