Adapting to Sow Housing Trends/Conversion Erin Ehinger Dykhuis Farms, Inc September 24, 2010
As an industry, we can manage sows in pen gestation as successfully as we ve managed sows in the past. with stalls for breeding and farrowing with the right people
Outline Overview of Dykhuis Farms Barn Design Weekly Tasks in Pens Animal Husbandry Worker Safety Production Numbers
An Overview of Dykhuis Farms
About Dykhuis Farms Head quarters in West Michigan All the sow units are in the Holland area Contract finishing in Michigan and Indiana (Part of the Michigan PRRS Eradication Project)
About Dykhuis Farms 15,500 sows 5 commercial sow units of 2800 sows each 1 grandparent herd unit with 1900 sows PIC sows
History Started in 1978 with all stall gestation (80 sows) Steady growth from 1980 through 2009 In 2009, cut sow herd by 20% Early 2009, 70% of DFI sows spent part of gestation in pens
History 2004 Purchased farrow to finish unit and kept finisher pens for sow gestation Changed another finisher/gilt developer into a gestation barn with pens
Changes in Europe Group housed sows in Denmark.
History 2007 Changed another finisher to pen gestation Built new breeding and farrowing barn attached to old finisher
History December 2009/ February 2010 Changed some pens into stalls 2010 Michigan Legislation Early 2020 takes effect Can be in stalls until confirmed pregnant and one week before due to farrow
Our People All of the managers in our pen barns worked with stalls before pens Many of our gestation people worked with stalls before pens
Barn Design
Feeding/Watering
30 inches between feed tubes (2 sows per box)
30 inches between feed tubes (2 sows per box)
Trough for whey and water
30 inches between feed tubes (2 sows per box)
30 inches between feed tubes (2 sows per box)
Sow lick inside the pipe which causes the feed to hang up.
27 inches between feed tubes (2 sows per box)
4 feet between feed tubes (2 sows per box)
Feeding Whey
This feeding system is not ideal
Feed wasted on backs of animals
Hanging Waterer
Not our farm, but another feeding system
18 inches between dividers
Other Systems Free Access Stalls Recent research published on amount of time spent in and out of stalls Electric Sow Feeding System
Planning a Barn Pens needed: Farrowing Target x Number of weeks in the pens (e.g. 10) Stalls needed: Hospital area Gilts Wean sows Bred sows: Breeding Target x Number of weeks in the stalls (e.g. 6)
Breed in stalls
Hospital Area
Small vs. Large Pens Either can work Needs to fit the system Bigger pens can make planning more difficult If a pen is only partially emptied, can leave unavailable empty spaces.
Stocking Density We stock pens at 15 square feet per sow By the end of gestation, goal of 18 square feet per sow Fall out: Opens Aborts Dead sows Thin Lame
Village Central
The Round Barn Built on top of existing cement manure storage Built in 2007
Stalls: 1228
Pens: 16 square pens
642 ft 2 (24 x 26.75 )
Sow Capacity Stocked at 15 sq. feet: 43 sows Figure on 7 pulled out Last weeks of gestation stocked at 18 sq. feet: 36 sows
Round barn: 8 pens (1 is slightly smaller)
102 feet in diameter
1003.7 ft 2 per pen (828.2 ft 2 on one pen aisle)
Sow Capacity 67 sows at 15 ft 2 (1 pen 55 sows at 15 ft 2 ) Expected fall out: 11 56 sows at 18 ft 2 (1 pen with 46 sows at 18 ft 2 )
Farrowing: 516
Total Space Available: Stalls: 1228 Pens (18 ft2): 1014 Farrowing: 516
Sandy Ridge Half converted finisher Half new construction in 2007: farrowing & breeding barn
Stalls: 1296
Pens: rectangle pens Big Pens: 39 10 x 18 =717 ft2 Small Pens: 19 9 x 18 =355.5 ft2
24 Big Pens Capacity: 48 sows at 15 ft2 Fallout: 8 sows 40 sows at 18 ft2
6 Small Pens Capacity: 24 sows at 15 ft2 Fallout: 4 sows 20 sows at 18 ft2
Farrowing: 576
Total Space Available: Stalls: 1296 Pens (18 ft2): 1080 Farrowing: 576
Grandparent Herd
Stalls: Stalls in breeding barn: 736 Stalls in gestation barn: 436
10 pens: 10.25 x 18.67 13 sows at 15 ft 2 11 sows at 18 ft 2
17 pens 8.5 x 26.5 15 sows at 15 ft 2 13 sows at 18 ft 2
10 pens: 8.3 x 25.5 14 sows at 15 ft 2 12 sows at 18 ft 2
Farrowing: 395
Total Space Available: Stalls: 1172 Pens: 451 Farrowing: 395 * This sow unit has 3 sites and has more farrowing than is needed. Also, only half of the sows gestate for 10 weeks in pens.
Weekly Tasks
Establishing Pens Sow are in stalls from weaning until 35 days bred or more Confirmed Pregnant
Establishing Pens Group pens by Due date/breed date Size/Parity
Newly mixed pen
Mixed the previous day- gilts
Sows get extra feed the first 2-3 days in a pen Helps reduce fighting
Heat Checking/Breeding
Heat checking for returns in the pen Boar
Mark heats and move to stalls
Breed in stalls
Don t do this!
Gilts breeding in pens: not ideal
Works best with a lot of people
Boars can be aggressive
Quality Mating?
Vaccinating
Ultrasound
Record Keeping
Sows Marked to Move to Farrowing
Animal Husbandry
Caring for Individuals Lame sows in pens need immediate attention Sick sows need immediate attention Why did that sow get beat up?
Injured Sows
Hospital Area
Feeding and Body Condition Fed as a group Thin sows Minimize Group together Pull out of pens 35 days gestation in stall gives time to gain body condition
Thin Sows
Worker Safety
Worker Safety Boars can be aggressive during heat checking Moving animals Be aware of surroundings Some things may be safer because there are no stalls to pinch hands and legs
Production Numbers
Total Sows May 2009-April 2010 Stall housed sows: 5426 (30%) (parity 3.9) Pen housed sows: 12931 (70%) (parity 2.7) June August 2010 Stall housed sows: 8561 (52%) (parity 2.8) Pen housed sows: 7782 (48%) (parity 3.6)
Farrowing Rate May 09-April 10 Stalls: 82.1% Pens: 84% June August 10 Stalls: 87.2% Pens: 85.2%
Total Born & Born Alive May 09-April 10 Stalls: 12.5/11.3 Pens: 12.6/11.7 June August 10 Stalls: 12.9/12.0 Pens: 13.1/12.0
Percent Stills & Mummies May 09-April 10 Stalls: 5.9%/3.7% Pens: 4.7%/2.4% June August 10 Stalls: 4.2%/2.6% Pens: 5.6%/2.9%
Pre-weaning Mortality May 09-April 10 Stalls: 13.8% Pens: 12.8% June August 10 Stalls: 12.2% Pens: 14.0%
Pigs Weaned per Sow & PSY May 09-April 10 Stalls: 9.7/24.1 Pens: 10.2/24.9 June August 10 Stalls: 10.4/25.8 Pens: 10.2/24.2
Sow Death Loss May 09-April 10 Stalls: 8.3% Pens: 7.7% June August 10 Stalls: 6.6% Pens: 6.4%
Conclusion Overview of DFI Barn Design Weekly Tasks in Pens Animal Husbandry Worker Safety Production Numbers
As an industry, we can manage sows in pen gestation as successfully as we ve managed sows in the past. with stalls for breeding and farrowing with the right people
Any questions? Mom, aren t these sheep? Where are the pigs?