Recommended dimensions and details for building PigSAFE pens (November 2010) The PigSAFE Project: Developing an alternative to the farrowing crate

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1 Recommended dimensions and details for building PigSAFE pens (November 2010) The PigSAFE Project: Developing an alternative to the farrowing crate The PigSAFE Project (Piglet and Sow Alternative Farrowing Environment) is a three year project which started in April 2008 with the objective of developing and testing a practical non-crate system for indoor farrowing accommodation. The project is funded by Defra and is being carried out by the University of Newcastle and the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), in consultation with both welfare (RSPCA) and industry groups (BPEX, QMS). Further details of this project, including the work carried out in the first year, the prototype designs tested at Newcastle (farrowing crate conversion, slurry system) and SAC (new build, solid manure system) over this period and our experience with them can be found in a PigSAFE Interim Briefing Note published in February 2010 and available from us on request. Although the project is still ongoing, we are being approached by many producers wishing to try a prototype on their own farms and have therefore produced this document which details our present views regarding design and pen dimensions. Whilst these are our best current suggestions, based on experience with working with these pens, it should be noted that we are still working on the development and evaluation of this prototype and final results and conclusions may therefore differ from those available at present. Whilst this information is given in good faith, we cannot accept any responsibility for the consequences of its adoption by others. We consider that the detail of the design is very important in its performance and therefore any deviation from the details given in this document is done so at the producer s own risk. We encourage anyone wishing to build pens to contact us for a more detailed discussion of key features. Visits to view our prototypes are welcomed by prior arrangement. For further information please contact: Prof Sandra Edwards Dr Emma Baxter University of Newcastle SAC Edinburgh sandra.edwards@ncl.ac.uk emma.baxter@sac.ac.uk

2 Recommended dimensions and details for building PigSAFE pens 3715mm Barred access gate that can lock sow in nest for passage along the dunging area KEY: 600mm 500mm CREEP 560mm 430mm FEEDING STALL 610mm 540mm SOLID NEST AREA 1700mm Removable step 800mm 1200mm SLATTED DUNGING AREA Nest wall can open up 7 days postfarrowing 2400mm Slatted area 9-10mm void width with Triband stainless steel or plastic slats Solid nest area recommended with small perforations to aid drainage Barred areas Chat-holes to allow contact between pens. Solid at base. Direction of movement for walls or gates. Heated area under-floor/mat heating recommended when using nesting substrate Light in creep 2400mm 1300mm Sloped walls suspended 200mm above floor and 180mm at base from pen wall. Combined sow and piglet drinker with anti-flood bar around piglet drinker NB: These recommendations are based on our experience designing and working with PigSAFE pens. This information is given in good faith, but we can accept no responsibility for its adoption, especially if design criteria are modified when building the pens. Anyone thinking of constructing such pens is recommended to contact us for more detailed discussion of the key features, and visits to view the prototypes are welcome by prior arrangement. 2

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4 Creep area = 0.75m 2 (if you have the room, 1m 2 would be better the actual recommendations are 0.96m 2 for 14, 4 week weaners). Corner creeps are important (not front) as this helps with nest shape and makes it easy for piglets to access from the udder. The front of the creeps has two protruding, but graduated bars that prevent the sow lying flush against the creep face and locking the piglets in. The protruding bars are graduated so that at sow shoulder height she is unlikely to bump into them. There is a gap at the bottom (200mm from the floor) to allow the sow s udder to be unimpeded during suckling but means she cannot get her shoulders under there when lying. The gap between the protrusions and the rest of the creep face is 180mm. We recommend the undersides of these bars are rounded off to prevent injury. Gaps/voids between creep bars measure 180mm to allow weaners to exit the creep without damaging their shoulders. On the outside edge, the creep wall is only 600mm tall to allow easy access to the piglets. The inside edge is 1200mm high with vertical bars to prevent sow climbing and jumping. A better close-in of piglets in the creep is recommended and photographed below is a ratchet mechanism (seen in a Danish system) that allows you to shut the piglets in without opening the lid and allows control of the micro-climate, by adjusting the height of the boarding on the front of the creep. 4

5 Details: Sloped walls: these are here to assist with careful lying down of the sow and protect the piglets because the sow cannot lie flush against the nest walls and therefore crush against them. Sloped walls are around the whole nest, including the access door. Sows prefer sloped walls to farrowing rails. Research shows that sows will lie unassisted rather than use a farrowing rail. The sloped wall also allows piglets to walk around the sow during farrowing, so that they can seek the udder and teats unimpeded. The bottom part of the slope is at a distance from the wall of 180mm (basically shoulder width of big 4-week weaners) and at the top the distance is 25mm. The height from the ground is 200mm (allows little piglets to escape and the sow cannot get her shoulders under). The kick-boards/steps between the nest and the dunging passage can come out as soon as the piglets start using the creep. This step has a recommended height of 150mm. In addition, the wall dividing the dunging passage from the nest is on hinges and moves back after 7 days post-farrowing. If you can incorporate this flexible feature we would highly recommend it, to optimise nest hygiene. Make sure the swinging wall is as close to the main wall as possible; because of the hinge you need to have certain clearance to open up but try not to have a big gap as this creates a draft. If this feature cannot be properly incorporated, a pop-hole can be put into the dividing wall (between nest and dunging areas) and lifted up after 7 days post farrowing. 5

