A Transdisciplinary Approach Supporting the Implementation of a Big Data Project in Livestock Production: An Example From the Swiss Pig Production Industry

Abstract

Big Data approaches offer potential benefits for improving animal health, but they have not been broadly implemented in livestock production systems. Privacy issues, the large number of stakeholders, and the competitive environment all make data sharing, and integration a challenge in livestock production systems. The Swiss pig production industry illustrates these and other Big Data issues. It is a highly decentralized and fragmented complex network made up of a large number of small independent actors collecting a large amount of heterogeneous data. Transdisciplinary approaches hold promise for overcoming some of the barriers to implementing Big Data approaches in livestock production systems. The purpose of our paper is to describe the use of a transdisciplinary approach in a Big Data research project in the Swiss pig industry. We provide a brief overview of the research project named “Pig Data,” describing the structure of the project, the tools developed for collaboration and knowledge transfer, the data received, and some of the challenges. Our experience provides insight and direction for researchers looking to use similar approaches in livestock production system research.

One Coin, Two Sides: Eliciting Expert Knowledge From Training Participants in a Capacity-Building Program for Veterinary Professionals

“…When accounting for the total number of articles in each Web of Science category, the same search string occurred 10 times more frequently within Environmental Sciences (1,232/1,489,989) and 12 times more frequently for Ecology (599/591,636). The purposes of expert knowledge in veterinary publications include estimation of parameter values (7,8), ranking of risk factors or criteria (9)(10)(11), enhancing or interpreting available data (12)(13)(14), or developing an instrument for use by practitioners (15,16). Many applications are in data-scarce environments, but there are also cases where expertise is used to make sense of or add rigor to abundant or heterogeneous data sources (14,17).…”

“…The purposes of expert knowledge in veterinary publications include estimation of parameter values (7,8), ranking of risk factors or criteria (9)(10)(11), enhancing or interpreting available data (12)(13)(14), or developing an instrument for use by practitioners (15,16). Many applications are in data-scarce environments, but there are also cases where expertise is used to make sense of or add rigor to abundant or heterogeneous data sources (14,17).…”

Can transdisciplinary approaches contribute to the COVID-19 fight?

“…As COVID-19 has complex features, with a strong connection to the determinants of health, a new vision such as the 'transdisciplinary approach' may be helpful. The transdisciplinary approach engages different disciplines in implementing potential solutions to societal issues and the engagement creates a holistic approach (12). The approach facilitates transforming knowledge and societal transformation (13).…”

“…In a transdisciplinary approach, science, society, and other related components contribute to the solution. All population dynamics play a role in organizing the response to the 'need' (Figure 2(a)) (12).…”

“…As health is an outcome and is influenced by various determinants, maintaining success in the COVID-19 fight needs many disciplines' collaborative perspectives and contributions including medical, social, behavioral, and biological sciences approaches (12). A joint new conceptual, theoretical, and methodological approach, beyond discipline-specific approaches for the common problem (16) of addressing COVID-19, should be created and designated as a 'transdisciplinary approach'.…”