sow housing
DESCRIPTION
Sow Housing, Don Levis, Harold Gonyou, and Ron Bates, from the National Pork Board Pork Academy at the 2013 World Pork Expo, Des Moines, Iowa, USA.TRANSCRIPT
SOW HOUSING SEMINAR2013 PORK ACADEMY
1
Donald G Levis, Ph.D Harold Gonyou, Ph.D. Ronald O. Bates, Ph.D.
Levis Worldwide Swine Consultancy
Prairie Swine Centre(retired)
Michigan State Univ.
Lincoln, NE 68526-9486 Saskatoon, SK, Canada E. Lansing, MI
Email:[email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Email:[email protected]
2
Outline for Sow Housing Seminar
• Objectives of the seminarBrief description of the main types of group-housing
systemsGeneral factors involved with deciding which group-
housing system to useOverview of retrofitting projectRetrofitting an existing individual stall gestation
facility into:– Electronic sow feeding facility– Short-stall feeding facility
Comparison between ESF and short-stall system
Sow-group housing systems
• Noncompetitive feeding system– Electronic sow feeder– Free-access stalls (self or caretaker locked)– Cafeteria feeding with lockable feeding stall
• Competitive feeding systems– “Short” feeding stalls (Trickle feeding; Traditional drop
box)– Full-body length stalls (non-lockable)– Floor feeding
3
4
Electronic sow feeder (ESF) system
Photo: Jeff Schoening / AP
Resting bay
Sows enter
Sortsows
Water
Sortalley
Protectedfeeder
Feed delivery
This specific system:Feeds up to 80 sows per stationFeed two different diets & top dressTo establish a “day” for the sows, feeder is closed 4 to 6 hours per 24-hour period
5
Electronic sow feeder (ESF) system
Photo: Jeff Schoening / AP
Individual stalls for weaning, breeding and early gestation
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Electronic sow feeder (ESF) system
Multiple feeders can be used to fit the number of sows in the pen.
Photo: Nedap Livestock Management Systems
7
Free-access stall (locked rear gate)
“I” Configuration with front alley
Photo: Prairie Swine Centre (Canada)
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Free-access stall (locked rear gate)
“L” Configuration with front alley
Photo: Dr. Niels-Peder Nielsen (Denmark)
Minimum = 9’10”
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Free-access stall (locked rear gate)
“T” Configuration (ease of cleaning floor)
Photo: Egebjerg International / Axel Sogaard (Denmark)
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Trickle feeding (non-gated feeding method)
Top auger fills feed drop boxBottom auger slowly turn to dispense 0.17 to 0.44 pounds of feed per minute (eating time: 15 to 30 minutes)Partition length• Head• Shoulder• Half-body• Full-body with
no rear gate
Feeding spacewidthIf shoulder:18 to 22 inches
11
Floor feeding
Photo: Prairie Swine Centre (Canada)
Feed drops in bays.
Slattedfloor
Feed drop 2
Feed drop 1
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Cafeteria feeding
• High amount of staff time is needed for feeding sows• Potential for injury
of sows and staff• Requires patient staff• Can top-dress feed• Feeder management
needed; unequal number sows per pen;
different sow bodycondition betweenpens Lee Whittington, Prairie Swine Centre (Canada)
13
Choosing a group-housing system involves:
• Investment costs• Ability of housing system and management to maintain a
high level of the sow’s health and welfare• Ease of performing daily management practices• Labor requirement and availability of skilled labor• Feeding system (major factor to consider)
– Competitive while eating– Non-competitive while eating
• Method of housing (static vs dynamic)• Reproductive performance• Overall simplicity of the system• Not one system fits all situations
14
Overview of remodel project
• 2,500-sow unit• Goal is to produce 1,000 weaned pigs per week• Farrowing ~108 sows per week• Breeding 120 per week• Breeding-gestation facility
– 79 ft wide x 492 ft long (interior dimensions)– 4 cross-over alleys– 720 breeding-gestation stalls (2 ft x 7 ft)– 1192 gestation stalls (2 ft x 7 ft)– 239 stalls per row; 8 rows of stalls– Partially slatted floor
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36" feed alley
36" feed alley
36"
alle
y
36" feed alley
36" feed alley
36" feed alley
7’
2’
7’
7’
7’
7’
7’
7’3’
2’
2’
2’
7’
3’
3’
3’
3’39.5’
39.5’
16
BEFORE
AFTER
Courtesy of AP
Typical floor plan for a partially slatted breeding-gestation stall building. How can this facility be modified for use with a group-housing system that uses ESF or short-length feeding stalls? Is the raised feeding alley a problem?
