Articles - Facilities and equipment

Twelve years ago, the French cooperative Cooperl implemented the TRAC system, a novel way of removing slurry from the pits several times a day, significantly reducing ammonia emissions inside the barns.

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.

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.

Fertilization is the most direct and simplest way to give value to our slurry. Here we explain several points to take into account for proper fertilization of your soils and crops.

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.

In this third article we will review the key aspects and critical points that need to be considered when designing a swine transport hygiene protocol for your system.

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