Infrared Thermography in the Swine Barn:

A Research Update

Nigel Cook, Ph.D.

Research Scientist Livestock Research and Extension Branch

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Lacombe Research Centre

What is Infrared Thermography?

• Detection of infrared radiation emitted by an object • Conversion of infrared radiation to temperature • Displays temperature distribution as an image

All objects with a temperature above absolute zero (-273.15°C or

-459.67°F) emit radiation in the infrared wavelengths.

“Nearly everything gets hot before it fails” FLIR Vision Systems

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

IR Cameras 7.5-13µM

Why Measure Heat Losses by Infrared Thermography?

• Non-contact • Automatable • Non-invasive

• Sensitive to change • Reflects metabolic activity • Detects febrile responses

• Behavior can be measured from infrared images

Body Temperature

Endothermic animals (mammals and birds) maintain a constant body temperature

Homeostasis

Environment Blood Circulation

Heat Loss

Heat Preservation

Conduction (contact with colder surface)

Evaporation (sweating, panting)

Radiation (Infrared)

Convection (Contact with air or water)

Metabolism

Heat Generation

Disease Hair

Feathers Fat

Clothes

Food

Thermal Cameras

FLIR SC640 640×480 = 307,200 pixels Range = -40°C to +1500°C Accuracy = ±1°C or ±1%

Spectral range = 7.5 – 13µm Cost = $65,000 approx. 10 years ago

Thermal Cameras

FLIR A300 320×240 = 76,800 pixels Range = -20°C to +120°C Accuracy = ±1°C or ±1%

Spectral range = 7.5 – 13µm Cost = $10,000

FLIR E40bx 160×120 =19,200 pixels

Range = -20 to 120°C Accuracy = ±2°C or ±2%

Spectral range = 7.5 – 13µm Cost = $3,200

Thermal Cameras

FLIR i3 60×60 = 3,600 pixels

Range = -20°C to +250°C Accuracy = ±2°C or ±2%

Spectral range = 7.5 – 13µm Cost = $1,300

FLIR AX8 80×60 = 4,800 pixels Range = -10 to 150°C

Accuracy = ±2°C or ±2% Spectral range = 7.3 – 13µm

Cost = $1,300

Thermal Cameras

SC640 640×480 = 307,200 pixels

Camera Resolution

FLIR A300 320×240 = 76,800 pixels

E40bx 160×120 = 19,200 pixels

FLIR i3 60×60 = 3,600 pixels

Camera Resolution

Camera Resolution

FLIR AX8 80×60 = 4,800 pixels

Camera Resolution and Price

Camera Resolution (Pixels)

Price

SC640 640×480 $65,000

A300 320×240 $10,000

E40bx 160×120 $3,200

I3 60×60 $1,300

AX8 80×60 $1,300

Zoonotic Diseases

“1 – 3 Emerging zoonotic pathogens per year.”

“The most efficient way to counteract novel pathogens is to discover them early.”

“We need to have excellent surveillance.”

“We need to be as well prepared as possible.”

*Source: Soren Alexandersen (National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, CFIA) Banff Pork

Seminar, 2010

Infrared Thermography and Disease

Infrared Thermography and Disease Detection

Individual Group

Location Yes No

RFID Yes No

Camera Trigger Yes No

Controls Multiple Individuals Single Group

Diagnostics Animal Specific Non-specific

Setup Complex Simple

Individual vs. Group Imaging?

Can a febrile response be detected by infrared images of a group of animals?

How many animals in a group need to exhibit a febrile response before it is detected by infrared thermography?

Control Sham (Saline) Vaccinated Infrared Images

Infrared Imaging and Responses to Vaccination

Temperature Controlled Room for Weaned Piglets Environment Recording

Ceiling Mounted IRT Camera

Reflected Environmental Infrared Radiation

Electrolyte Solution Mean Temp = 25.5C

Electrolyte Solution Mean Temp = 18.2C

Reflector Strip Mean Temp = 25.7C

Reflector Strip Mean Temp = 25.3C

Factors Affecting IRT Temperatures

Imprinted Body Heat

Mean Image Temp = 24.8C Mean Image Temp = 25.5C

Factors Affecting IRT Temperatures

Reflected Infrared Radiation Urine/Feces Mice

Factors Affecting IRT Temperatures

130.0

31.0

32.0

33.0

34.0

35.0

36.0

37.0

38.0

°C

Distribution of Pig Temperatures

Selecting a Working Temperature Range

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

16.0

18.0

20.0

22.0

24.0

26.0

28.0

30.0

32.0

34.0

36.0

38.0

°C

A4

A1 A2

A3 Threshold = 30°C

A1

A2 A3

A4

CS = 1

CS = 2

CS = 3

CS = 4

CS = 5

CS = 6

CS = 7

36.5

37

37.5

38

38.5

39

CS1 CS2 CS3 CS4 CS5 CS6 CS7

Max

Tem

pera

ture

(°C)

