The dry and ges- tating sows with the pig toilet next to the living space.
Because the animals move through the sand, they have ample muscles. Even at a week old, the piglets already have solid shoulders and hams.
Use of the pig toilet: a challenge From an environmental point of view, the pig toilet should ensure a reduction of ammonia emission. Bekkers says, “First measurements have shown that we have 5 ppm am- monia now. We try to separate manure at the source, based on behaviour. This can lead to an 85% reduction. In order to reach these last per cents, we would have to install an air scrubber.”
The pig toilet makes sure that the odour of manure in the barn is reduced almost to zero. It smells like pig, but far less penetrating than in traditional barns. This pig toilet is the biggest challenge, according to Bekkers and Wind. The pigs do well in the spacious pens, but potty training them is not easy. Pointing at the dark spot alongside the wall, Bekkers says, “We are trying to find out how we can get them to do their business in one spot only. The sows’ ma- nure mostly finds the right spot, but they still urinate too much in the feeding and lying space. The finishers also have a wet spot in their lying space suddenly. It is probably the climate. We have not found out yet exactly what causes it.”
The innovative pig house resembles an oversized yurt. 26 ▶PIG PROGRESS | Volume 36, No. 10, 2020
The pigs’ tails are not docked. Because of their rooting in the sand, the pigs have more muscles.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
