Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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TLE – AFA
ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Quarter 1- Module 6
Basic Housing Requirements
in Swine
TLE – Grade 10
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1 – Module 6: Basic Housing Requirements in Swine
First Edition, 2020
Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any
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This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this also aims to help
learners acquire the needed 21st century skills while taking into consideration
their needs and circumstances.
In addition to the material in the main text, you will also see this box in the body
of the module:
As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module.
You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to
manage their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist
the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.
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For the learner:
This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful opportunities
for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time. You will be
enabled to process the contents of the learning resource while being an active
learner.
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This is a task which aims to evaluate your level of
mastery in achieving the learning competency.
Assessment
1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the
module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. 2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other activities
included in the module.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it. If
you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not hesitate
to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are not alone.
We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and
gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it!
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What I Need to Know
Content Standard
Demonstrates an understanding of concepts, underlying theories and principles in
providing basic housing requirements to swine stocks..
Performance Standard
Provide basic housing requirements to swine stocks.
Learning Competencies
Protect swine stocks from extreme temperature and sunburn.
Perform calculation of floor space requirement for every group of swine stocks.
Learning Objectives
What I Know
A. Multiple Choice: Read the questions carefully and select the best answer by
writing the letter of your choice on a separate sheet of paper.
1. The temperature range required to achieve the best pig productivity is called
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A. huddling B. shivering C. eat more D. panting
3. The Upper Critical Temperature of which serious problems are likely to occur is
at temperatures ____ above ECT.
6. Weaner pigs should be supplied water via bite-type nipple drinkers or pressure
plate-operated bowl drinkers, with one drinker for every
7. The minimum floor space requirements for all surface types flooring for growing
pigs at 10 kilograms is
10. Fatal chilling will occur within minutes unless warmth is provided is when
temperatures drop
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What’s In
Pigs need appropriate housing for them to be healthy and must have
followed the basic housing requirements for best animal productivity.
What’s New
Let us study and learn these terms.
1. Thermoneutral zone
2. The 'Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Pigs'
3. UCT, LCT, ECT
What is It
Basic Housing Requirements
Pigs need a dry bed, and protection from extreme temperature and
sunburn. Minimum requirements apply for space, fresh air, hygiene, access to feed
and water, and accommodation. These should not predispose the pigs to illness or
injury.
Environment
Critical temperatures vary according to the pigs' total weight and specific
conditions in the piggery. However, if pigs spend time huddling or shivering, and
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eat more than usual, they are usually cold. If they avoid body contact with pen
mates, eat less, foul areas of their pens that they normally keep clean (possibly
lying in this and other wet areas) and pant at more than 50 breaths per minute,
they are too warm.
The thermoneutral zone is bounded at its upper limit by the evaporative critical
temperature (ECT) and at its lower limit by the lower critical temperature (LCT).
Beyond the ECT, pigs will pant to cool their bodies through evaporation from the
lungs; so the ECT can be considered the point at which spray or drip cooling is
required. The upper critical temperature (UCT) is the highest tolerable temperature
beyond which serious problems are likely. It is generally 6-8°C above the ECT.
Keeping warm
If the temperature of the pig's immediate surroundings falls below the LCT, the pig
must use some of its energy to maintain its body heat. Older pigs can tolerate
lower temperatures for short periods without obvious ill health, but the efficiency
of food conversion will suffer. The older the pig, the lower its LCT.
The most favourable temperature for newborn piglets is between 27 and 35 °C.
Early in its life, a piglet's ability to withstand cold is limited. If the microclimate
remains below 16°C, piglet losses can occur quickly. At temperatures below 2 °C,
fatal chilling will occur within minutes unless warmth is provided.
Pigs can tolerate low temperatures if the area is not draughty. Danger areas are
cracks in walls or near floor level; open-ended trenches, which let draught up
through the slats; and uncovered heat lamps in otherwise cold buildings, which
can create a draught at floor level when cold air displaces hot air. Creep boxes or
covers should be used to retain warmth and reduce draughts.
Keeping dry
A dry concrete floor can easily be warmed. Concrete does retain heat quite well,
but increases the harmful effects of low temperatures when damp. Considerable
heat passes from the pig into damp concrete floors even though the air
temperature may be reasonable. For very young pigs, dry straw or untreated wood
shavings provide excellent insulation against cold conditions.
Keeping cool
If the temperature of the pig's immediate surroundings rises above the UCT, the
pig will become severely distressed. The UCT declines as the pig's age increases.
Young pigs suffer most from the cold, while older and larger animals succumb first
to rising temperatures.
Temperatures over 27°C are generally considered undesirable for growers, finishers
and breeders. However, if there is sufficient air movement at pig level, heat stress
in dry climates can be reduced through drip or spray cooling. The resulting
evaporation of water from the pig's skin can effectively reduce excessive body heat.