6 Flooring: Slats = we recommend that the slats are either Triband stainless steel with a 9mm void or plastic (not concrete). The void should not be greater than 10mm because piglet foot injuries are more likely with larger voids. The legal maximum void width for piglets is 11mm and any flooring must adhere to the requirements detailed in the Defra Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Pigs ( It is recommended that all areas other than the nest and creep should be slatted. The solid area in the nest can be concrete or solid plastic tiles with occasional small perforations to help with drainage. This latter option is recommended, but careful slat choice is required to ensure they are adequate for the weight of heavy sows and have sufficient profile to minimise slipping. In addition producers should seek advice from slat suppliers on likely wear rate of slats over time to make an informed choice. A good support structure underneath the pen is needed as the sows will be walking around more and therefore there are greater levels of stress to the floor in busy areas (i.e. over the step) Sow and piglet combined drinker = the sow drinker height is 700mm from the floor and the piglet drinker height is 200mm from the floor. These are placed in the dunging area, and an anti-flood bar is recommended around the base as sows like to cool-down using the piglet drinker and can sit on the piglet drinker if it is not protected. Position the drinker so that the sow is going to walk fully out of the nest to drink. If a drinker is put in the feeder too, a slatted floor is recommended underneath. Chat holes between pens = these are an important feature of the pen. Having these contact areas are helpful for gilts that tend to react when first separated from the group. They allow contact throughout lactation and the theory is, weaning stress and post-weaning fighting is reduced. Because these areas let a lot of light into the pen they give the nest-space more of a sense of enclosure and attract the sow away from open areas and into the nest area to farrow which is the safest area for the piglets. It is also important to use the metal bars rather than slotted plastic. The slotted 6

7 plastic does not allow full nose to nose contact and can be very dark. These barred areas have a 65mm void between bars and are positioned 400mm from the ground. It should be positioned mainly in the dunging area with visibility from the nest area into the corresponding pen. Chat holes are also on the other side of the dunging area to maximise contact areas outside of the nest-site and to discourage animals from farrowing in the dunging area. Access gates are recommended in the dunging area and therefore the barred areas need to be incorporated into these access gates. It is recommended that the access gates are on hinges that allow them to be swung both ways. This allows ease of movement between pens when moving sows in, but it also gives the option of shutting the sows in their nest areas for passage along the dunging area. As with any features that incorporate hinges it is important to minimise the gap between walls and doors and therefore minimise the risk of drafts. Kick-boards/steps to stop straw and piglets being in dunging area: To separate off the dunging area from the nest area we slot in plastic sheeting which is approximately 150mm high. This allows the sows to step over and drink and dung but keeps newborns and straw in the nest site. A higher step would be more effective in retaining straw, but we have found it deters some animals from nest entry. Under-floor heating = The creep being heated (30 C) is essential and under-floor or heat mats, rather than heat lamps, is recommended because of the use of substrate for nest-building activity. A creep light is also recommended to attract piglets into the creep. Substrate = We recommend a minimum of 2kg (~2 leaves of a small bale) of long-stemmed straw for nestbuilding and farrowing. Depending on the manure handling system, this can then be reduced from ~ 24h post farrowing to recreational, chopped straw and sawdust given daily Positioning of the pens = the pens are set up at SAC as rows of six and in Newcastle as rooms of four. Basically there are always even numbers because they are designed to be mirror opposites of each other and work best if each sow has a neighbour. 7

8 Building tips and challenges: DOORS Avoid gaps between access doors and walls and floors: We recommend the hinges for the doors are placed on the outside of the pen so that the access doors open fully and the full width is achieved for the sow to go in without scraping her sides. The doors need to be cut correctly and hung correctly so that they hang flush to the sides and the floor (minimal clearance distance) to prevent drafts and any escapee piglets. Additional pieces of plastic flapping can be stapled on if there are any obvious areas that could create drafts. FEEDER FOR SOWS: The feeding area for the sow was designed to be wide enough for a sow to fit in and feed but not too wide so that she could lie laterally and farrow in there. Width and height: It has a lock-in feature (similar to the individual feeders in a dry sow house) so that you can handle the piglets safely while the sow is feeding. However make sure the feeders are tall enough for your largest sows to get in without scraping their backs. We would recommend a height of no less than 1100mm, especially at the point of entry (the gates that lift over the back, when open hang lower than the overall height of the feeding stall, so make sure this is taken into account). Feeder bowl: The feeder bowls should be flush to the floor (no gap). We would recommend a feeder bowl that is smooth (no edges where old feed can collect) and preferably plastic, as galvanised steel can be sharp. In addition we recommend that they are either able to be removed for cleaning or a hinge mechanism put in place to empty any old feed. Another possibility is putting a gromit in the bottom (inaccessible to the sow) to allow drainage of water postpressure washing. Sows nudging feeder shut: Some sows nose the bars of the lockin feeder and once loosened can shut themselves in. We have put a clasp on the feeders to prevent this (see picture). 8