AGRICULTURAL STRUCTURES

PAES 401:2001

Agricultural Structures – Housing for Swine Production

boar

male breeding swine which is at least 8 months old

creep area

place for piglets inside the farrowing pen

culling rate

rate of removing undesirable or unproductive animals within the herd

dry sows

unbred sows which have just been weaned; non-pregnant sows

farrowing

area in which a sow is confined during farrowing and lactation periods, but in which the sow can turn around

farrowing stall

farrowing crate, device in which a sow is confined during farrowing and lactation periods and which prevents sow from turning around

fattener

swine raised for meat production usually starts at 15 kg

finisher

swine which are 66 kg and up

gilt

female swine that has not farrowed

grower

swine from 40 to 65 kg

litter

piglets born in one farrowing

litter index

farrowing index, average number of farrowings of one sow per year

occupancy

number of days an animal stays in a pen

sow

any breeding female pig that has farrowed

weaner

weanling, piglet that has been recently separated from its mother

orientation of housing for swine

east-west

one-unit system

one-unit system

sows are removed when the piglets reach weaning age. The pigs remain in the same building from farrowing until they reach the desired weight for slaughtering.

two-unit system

two-unit system

sows and piglets remain in the farrowing house until the piglets are weaned. The weanlings are transferred to a growing-finishing house.

three-unit system

three-unit system

sows and piglets remain in the farrowing house until weaning. The weanlings are moved to a nursery house and finally to a growing-finishing unit where they stay until they are ready for slaughter.

Four-unit system

four-system unit

The sows and piglets remain in the farrowing house until weaning. After weaning, piglets are moved to a nursery house, then to a growing house and finally to a finishing house until they are ready for slaughter.

space requirement for swine up to 10 kg

0.11 m2/animal

space requirement for swine 11 to 20 kg

0.20 m2/animal

space requirement for swine 21 to 40 kg

0.35m2/animal

space requirement for swine 41 to 60 kg

0.50 m2/animal

space requirement for swine 61 to 80 kg

0.70 m2/animal

space requirement for swine 81 to 100 kg

0.85 m2/animal

space requirement for swine (gilts up to mating)

1.00 m2/animal

space requirement for adult pigs in groups

2.50 m2/animal

space requirement for gestating vows

1.20 m2/animal

space requirement for boar pens

7.50 m2/animal

space requirement for lactating sows and litters (individual pens)

7.40 m2/animal

space requirement for lactating sows and litters (multi-suckling groups)

5.60 m2/ animal

space requirement for dry sows

1.80 m2/animal

roof overhang

at least 1 meter

ceiling height for swine housing

at least 2.4m high

sidewalls for swine housing

1m

floor slope for swine housing

2%-4%

semi-monitor

semi-shed

monitor

double span

shed

recommended slat width and spacing for farrowing sows and piglets (up to 30 kg)

18-25 mm; 8-9mm

recommended slat width and spacing for weaners

18-25 mm; 10-14 mm

recommended slat width and spacing for finishers

60-100 mm; 10-20 mm

recommended slat width and spacing for sows, finishers and boars (over 100 kg)

80-125 mm; 10-25mm

partially slotted floors

slats shall be placed perpendicular to the long dimension of pens

totally slotted floors

placed parallel to the sows