Overview of remodel project
17
Factors to consider when remodeling
• Feeding/Housing System• Stay within the present building shell or expand• Work with the present feeding system• Floor space allocation per sow• Number of sows per pen• #Boar pens• Size and configuration of relief space• Number of relief spaces
Nutritional Care of Group-Housed Sows
• Electronic Sow Feeding Specify amount of feed offered to each sow each day Can modify diet fed Can change daily feed intake based on body
condition, body size and stage of gestation Provides a daily report that indicates which sows did
not completely eat their previous day’s allotment of feed or did not eat any feed.
Potential feed savings18
Feeding method with most control of daily feed intake and diet
Nutritional Care of Group-Housed Sows
• “Short-length”, non-gated feeding stalls Allocate feed volume to average body weight of sows
in the pen? Use of multiple pens for the same breeding group can
improve feed allocation requirements per pen (body weight; body condition score)GiltsSmall & thin sowsBig Sows
19
Feeding method with “partial” control of daily feed intake and diet
Nutritional Care of Group-Housed Sows
In any competitive feeding system, dominant sow(s) have opportunity to “steal” feed from other sows.
• Short-length feeding stall• Non-gated, full-body length free access
feeding/resting stall• Floor feeding• Trickle feeding
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Sow Flow - General
Weekday Day PregSpaces Area
Weaning Th 0120 Breeding
Breeding Tu 5 0120 Breeding
Preg check W 3429 120 Breeding
To gestation M 39 34108 (90%) Gestation
4 RecoveryTo farrowing F 113 108 108
FarrowingWeaning Th 140
120 Breeding
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Sow Flow - General
Day WeeksSpaces/wk Spaces
Weaning 0 Breeding
6 120 720To gestation 39 Gestation
11 108 1192
Recovery
11 4 44To farrowing 113 Farrowing
4 108 432Weaning 140
21 2384
23
Sow Flow – Gestation Stalls
Day Weeks Spaces/wk Spaces
Weaning 0 Breeding6 120 stalls 720
To gestation 39 Gestation11 108 stalls 1192Recovery11 4 pens 44
To farrowing 113 Farrowing4 108 crates 432
Weaning 140
24
Sow Flow – Short Stalls
Day WeeksSpaces/wk Spaces
Weaning 0 Breeding
6 120 stalls 720To gestation 39 Gestation
11 11 pens 121
Recovery
11 1 pens 11To farrowing 113 Farrowing
4 108 crates 432Weaning 140
25
Sow Flow – Electronic Sow Feeders
Day WeeksSpaces/wk Spaces
Weaning 0 Breeding
6 120 stalls 720To gestation 39 Gestation
11 1 g&p1 pen 11
1 sow pen 11
Recovery
11 4 pens 44To farrowing 113 Farrowing
4 108 crates 432Weaning 140
26
Sow Care
• Controlling aggression• Maintain feeding level• Sow off feed• Sow underfed• Sow injured• Sorting
27
Sow Care – Reducing Aggression
Short Stalls
• Re-grouping– Maximize familiarity– Extra feeding
• Feeding Associated– Sorting– Group size
ESF
• Re-grouping– Maximize familiarity– Extra feeding
• Feeding Associated– Sorting– Group size
28
Sow Care – Maintain Feeding Level
Short Stalls
• Check and adjust individual feed drops
ESF
• Program sows into ESF
• Check and adjust water and feed drops for each station
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Sow Care – Sow Off Feed
Short Stalls
• Detection– Watch feeding
• Causation– Unwell/lame
• Action– Move to relief
ESF
• Detection– Daily attention list
• Causation– Unwell/lame– Intimidated
• Action– Move to relief or single-pass
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Sow Care – Sow Underfed
Short Stalls
• Detection– Body condition
• Action– Top up feed by hand– Cannot change pen– Move to relief
ESF
• Detection– Body condition
