RFID Enters the Pigpen

The computer will incorporate a Web-based portal, accessible either via a satellite or Internet connection. Thus, a farmer will be able to check the data from his office. Such information can help farmers determine how much feed is optimal, without actually having to manually check feed levels on a continual basis. "You don't want to put too much feed in a hog feeder, because it costs money if there is wasted feed," Hagemann explains, "but you also don't want to put too little feed in the feeder."

Another possibility would be to embed temperature sensors that can monitor how hot or cold the hog house is throughout the day. Farmers can then correlate temperatures with feed levels. "Maybe it's too hot in the hog house, and the hogs aren't eating enough because of that," Hagemann notes.

In addition, the interrogators may also collect the unique IDs of any passive RFID tags attached to the hogs, which Hagemann says more and more hog farmers are using. The computer's database can associate a hog's ID number with data collected from the feeder in that hog's pen, allowing the farmer to correlate feedings with a specific hog.

Starting in April, New Composite Partners expects to test the feeder at an Illinois farmer, though Hagemann declines to identify the farmer because details are still being worked out. The farmer is building a new hog house, and will install 200 RFID-enabled biocomposite feeders to test them.

If all goes well, a commercial version of the hog feeder will be available later this year, says Andy Axel, CEO of New Composite Partners. The company also plans to explore other products utilizing the biocomposite and RFID combination, including pallets.