Temperature by Cluster Score

The Effect of Spatial Distribution on Temperature

CS1 – CS3 = HCS CS4 – CS7 = LCS

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

150

200

Con Sham Con Sham TRT Vac Con Vac Trt

Devi

atio

n (O

bser

ved

- Exp

ecte

d) O

bser

vatio

ns (n

)

Treatments

HCS1:3 LCS4:7

Clustering Activity within Treatments

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Perc

enta

ge O

bser

vatio

ns

Clock Time

Vac Trt Control Images

Vaccination (9:30:00 ±30min)

Effect of Vaccination on High Cluster Scores (Inactivity)

7 – 17 h post-vaccination

The Effect of Vaccination on Maximum Temperature

37.0

37.5

38.0

38.5

39.0

39.5

0 120 240 360 480 600 720 840 960 1080 1200 1320 1440

Max

imum

Tem

pera

ture

(°C)

Time (Min)

Con Vac Con Vac Trt Sham Con Sham Trt

The Effect of Prevalence

37.5°C

40.6°C

38

39

40

AR01

The Effect of Prevalence

Pigs n = 23 – 28 per group Prevalence = 7.4 – 70.8 %

90° Wide Angle Lens

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

0 20 40 60 80

Tem

pera

ture

Diff

eren

ce (°

C)

Prevalence (%)

The Effect of Prevalence

Vaccination Trial Conclusions Setting a threshold temperature eliminates miscellaneous background

Spatial distribution affects temperature

Vaccination affects spatial distribution

Vaccination induced increase in radiated temperature

Increase in radiated temperature detected at 10% prevalence

In theory, only one pig needs to exhibit a febrile response to increase the maximum temperature recorded

N. J. Cook, B. Chabot, T. Liu, C. J. Bench and A. L. Schaefer.(2015) Infrared thermography detects febrile and behavioural responses to vaccination of weaned piglets. Animal, 9:2, 339–346.

Background temperature had no significant effect on pig temperature

Current Studies Infrared Thermography: Metabolism, Disease, Stress and Meat Quality

Experimental Hypotheses 1. Lower radiated temperatures will be associated with superior growth

efficiencies under normal conditions. 2. Radiated temperature will be reduced in response to feed withdrawal. 3. Animals that exhibit the lowest radiated temperature following feed

withdrawal will be the most growth efficient. 4. Radiated temperatures following feed withdrawal will be consistent

within animal 5. Radiated temperature will detect febrile responses prior to the onset of

clinical symptoms 6. Radiated temperature measurements under normal and metabolically-

challenging conditions will be related to carcass characteristics such as fat, bone and lean.

Current Studies Infrared Thermography: Metabolism, Disease, Stress and Meat Quality

Weaned Piglets

Antimicrobial Feed (0.011% Chlortetracycline hydrochloride)

(0.011% Sulfamethazine) (0.0034% Tiamulin) (0.0055% Penicillin)

Non-antimicrobial Feed

Commercial Barn

Stress Testing

24 h of Feed Withdrawal @ 35kg, 65kg and

105kg

Sampling Saliva

(Cortisol) Pre Post

Recovery Growth Efficiency

IRT 5 minute intervals

(Group) Feeder (Individuals)

Abattoir (110kg) Transport (1h) Sampling

Saliva

(Cortisol) Pre-transport Post-transport

Sampling

iDEXA Carcass

Characteristics

Group

Individuals

RFID

Current Studies Automated Capture of Individual Animal and Group IRT Images

2:30am

Temp Scale = Range = 19.7 – 35.3°C

6:10pm

Temp Scale = Range = 32.3 – 40.6°C

Images taken 26th Aug, 2014

6:10pm

Background Temp = 34.5°C

2:30am

Background Temp = 21.3°C

Temp Scale = 15 - 45°C Temp Scale = 15 - 45°C

Effects of Background Temperature and Scale

Some Preliminary Results!

Thank You Dr. Manuel Juarez (AAFC)

Meat Lab Technicians

Denise Froehlich (AFF)

Swine Barn Sheri Nelson

Randy Wildeboer Shane Snow

Angela Gamble Michelle Hambly

University of Alberta

Dr. Clover Bench and students