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The new award scheme at EuroTier “DLG Agrifuture Concepts” recognizes pioneering achievements and future visions that have not yet reached market maturity, but are in the development phase. In advance of EuroTier, the shortlist of innovations, potential winners of the award, is announced. The swine product innovation, Havito – Birth to Finish by Big Dutchman International GmbH (with: Bröring GmbH & Co. KG) was one of the products that made the list.
Modern sty systems in pig production are based on evolution towards increased efficiency and labour productivity by increasing biological performance. In the future, animal welfare aspects will play a significantly greater role. This means that processes and concepts will have to be redefined or adapted to increased animal welfare without taking a step backwards in terms of efficiency or employee accident protection, for instance.
A structured pen, in which the sow can give birth and the piglets remain throughout the entire rearing and fattening period without being relocated, is now being presented for the first time in the form of the Havito – Birth to Finish concept from Big Dutchman International GmbH and Bröring GmbH & Co. KG. The system is based on the PigT pig toilet concept introduced in 2018 for use in rearing and fattening, which has now also been extended to include sows. Thanks to the closed surface of the whole pen and the continuous separation of urine and faeces, the entire pen can be littered with organic material, and the pigs themselves subdivide it into a lying area, a manipulation area and a toilet area. This is supported through a micro-climate solution and optionally with heating and cooling options in the floor.
The concept is designed for a 21-week cycle from birth to slaughter, including a 5-6-week suckling period and a 15-week rearing/fattening phase. The piglets born in the pen remain there throughout their entire lives, whereby the concept also takes the growing animals’ increasing spatial requirements into consideration. The sow, too, will always give birth in the same sty. The piglets learn from their mother how to find food; the feeding place remains the same throughout their lives. Elements required for the piglets’ birth in the open farrowing pen area can be folded up during rearing.
The increasing implementation of animal welfare aspects is one of the biggest drivers of structural change in animal production worldwide, and will have a particular impact on facilities for pigs due to their historic evolution. The Havito Birth-to-Finish husbandry concept is an interesting and smart answer to future challenges.
September 20, 2022 - DLG
