Articles - Facilities and equipment

We describe the main alternative systems to farrowing crates for sows, from zero confinement to temporary restraint.

In a situation with a nutrient surplus, the cost of transport is often the most important limiting factor to consider when deciding on the best manure management system for the farm.

Placement of the straw is important to give the sow access on days where she is confined and when she is loose.

Europe is preparing to eliminate farrowing crates in the next few years... Are farmers ready? Will this benefit the sows? What about the piglets?

Do you know the most effective, practically applicable, and economically feasible measures to reduce ammonia emissions? Proper application of these measures would meet the requirements set forth in the regulations.

In a situation of nutrient balance between the nutrients produced and the needs of the crops, priority is given to the transport and application management and the fertilizer quality of the slurry. Which systems allow me to optimize these?

HoCoTec is a production system that takes on the challenge of serving as an open center for learning and experimentation.

Twelve years ago, the French cooperative Cooperl implemented the TRAC system, a novel way of removing slurry from the pits several times a day, significantly reducing ammonia emissions inside the barns.

We can place the weakest piglets from each litter to dry out and warm up in this incubator while we tend to the next sows.

Here's how to make a modular gate that is adjustable in length and can easily be installed in all the aisles of the sow farm.

The complexity of our situation and the objectives to achieve will depend on the results of the nutrient balance. Where do I stand? We'll help you answer this question.

Preventing the entry and spread of diseases should be an objective on any swine farm, so adequately designing biosecurity aspects is key. In this article, we continue to discuss biosecurity measures with two experts: Lara Ruiz and José Casanovas.

We went to visit an Italian farm where the sows are free housed in the farrowing room. We asked some questions to better understand the system.

In this article, we look at which elements of biosecurity should be considered in the design of a sow farm, although they are applicable to any farm.

Fertilization is the most direct and simplest way to give value to our slurry. Here we explain several points to take into account for proper fertilization of your soils and crops.

Reducing slurry at the source means modifying production guidelines to reduce environmental effects and improve the subsequent management of slurry.

The slurry that my farm produces is becoming a problem. How can I get the most value from it? How do I make the most of this resource? This step-by-step guide will help you decide which way is best suited to your situation and will allow you to transform what is perceived as a problem into an opportunity.

Increased demands for production, welfare, traceability; more animals per worker... It is clear that technology will play a key role in helping us face these challenges. What are the main advantages and challenges of these advances?

Pros and cons of rendering carcass disposal systems, alkaline hydrolysis, anaerobic digestion, gasification, and homogenization.

The innovative digital biosecurity control system and its application to the objective monitoring of internal biosecurity and on-farm movements.

We explain the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of these two ventilation systems for pig farms.

The movement of live animals out of the farm can compromise farm biosecurity. A meticulously designed transfer facility and safe load out protocols are key to prevent the risk of cross contamination.

The design of this DIY chute allows sows' claws to be trimmed quickly and comfortably.

The pig industry needs to counteract concerns about climate change and provide evidence we are making efforts to minimize our environmental footprint.