Page 55 of articles about facilities-equipment

Following the recent hot weather, growth rates among growing and finishing pigs can be expected to slow. So stocking densities need particularly attention, says Paul Thompson, veterinary consultant to pig-breeding company, ACMC Ltd.

The practical stage of a major new research project looking at welfare-friendly alternatives to the farrowing crate has just got under way with the building and evaluation of prototype designs.

SCA NuTec has completed a £2 million development in a new blending facility for the animal feed industry at its Dalton site, Thirsk, North Yorkshire. The investment includes a dedicated tote production plant for specialist high value products for the pet and equine sectors and a new dry powder blending plant that will produce premixes and minerals for inclusion in pig and ruminant diets.

Aqualevel drinking valves, which automatically maintain water levels in the troughs of suckling sows, are now available in kit form for farmers who wish to do the fitting themselves. The kit includes the plastic vacuum-operated diaphragm valve and a 1m length of stainless steel water-pipe.

ARM Buildings, the Staffordshire-based pig and poultry buildings specialist, reports that it has been running flat out with 24-hour shifts having been introduced at its Rugeley factory to keep up with demand for its range of pig houses.

The new pork production facility, located in the Jinghai Economic Technical Development Area in Tianjin City, will increase total annual pork production capacity by 136,000 metric tons.

Due to a surge of interest in on-farm biogas production in the UK and the rest of Europe, EnviTec Biogas AG has organised a series of open days on farms using their systems in Germany.

As we head towards the middle of spring, pig producers should review their ventilation systems advises Paul Thompson, veterinary consultant to pig-breeding company, ACMC Ltd.

Exports of biogas plants more than tripled in value during 2008, reports the German manufacturer EnviTec Biogas AG. The Lohne-based company said that installations increased from 8.2 million Euros to 29.7 million Euros.

The UK pig industry could save nearly £2.5 million a year simply by enclosing creep areas in the farrowing house. In addition, it could reduce CO2 emissions by 15,000 tonnes, thereby making a positive contribution to environmental change.