Thermography in boars

The present study examined 67 Piétrain breeding boars in two breeding stations in Germany via clinical scoring and infrared thermographic imaging (IRT). Beside different clinical parameters (ten animal-welfare indicators) and IRT analyses of ear and left body side (five variables), offspring of 22 of these examined boars were evaluated using the national score ‘German Pig Scoring Key (DSBS)’. Regarding clinical parameters: Breeding boars showed a high prevalence of congested veins (74%), flaky coat appearance (73%) and loss of ear hair (77%). IRT data gave results for infrared ear temperatures in breeding boars and thermal profiles of ear and body. Additionally, data revealed that no significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between the ear skin temperatures of both ears and the number of ear tags. IRT can be a useful tool to analyze breeding boars’ health (in terms of infrared thermal profiles) and IRT profiles might be used as a first sign for swine inflammation and necrosis syndrome (SINS) in boars. But more studies are needed. As parental health is linked to offspring health, additionally more focus should be given to breeding boars and sow lines.