IDealSow
Bioinformatics applied to smart sow farms to optimise production and animal health.
Swine CRO
Swine CRO studies in Spain
IMASDE is an independent contract research organization (CRO) for pig nutrition, health and welfare. We design and run swine trials in sows, weaned piglets and grower-finisher pigs at our own swine research facility in Segovia, under Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and deliver statistically robust reports.
An independent CRO for swine nutrition and health
Feed, additive, animal health and genetics companies from Spain and abroad trust us with swine CRO studies that have to stand up to scrutiny: by regulators such as EFSA, by scientific journals and by their own customers.
Every swine study follows a written protocol, randomised allocation of treatments and a statistical analysis plan agreed before the first pig enters the trial. The same team designs the study, runs the animal phase and analyses the data.
Request a swine study proposal- Own swine research centre in Segovia, in one of Spain's main pig-producing areas.
- Good Clinical Practice (GCP) in all our animal research centres.
- Biosafety level 2 rooms for controlled challenge models.
- In-house biostatistics and reports ready for EFSA dossiers.
- Commercial conditions: studies can be scaled up to commercial farms.
Pig trials by production phase
Sows
- Gestation and lactation trials.
- Effect of diet on prolificacy and litter performance.
- Colostrum quality and immune transfer to piglets.
Weaned piglets
- Pre-starter and post-weaning feeds.
- Palatability and feed intake.
- Validation of post-weaning additives.
- Gut health and diarrhoea control.
Grower-finisher pigs
- Growth curves and feed efficiency.
- Carcass quality and intramuscular fat.
- Formulation cost optimisation.
Types of swine CRO studies
- Feed and zootechnical additive efficacy
- Digestibility (metabolic cages)
- Palatability and feed intake
- Challenge models
- Target animal safety
- Drug withdrawal studies
- Microbiota studies
- Vaccines and veterinary medicines
What we measure
Endpoints are chosen with you for each claim and recorded under Good Clinical Practice.
- Body weight, average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI).
- Feed conversion ratio (FCR) and feed cost per kilo of gain.
- Mortality, morbidity and treatment records.
- Faecal consistency and gut health indicators.
- Apparent digestibility of energy and nutrients.
- Carcass yield, lean meat and intramuscular fat.
- Microbiota and samples for laboratory analysis.
How a swine CRO study works
From the claim you need to prove to a report ready for registration or publication.
- 1
Objective and claim
We agree with you what the study must prove, the target animals and the comparison: negative control, positive control or dose-response.
- 2
Protocol and sample size
We define the experimental unit (usually the pen), the number of replicates needed to detect the expected difference, randomisation and the statistical analysis plan.
- 3
Animal phase under GCP
Our technicians run the study at our research centre or on commercial farms, with traceable records of feed, animals and health events.
- 4
Statistical analysis
Our in-house biostatistics team analyses the data with models adapted to the design, such as linear mixed models.
- 5
Final report
A complete study report with methods, results and conclusions, ready for EFSA dossiers, technical articles or your sales team.
Our swine research facility in Segovia
Our swine trials run at our pig research centre in Escarabajosa de Cabezas (Segovia), in central Spain and within easy reach of Madrid. The centre also hosts our ruminant studies.
Polígono 102, parcela 42, Carraquintana · 40291 Escarabajosa de Cabezas (Segovia), Spain · See all our locations
Own swine R&D projects
We also research for ourselves: projects funded by national and European calls that keep our team at the forefront.
LearningPig (phase I and II)
Predictive models to improve health and welfare of finishing pigs through big data analysis.
VENT-IA
Better health and welfare of weaned piglets through AI-controlled ventilation.
APPigPlan
Prediction of the optimal time to send pigs to slaughter using machine learning.
RisPorDat
Digital tools to identify risk markers of respiratory and reproductive diseases on pig farms.
Arrobadera 4.0
Sensorised mechanical system to separate slurry inside pig houses.
Swine CRO studies: frequently asked questions
What is a swine CRO?
A contract research organization (CRO) that designs and runs studies in pigs on behalf of other companies, usually feed, additive, animal health and genetics companies. IMASDE is an independent swine CRO in Spain: we design the protocol, run the animal phase, analyse the data and write the final report.
Which swine studies can IMASDE run?
Studies in sows, piglets and growing-finishing pigs: feed additive efficacy, digestibility in metabolic cages, palatability, challenge models, target animal safety, drug withdrawal, microbiota and vaccine studies, with performance, health and carcass endpoints.
Do you run weaned piglet trials?
Yes. We run weaned piglet trials on pre-starter and post-weaning feeds and additives: feed intake and palatability, growth, gut health and diarrhoea control, usually over an animal phase of 4 to 6 weeks.
Are your swine studies valid for EFSA registration of feed additives?
Yes. Many of our swine studies are designed for feed additive registration in the European Union, following EFSA's FEEDAP guidance, which for most zootechnical additives asks for at least three in vivo efficacy studies per target category showing a significant effect. They can also support approval by the US FDA.
How many pigs does a swine efficacy study need?
What matters is the number of experimental units (replicates), usually pens, rather than the total number of pigs. The right number comes from a power calculation based on the expected difference and its variability, which we do with you before the study starts.
Can you run challenge studies in pigs?
Yes. We run controlled infection models in isolated rooms with biosafety level 2 containment, with the approval of the animal ethics committee and the authorisation of the competent authority.
Can a swine study be run on commercial farms?
Yes. Once a product's dose and effect are defined in our research centre, the study can be scaled up to commercial farms or to the client's own facilities to confirm efficacy under real production conditions.
How long does a swine study take?
It depends on the production phase. A post-weaning study usually has an animal phase of 4 to 6 weeks, while a growing-finishing study can run until slaughter. We include a detailed timeline with the protocol.
Also: Poultry CRO studies · Statistical analysis · All animal trials
Planning a swine study?
Tell us the product, the claim and the timeline. We will send you a protocol and a quote.