Articles - Facilities and equipment

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.

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.

3D cameras placed above pig pens can automatically detect changes in tail posture, serving as an early warning system to alert farmers before tail biting outbreaks occur.

This second article on the assessment of truck cleaning and disinfection describes how to carry out and evaluate the results of microbiological validation and adenosine triphosphate detection.

Confinement is strongly criticised by public opinion and the industry is moving towards innovative housing of lactating sows.

This article describes what the "ideal" wash station for cleaning animal transport vehicles would look like, with the highest standards.

Prefabricated rooms or renovated shipping containers can be the first line of defense for external biosecurity, increasing the protection of our farms from the entry of diseases.

Why is achieving efficient transport biosecurity so complicated? In this first article of a series, we will review the different challenges we need to overcome in order to achieve more efficient biosecurity in pig transport vehicles.

Technology has been a part of many pig farms for years, but it is an area that is exploding globally

Interview with the owner of Yangxiang to understand a bit better the development of the project and what they have learned.

La Bonita farm is situated between tropical mountains at an altitude of 2000 m, giving it a high health status. During our visit they shared with us the management routines of the farm and they showed us the facilities, which included an interesting weaning feeder.

Do you know which feeding system best fits your needs? This article describes and compares the systems that have been implemented in the last years: feeding ball, dry and wet feeding systems.

Key considerations for the design of biosecure and practical pig loading chutes that will minimize disease transmission during the animal movement process.

How to achieve the 6 kg average daily intake that today's high-producing lactating sows need?

We highlight different options for segregation of clean/dirty zones at the personnel entrance into the farm. This is where biosecurity starts. Keeping it simple and easy to follow increases the likelihood of an effective protocol.

Biofilm, “the dirt in water pipes”, the causative agent of problems in the conditions and the quality of the water supply, is the subject of this article.