• Action– Reprogram feed allowance
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Sow Care – Sow Injured
Short Stalls
• Detection– Walk through and observe
• Action– Move to relief
ESF
• Detection– Daily attention list– Walk through and observe
• Action– Move to relief
32
Sow Care - Sorting
Short Stalls
• 1 in group of 10• ‘hand’ sorting
ESF
• 1 in group of 60• Hand held ID• Auto-paint• Auto-sort• ‘hand’ sorting
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Labor - Skills
Short stalls
• Animal oriented• Schedule conscious
– Observe feeding
• One person
ESF
• Both technical and animal oriented
• One plus assistant• Can you attract a technical
person– Importance is decreasing due
to better systems and more tech-savvy youth
34
ESF Conversion - Sow Flow
Day WeeksSpaces/wk Spaces
Weaning 0 Breeding
6 120 720To gestation 39 Gestation
11 108 1188
Recovery
11 4 44To farrowing 113 Farrowing
4 108 432Weaning 140
21 2384
35
ESF Conversion - Considerations
• Retain flooring– Solid and slatted floors in 8 rows– Use solid for lying and slatted for movement as much as
possible– Provide extra space due to restricted design
• Gilts must be trained– Modified one-pass system so non-feeding gilts are easily
managed– Gilt pen needed each week for training
• Sows limited to 60 per station– Excess (parity 1) sows housed with gilts
36
ESF Conversion - Sow Flow
Day WeeksSpaces/wk Spaces
Weaning 0 Breeding
6 120 stalls 720To gestation 39 Gestation
11 1 g&p1 pen 11
1 sow pen 11
Recovery
11 4 pens 44To farrowing 113 Farrowing
4 108 crates 432Weaning 140
37
ESF Conversion – Floor cross section
Solid – alleySolid - stallSlat - stall
3 4 8 4 3 4 8 4 3 4 8 4 3 4 8 4 3
36.5 ft
38
ESF Conversion – Gilt and P1 pen
48 animals x 20 sqft/animal = 960 sqft
960 sqft / 36.5 ft width = 26 ft length
Slats Slats
36.5 ft
26 ft
39
ESF Conversion – Gilt and P1 pen
StationCentral divisionRest areasDrinkers
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ESF Conversion – Gilt Training
First day –Grouping, Aggression, Eating, Sleeping
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ESF Conversion – Gilt and P1 pen
One Pass System
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ESF Conversion – Gilt and P1 pen
43
ESF Conversion – Gilt and P1 pen
44
ESF Conversion – Gilt and P1 pen
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ESF Conversion – Gilt and P1 pen
46
ESF Conversion – Sow pen
60 animals x 22 sqft/animal = 1320 sqft1320 sqft / 36.5 ft width = 36 ft length
36.5 ft
36 ft
47
ESF Conversion – Sow pen
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ESF Conversion – Relief Pen
Combine 2 gestation stalls.
4 ft x 7 ft
Allows standing and lying with ease.
Difficult to turn around.
Use for lameness.
Return to same pen or new gilt and p1 pen.
49
ESF Conversion – Putting it Together
Gilt and Sow pens have been adjusted to allow cross-alleys.Only 36 relief pens.Short 4 Sow pens.Need addition with 4800 sqft of pens (4x1, 2x2, 1x4?)12.5%
ESF Conversion – Static or Dynamic
Static4 x 1 group
A
Dynamic2 x 2 groups
Dynamic1 x 4 groups
B
C D
A B
F G
A D
G J
51
ESF Conversion – What ifs?
• Could an additional sow pen fit in the original barn if you reduce the square footage per animal?– Reducing 1 sqft per animal is not enough– Reducing 2 sqft per animal would allow one more pen
• Do we have to include relief pens?– Very strongly encouraged.
• Can we use larger dynamic pens?– Most suitable for sows. Work best when there are 12
‘weeks’.• Can we work with 12 weeks of gestation?
– Reduce the breeding weeks from 6 to 5 by preg checking and moving earlier.
