How is batch farrowing systems affecting the outcome after a PRRS outbreak?
Moving away from weekly batch management improved Time to stability, Time to baseline production and Total Piglet losses per 1,000 sows after a PRRS outbreak.
articles about batch
Five-week batch management system: Challenges and opportunities
We are launching a series of articles that will delve into a new practice that has already been implemented on several farms in Spain and is being adopted by others: 5-week batches.
The current situation and trends of the swine industry in China
The trends of the swine industry in China should be explained in two parts: pork consumption and pig production.
Reproductive performance of gilts and weaned sows grouped at different days after insemination
Group housing gestating sows 2 days after breeding compromised litter size; however, mixing gilts on days 1 to 4 after breeding did not impair reproductive performance.
Planning to implement a batch management system on your farm? Want to switch to another type of batch?
With the new batch management simulator from 333, you'll be able to compare the production data that you can achieve using a batch management system at different weeks.
Troubleshooting problems with the feed conversion ratio: Management
Which management factors can affect the feed conversion ratio? Enric Marco covers how all-in all-out, density, trough space, and filling and emptying of barns can lose us money.
Does farrowing spread out within a batch influence weight variability at slaughter?
In the best case, farrowing within a batch usually happens over the course of three days, and in the worst case can last longer than a week, creating different lactation lengths...
Alternative batch farrowing systems on large farms
We propose a 2.5-week batch management system with weaning on several consecutive days.
Practical biosecurity between batches
Not all progress is made through "smart farming." Here's a simple solution that can greatly improve biosecurity between batches of weaned piglets, preventing recirculation of disease.
4 week batch farrowing: another option for small farms
This article discusses 4-week batch farrowing (4WBF), very common in small farms (250 sows) in some other countries, including France. Analysis will be based on a comparison with 3-week batch farrowing (3WBF).
Quick identification of the different batches of sows
Each batch of sows is identified with a different colour, so we will only have to look at the colour of the pegs
Management of farrowing objectives to achieve optimal piglet weight at weaning (II): batches every two weeks
The dispersion of matings described in the previous article is even more drastic on farms operating in bands over one week.
Management of farrowing objectives to achieve optimal piglet weight at weaning (I): weekly batches
Wouldn’t it be great if all the sows on a farm (weaned sows, gilts, repeat breeders…) could be mated on the same day?! And if we were able to choose, on Mondays?
Managing a 3-week batch system, weaning at the beginning of the week
This may be a good option when farrowings and litter control during the first days are the priority.
Managing a 3-week batch system
On small farms it is better to group tasks on specific days, leaving other days with less tasks in order to organize days off...
Task organization: What day of the week should we wean? Several weanings per week
On large farms, it is common to wean more than once per week. This way, tasks can be homogenized throughout the week: each day will have a similar volume of work as the previous day.