Count pigs in a pen from a photo

Counting pigs pen by pen in a finishing or weaner house

Pig units count at placement, at weaning, when moving batches between houses and at load-out, where the figure must agree with the transport paperwork. Indoor pens are divided by solid partitions, so the clearest view comes from the walkway: hold the phone above the gate and tilt it down into one pen at a time. Turn the house lights up first; dim light blurs pigs that are moving.

Pigs lie in heaps when they rest, especially in cooler houses, and a pile of pink backs on pale concrete has very little contrast. Shooting while they are up and feeding, or right after a gentle walk through the pen, gives separated animals. Dust and humidity cloud a phone lens quickly, so wipe it between pens. Feeders and drinkers can hide a pig standing behind them, so look at both ends of the pen before accepting the dots.

Add each pen as its own tally row labeled with the pen number. With Premium, Bulk audit runs the Distinct objects detector over a queue of pen photos and adds each count to the tally with a grand total, which works best in pens where the pigs are standing apart; review every marked image before signing off. Poultry houses call for a different method on the chicken counter, and mixed farm stock fits the livestock counter.