52
ESF Conversion - Alternative
• Previous conversion forced a pen design in order to make full use of space in the gestation barn– Increased square footage per sow to ensure comfort
• Can we fit a better pen design in the space even if we accept some loss of use?– Longer narrow pens with one row of lying bays
• Assume gilts are pre-trained– Combined sow and gilt pens
• Reduce sow herd inventory to fit the building
53
ESF Conversion – Floor cross section
Solid – alleySolid - stallSlat - stall
3 4 8 4 3 4 8 4 3 4 8 4 3 4 8 4 3
54
ESF Conversion – Alternative Design
90 sows x 19 sqft/sow = 1710 sq ft
11 ft
8 ft
90 ft
55
ESF Conversion – Alternative Design
Build within existing structureMove from breeding to gestation at day 34 (29 preg)5 weeks of stalls (500)42 relief pens12 ESF pens for 90 sows and gilts (2 stations)Loss of space along one wall (solid), used for sortingCan sort sows from one ESF pen to adjacentReduce breedings by 17%
56
ESF Conversions
• ESF uses larger pens which may be difficult to fit within an existing structure
• When required to ‘fit over’ an existing floor pattern, pen design is further compromised– Increase space compared to a new build
• Pen size may also be compromised by existing breeding plan – (eg. difficult to efficiently build for 140 breedings/week)
• Expect a 10-20% loss in sow numbers or increase in space
57
Sow Flow – Short Stalls
Day WeeksSpaces/wk Spaces
Weaning 0 Breeding
6 120 stalls 720To gestation 39 Gestation
11 11 pens 121
Recovery
11 1 pens 11To farrowing 113 Farrowing
4 108 crates 432Weaning 140
58
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
• 36" feed alley
• 36" feed alley
•36
" al
ley
• 36" feed alley
• 36" feed alley
• 36" feed alley
• 7’• 2’• 7’• 7’
• 7’• 7’
• 7’
• 7’• 3’
• 2’
• 2’
• 2’• 7’
• 3’
• 3’
• 3’
• 3’
•39.5’
•39.5’
59
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
Considerations to Address
• Number of sows per pen?a. 10 per penb. 20 per pen
i. Why?
• Square-footagea. 18 sq ftb. 20 sq ft
a. Why not more?
• Relief Space ~ 5%
• Static Groups
60
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
Review of barn in question
• 1192 G-stalls – partial slats– 24 in stalls
• 8 rows of 149 gestation stalls• 4 cross rows
– 29 stalls between cross rows• Work with the present feed system• Keep the same isles for sow movement
61
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
Review of barn in question
Within a double row• 5 blocks of stalls • 4 blocks of 58 stalls
– 29 stalls per side
• 1 block 66 stalls (one end) – 33 stalls per side
62
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
• 36" feed alley
• 36" feed alley
•36
" al
ley
• 36" feed alley
• 36" feed alley
• 36" feed alley
• 7’• 2’• 7’• 7’
• 7’• 7’
• 7’
• 7’• 3’
• 2’
• 2’
• 2’• 7’
• 3’
• 3’
• 3’
• 3’
•39.5’
•39.5’
63
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
Within two rows
• 4 blocks with 928 sq ft– 492 sq ft (58 linear ft per side)
• 1 block with 1056 sq ft– 528 sq ft
• Feeding stalls of outside of pen– 2 ft space
• Create space for a gate
64
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
• 36" feed alley
• 36" feed alley
•36
" al
ley
• 36" feed alley
• 36" feed alley
• 36" feed alley
• 7’• 2’• 7’• 7’
• 7’• 7’
• 7’
• 7’• 3’
• 2’
• 2’
• 2’• 7’
• 3’
• 3’
• 3’
• 3’
•39.5’
•39.5’
65
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
Courtesy of AP
66
5’ 5’
Relief Pens
Within each block are 4 pens of 10 sows per pen (20 sq ft/sow) and 4 relief pens
10 sows
10 sows
10 sows
10 sows 10 sows
10 sows
10 sows
10 sows
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
67
Within block are 4 pens, 10 sows per pen (18 sq ft) and 6 relief pens
4’8”
Relief Pens
10 sows10 sows
10 sows
10 sows
10 sows 10 sows 10 sows
10 sows
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
68
Within each block are two pens of 10, two of 11 (~20 sq ft/sow) and 4 Relief Pens
Relief Pens
4’
10 sows
10 sows
10 sows
10 sows
11 sows
11 sows
11 sows
11 sows
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
