Articles - Facilities and equipment

This corridor allows sows to be moved with minimal intervention from the staff.

Among other things, anaerobic digestion improves the fertilizer quality of slurry and reduces odors and GHG emissions. The choice to use this or not will also depend on the justification of the cost, i.e. whether it allows for energy savings on the farm or whether it provides an income from the sale of the energy generated.

In addition to the environmental benefits, the increased cost of energy and inorganic fertilizers make on-farm biogas production an interesting cost-effective option.

Solid/liquid slurry separation systems improve the subsequent management of the slurry, such as its transport or further treatment of each fraction.

Acidification of slurry prevents the formation of ammonia and its loss by volatilization, reducing the loss of fertilizer value of the slurry.

Allowing piglets to interact with the neighboring litter via an opening could reduce aggression at weaning.

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?

Some farmers have devised a device that allows them to tattoo the whole litter at the same time. We'll show you how it works.

The payment this grow out receives for its pigs is about 1.5 cents/kg live weight higher compared to the rest of the finishing farms of the same origin.

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.

If we combine air with some cool water it is possible to lower the ambient temperature by a few degrees.

Slurry lagoons, and manure holdings in general, are fundamental tools for regulating the balance between the virtually continuous production of manure and its seasonal application to fields as fertilizer.

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.

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?

The main concerns related to the carcass collection process and how to overcome them.

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