The HAI 4.0 (Human Animal Interaction) project (Human Animal Interaction), launched in summer 2021 with the aim of collecting data on the behaviour of animals in the presence of humans to improve their well-being, is nearing its completion phase and the analysis of the results. The initiative, which is expected to publish data in the third quarter of 2022, came from a consortium of members of the Spanish Cluster of Pork Livestock Producers (i+Porc), among which are the Cluster itself, Ceva Salud Animal, Grupo Costa (Piensos Costa), Infoporc and Institut De Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentaries (IRTA), along with EQTIC, from the Cluster Digital de Catalunya.

The main challenge of HAI 4.0 is to obtain a reliable way to measure the quality of the relationships between animals and humans by using the new technologies through tools such as artificial vision and ‘deep learning’, since the behaviour of pigs in the presence of their carers is one of the main indicators of their level of welfare and significantly affects the quality of the meat produced.

The project is aligned with the objectives of Costa Food Group to guarantee the care and welfare of our animals, in the framework of which, in 2018, it became the first brand specialising in white pork meat production in Spain to obtain the AENOR Welfair™ Animal Welfare certification for all of their farms throughout the whole production process: from breeding and pork processing, to the presentation of the end products.

The initiative is supported by the Cluster of Innovative Business Groups and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism.