Farrowing area
Farrowing pens must provide ideal conditions both for the sow and for the piglets during their first weeks of life. Big Dutchman has a wide range of products available for this purpose, from standard pens to variable-restraint pens, from free farrowing to group housing systems.
The penning system is very flexible because its length is nearly freely selectable. This means that any desired pen design can be achieved. The partition of the pen can be 500 mm or 600 mm high.
Standard farrowing pens
Our second standard farrowing pen comes with BD Swing, which is available in lengths of 2200 mm and 2300 mm. A drive-out at the front can be selected as an option. The trough is available as a fixed or a tiltable version. Heating plates in the creeps ensure the piglets’ well-being. Cast iron slats are installed for the area underneath the sow.
Main advantages
- adjustable width and length;
- easy to open with a rear door;
- available with drive-out at the front;
- adjustable bars prevent piglet losses caused by crushing and provide the sow with a comfortable resting area;
- farrowing crates with four posts for good stability;
- low pen partitions in the area of the inspection aisle for easy monitoring and a better overview;
- provided with tiltable trough for thorough and easy cleaning (optional).
Variable-restraint pen with farrowing frame
With ActiWel, Big Dutchman has developed a variable-restraint pen that provides ideal conditions and plenty of room for the sow and her piglets in their first weeks of life. The pen consists of a farrowing frame, a heated resting area for the piglets, the flooring and the pen partition.
Arrangement of the farrowing frame can be either parallel to the aisle or at right angles to it, with the sow’s head against the wall. The low partitions permit a good overview of the room and easy access to the pen.
Main advantages
- easy to open: the farrowing frame is very easy to open and to close in just four steps and within five seconds. The staff do not have to enter the sow area, which makes handling even more comfortable;
- the specially designed door of the farrowing frame allows easy access so the staff can provide assistance during farrowing;
- the sow can use the side parts of the farrowing frame as support when lying down;
- high level of safety during work because the opening and locking points are located outside of the sow area.
Group housing of sows in the farrowing area
Under the name Agilo, Big Dutchman offers three new group housing systems for lactating sows: Agilo HL, Agilo FB, Agilo RS
An important feature of all three systems is the large amount of space they offer for sows and piglets. In the service centre and gestation area, sows are already often kept in groups. But for lactating sows, group housing is much less common.
This is mostly due to the fact that the requirements regarding animal management and monitoring of such concepts are higher. These requirements are compensated for by the advantages, however, because group housing fits much better with the natural behaviour of sows and piglets.
Main advantages
- with Agilo HL and Agilo FB, the sows are already in the same group before farrowing;
- for farrowing, each sow and her piglets remain together in farrowing pens for good maternal bonding and a reduced risk of losses caused by overlying;
- the farrowing pen is opened after some days or the sows and piglets are moved into a group pen in the case of Agilo RS
→ interaction between the sows and all piglets of the group is allowed
→ the piglets can express their need for movement
→ any ranking fights occur early on, reducing the piglets’ risk of injury; - the sows have ample freedom of movement, which boosts their metabolism and thus increases feed intake, helping to keep the sows in a good condition.