24’ 26’
Set relief pens at 4’x8’
69
Within each block is one pen of 20 and one of 22 (~20 sq ft/sow) and 4 Relief Pens
Relief Pens
4’
20 sows 20 sows22 sows 22 sows
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
70
Set relief pens at 4’ x 8 ‘
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
4’
Relief Pens
Within each block are two pens of 11, two of 12 (~17.6 sq ft/sow) and 4 Relief Pens
11 sows
11 sows
11 sows
11 sows
12 sows
12 sows 12 sows
12 sows
24’ 26’
8’
71
4’
Relief Pens
Within each block is one pen of 22 and one of 24 (~17.6 sq ft/sow) and 4 Relief Pens
22 sows 22 sows24 sows 24 sows
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
72
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
66 stall block at end • 33 stalls per side
18 sq ft/sow• Divider across slats - 4 pens of 10 and two pens of 9 sows
• 2 pens of 10 sows and 1 of 9 per row
• No divider – 2 pens of 20 and one pen of 18• No relief pen
20 sq ft/sow• Divider across slats – 4 pens of 10 and two pens of 7 sows
• 2 pens of 10 and 1 of seven sows per row
• No divider – 2 pens of 20 sows and one of 14 sows
73
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
Sq ft/sow 18 20 18 20
# Relief pens/row-block
2 2 1 1
#relief pens/row 8 8 4 4
# sow pens per row
11 11 11 11
#sows/ row 137 119 141 123
% relief 5.8% 6.7% 2.8% 3.3%
G. Sows in Barn 1096 952 1128 984
# sows short 96 240 64 208
Sow Per Pen ~10
74
Set relief pens at 4’ x 8 ‘
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
4’
Relief Pens
Within each block are two pens of 11, two of 12 (~17.6 sq ft/sow) and 4 Relief Pens
11 sows
11 sows
11 sows
11 sows
12 sows
12 sows 12 sows
12 sows
24’ 26’
8’
75
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
Sq ft/sow 18 20 18 20
# Relief pens/row-block
2 2 1 1
#relief pens/row 8 8 4 4
# sow pens per row
11 11 11 11
#sows/ row 137 119 141 123
% relief 5.8% 6.7% 2.8% 3.3%
G. Sows in Barn 1096 952 1128 984
# sows short 96 240 64 208
Sow Per Pen ~10
76
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
What if sows were moved to pens a week earlier?
If sows were moved 32 days post weaning (20-28 days post breeding)
• Need 120 less breed stalls
• Convert 120 breed stalls to pens @ ~18 sq ft/sow– Should be able to maintain the sow inventory, including relief
• Covert breed stalls to pens @ ~ 20 sq ft/sow– Within 100 sows of maintaining the inventory, including relief
77
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
Courtesy of Big Dutchman USA
An example of a remodel
78
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
An example of new construction
79
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
24 inch G-Stalls 22 inch G-Stalls
16 18 20 22 240
2
4
6
8
10
12
10
8 87
6
Num
ber o
f sow
s per
10
stal
ls
16 18 20 22 240
2
4
6
8
10
12
98
76 6
Floor Space Allocation per Sow Floor Space Allocation per Sow
80
Converting to Non-gated Stalls
Summary
• No short-cut or standard way to re-configure an existing barn
• The example completed tried to provide adequate space per sow and maintain as much of the sow the inventory as possible
• More space per animal may be a better long-term choice Manager will have to be more conscious to manage for both productivity and welfare compared to stalls
• The example completed, demonstrated that for this building, the sow inventory could be maintained with ~ 18 sq ft (17.6) per sow and ~ 3% relief space. Is this the best?
81
Conclusion
When retrofitting stalled barns to group sow housing, there is no single approach
The farm decision process should be logical and consider the welfare and care needs of the sow, the physical limitations of the facility in question and address the production needs of the farm
The final decision must be one that meets the needs and objectives of the farm, be managed by the people responsible for optimum sow care and is financially feasible
82
Conclusion
Factsheets and the accompanying webinars for the Group Sow Housing project can be found at:
www.pork.org/sowhousing