Phenotyping hall

The small ruminant phenotyping hall, built in 2021 is a 1,800m² tunnel greenhouse divided into 12 lots. Each lot is equipped with 3 forage feeders (DAF), 1 concentrate feeder (DAC) and a water feeder fitted with a weighing pan (DH2O) and can accommodate 20 individuals. This infrastructure enables high throughput phenotyping of individual feed, concentrate and water intake by small ruminants and monitoring of weight trends. The hall is also equipped with cameras for assessing animal behaviour. This infrastructure is unique in Europe in terms of its size and the automation of phenotyping of individual feed intake by group-reared animals.

Intake measurement devices

• Automatic concentrate feeders (n=12)
• Automatic fodder dispensers (n=36)
• Automatic water dispensers (n=12)
• Automatic milk dispensers (n=2)
• Rotolactor in rear milking and milk control test tubes (n=24)
• Mixer-distributor-weigher trailers (n=3)
• PDA for recording phenotypes (n=6)

Other phenotyping equipment

• GreenFeed Small Ruminant’ greenhouse gas measurement equipment (n=2)
• Standard and automated weighing trays (n=12)
• Video equipment, video analysis and photography (animal behaviour)

Environmental sensors

• Connected environmental sensors and recording system (n=6)
• Weather stations (n=2)

Animal restraint and sorting equipment

• Electronic sorting pens with 6 and 3 outputs
• Mobile weighing, identification and sorting system (Combi clamp, mobile pen and wow)
• Restrainer mat and turning cage