In recent decades, the pig farming world has undergone a profound transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Technology, environmental awareness, and attention to animal welfare have revolutionized how farms are managed. But how much does the environment really affect the animals\u2019 health? And how are the skills of field veterinarians changing? We discussed this with Telma Tucci<\/a>, a professional with many years of experience in veterinary consulting for Italian farms, and a key figure at 3tre3<\/a>, who has witnessed this evolution firsthand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The biggest change I\u2019ve observed in these 35 years of work in Italy has been a greater awareness of the importance of a suitable environment. The introduction of new diseases, such as PRRS, has pushed farmers to look beyond the \u201cpathogen.\u201d Pig diseases are mostly multifactorial, where the environment and respect for the animals\u2019 needs are fundamental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Environmental parameters are certainly an integral part of the animals\u2019 life and well-being. All these factors play an important role in the pig\u2019s health, affecting everything from reproductive issues to growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few years ago, we had a growth problem in a finishing unit. The animals weren\u2019t expressing their full genetic potential, yet their health parameters appeared normal. The issue turned out to be poor air exchange, with high CO\u2082 levels\u2014not alarming according to Classyfarm limits, but still enough to reduce oxygen supply to tissues and slow muscle growth. An invisible, yet very real problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In practice, anything that improves the pig\u2019s thermal comfort translates into benefits for health and welfare. Reducing humidity, ensuring proper ventilation, and using cooling systems\u2014such as coolers\u2014that help dissipate heat are the most effective solutions. Pigs have very few sweat glands, so the environment must help them maintain thermal balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowing in advance that a group of pigs is about to get sick because of a malfunction or an environmental problem can make the difference between a modern management approach and one still based only on visual experience. Human roles remain essential, but they must take on a new function: interpreting data and acting proactively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyone who believes that AI or other innovations can replace human figures\u2014veterinarians or otherwise\u2014hasn\u2019t understood the direction we\u2019re heading in. These are tools that support, not replace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Being aware of one\u2019s choices is a right. However, reducing complex aspects such as nutrition, welfare, and sustainability to a single score risks being simplistic and reductive. We need transparency\u2014but also balanced communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know several pig farms where the environmental impact is now close to zero\u2014or at least comparable to that of other productive activities. So no, it\u2019s not utopian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m not a farmer, but I am an entrepreneur of myself. I never face a difficulty as a problem, but as an opportunity. While many farmers see sustainability as a cost and stay put, others are already taking action\u2014and reaping the rewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The challenges are interconnected. Maintaining competitiveness depends on integrating technology, which optimizes time and resources, generating economic benefits. At the same time, climate management is becoming a social issue that must be integrated with the other two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Telma Tucci\u2019s experience shows that animal welfare is no longer just an ethical issue, but a key element of efficiency, sustainability, and technical progress. The farm of the future will rely on data, technology, and environmental awareness\u2014but will still need people capable of interpreting complexity and making decisions with sensitivity and experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In recent decades, the pig farming world has undergone a profound transformation. Technology, environmental awareness, and attention to animal welfare have revolutionized how farms are managed. But how much does the environment really affect the animals\u2019 health? And how are the skills of field veterinarians changing? We discussed this with Telma Tucci, a professional with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9568,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-animal-welfare-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9499"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9499\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9502,"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9499\/revisions\/9502"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cynomys.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Over your years of working closely with farms, what has been the most evident change you\u2019ve seen in the relationship between the barn environment and animal health?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a lot of talk about nutrition and genetics, but less about air quality. In your experience, how important are parameters like ammonia, fine dust, and CO\u2082 in the daily life of animals?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can you tell us about a case where an \u201cinvisible\u201d problem in the barn\u2014perhaps related to ventilation or air quality\u2014had a significant impact on health or productivity?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Summers are getting longer and hotter. As an expert, what do you observe most in animals under heat stress? And which solutions have you seen work best in practice?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Today, almost everything can be monitored in real time. From a clinical perspective, how does having constant data on microclimate and animal welfare change things compared to traditional observation?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Artificial intelligence and predictive systems are becoming more common. Do you see them as tools that can support veterinarians, or do they risk replacing some of their skills?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In France, consumers can find an A-to-E score on labels indicating animal welfare. How do you view this kind of communication? Would it be a help or a hindrance for those working in Italian farming?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s increasing talk of farms capable of \u201cgiving back\u201d to the environment, improving soil and biodiversity. From a specialist\u2019s perspective, do you see this as utopian or a realistic path?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Many farmers see sustainability as a cost. Can you give an example of when improving animal welfare actually translated into an economic benefit?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Looking ahead to 2035, what do you think will be the biggest challenge for veterinarians and animal health: managing climate change, maintaining economic competitiveness, or integrating technology?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n