“Moving To Gestation Pens”
By: Paul Walker Thompson
January 1, 2016
Are you thinking of putting in some gestation pens? Due to Animal Welfare Groups and Consumer Pressure, many Hog Farmers are being forced to go to Gestation Pens instead of Gestation Stalls at 28 to 35 days post-breeding.
The cost for converting Gestation Stalls to Gestation Pens can range from $500 to $1000 per sow! (1) Unfortunately the results of Pen Gestation, when there is adequate space peer sow, can be as good, or better, than Stall Gestation.(1)
The fights and injuries obtained in mixing sows in groups appears to be minimal and can even be reduced by grouping sows according to size, and somewhat age. (2) Non-Competitive Feeding Systems will help reduce Sow Aggression.(2) The least competitive Feeding System is the Individual Stall closed behind the sow. Electronic Sow Feeding Systems are Fairly Low in Competition. Floor Feeding Systems are the most Competitive. (2)
You want to group sows according to age, size and in groups of ten or less or forty or more to decrease fighting for the pecking order.
What are your thoughts or experiences with Pen Gestation? I would love to hear about your situation!
References
(1) Brown, Jennifer: Whittington, Lee and Richards, Doug “Blueprint: Who let the sows out?” National Hog Farmer October 19, 2015
(2) Seddon, Yolande M.; Brown, Jennifer; Whittington, Lee and Richards, Doug “Blueprint: Options for managing group-housed sows” National Hog Farmer November 09, 2015
(3) Gonyou, Harold and Lang, Fiona “Management to Control Aggression in Group Housing” National Hog Farmer October 15, 2013
May God Bless You in every way this year!
Sincerely,
Paul Walker Thompson
There was a recent article by Dr. Yolande Seddon and Dr. Jennifer Brown that found that you can group and pen sows at weaning and still get as good of reproductive results as sows stalled at weaning and mixed together at five weeks of gestation, and sows mixed for two days , then stalled for five weeks, then penned together. We should be watching for more verification of the results, as this is very good Hog Production Management research, and may be very, very useful to the average Hog Producer!
Sincerely, and May God Bless You in the name of Jesus!
Paul Walker Thompson!
I forgot to give the Reference to my comment:
Reference:
Seddon, Dr. Yolande and Dr. Jennifer Brown
"When to mix sows in groups" Pig Progress December 30, 2015
Blessings to You!
Paul Walker Thompson
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