This type of evaporation, as well as the evaporation associated with panting,
becomes less effective as shed humidity rises, so having fogging sheds with water
vapour is unwise.
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Ventilation and insulation
Insulation protected by a vapour barrier (if the insulation does not form its own
vapour barrier) reduces condensation within the pig shed. This protects interior
linings and reduces the amount of ventilation required to prevent condensation in
the building.
Cold ventilating air must be directed so it creates air circulation within the shed
without flowing directly on to the pigs. In a conventional, naturally ventilated shed,
this usually involves using a ridge vent together with side wall vents.
Building orientation
Long, narrow buildings are cooler in summer and warmer in winter if the long axis
runs from east to west. The pig shed should be situated to take advantage of
prevailing winds for coolness in summer. Conversely, ventilation openings should
be protected from prevailing winds in winter. This can be achieved by planting
selected trees in a shelter belt that does not interfere with airflow required for
cooling in summer. These shelter belts can enhance the appearance of the piggery
and soften its visual impact. They can also affect the physical environment by
effectively increasing the surrounding temperature in winter and reducing it in
summer.
The eave width on the northern side of the building should be an appropriate size
so the sun does not shine on the wall or into the interior of the piggery in summer,
but does in winter when warmth is required.
Hygiene
Many diseases can affect the health of pigs. Some are caused by micro-organisms,
which normally inhabit the pig's gut and, therefore, are also present in manure. In
unhygienic sheds, these organisms can infect pigs via dung or airborne dust
particles.
Clean, dry conditions reduce germ populations and their effect on the health and
performance of pigs. Pig sheds that have effluent channels, where manure is
submerged in water within the channels, can reduce dust, odour and airborne
bacteria levels.
Space
Stocking rates must not impair the welfare or performance of the animal. The
'Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Pigs' (see Further information)
provides a guide to the minimum space requirements for pigs. The code provides
requirements for different weights of pigs, based on a formula, which allows the
pigs to grow into the space during the weight range.
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Minimum floor space requirements for all surface types except deep litter
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Minimum floor space requirements for all surface types except deep litter
pens
For pigs in deep-litter housing, the code recommends at least 30 per cent more
floor space per pig than the requirements listed above.
Each pig requires adequate access to feed. Poor access to feed produces uneven
growth and condition, impairs feed conversion efficiency and increases the
proportion of downgraded pigs.
Clean, cool and good-quality water must be available at all times, except in
situations when providing adequate quantities of whey to grower pigs is more
appropriate. Weaner pigs should be supplied water via bite-type nipple drinkers or
pressure plate-operated bowl drinkers, with one drinker for every 6-8 weaners.
Growers and finishers should have one drinker per 10-15 pigs, though more
drinkers are required in hot environments. At least two drinkers per pen is
recommended. These should be placed over slats to prevent the floor areas
becoming wet, and encourage pigs to use the slats for dunging and urinating.
Push-type nipple drinkers waste more water than bite-types or bowl drinkers, but
they allow growers and breeders to wet their skin during hot weather.
As a general guide, an entire herd will require approximately 140-160 L per sow
per day (250-300 L per sow per day when flushing is included).
Pen flooring
Partly or fully slatted floor pens are usually preferred because they are easier to
keep clean. However, solid concrete floors may also be satisfactory if they are well
drained.
Dry sows
Dry sow accommodation in a fully intensive operation needs to house about 80 per
cent of breeder females at any one time, though this figure can vary between 75
and 85 per cent depending on lactation length. Additional allowance must be made
for boars, replacement gilts and cull sows. Dry sows can be housed in individual
stalls, or small or large groups (pens or outdoors).
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Stall-housed dry sows
Stalling enables a high degree of management and can protect individual animals
from aggressive sows. This is particularly important during the first few weeks of a
sow's pregnancy, when aggression from other sows can cause embryos to dislodge
from the uterine wall and die. Stalls are also useful for sick animals, or sows who
need to lose or gain weight.
In a typical stall, the rear half of the floor is slatted. The rear lane-way is 1.2 m
wide, though this may be reduced to 0.6 m if the stalls have a front exit gate.
Group pens often combine a group lying area with open-ended individual stalls for
feeding. Some systems use partial stalls to reduce the amount of space required
per sow. The 'Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Pigs' recommends
at least 1.4 m² of floor area per group-housed sow.
Pens with farrowing crates, heated creeps, and fully or partly slatted floors
optimise piglet survival by providing safer and more comfortable surroundings for
litters. Crates are often adjustable and some can be opened wide once the piglets
are used to their pen area (i.e. where their sleeping area is located etc). Popular
pen sizes are 2.1 m x 1.65 m, 2.1 m x 1.8 m, and 1.8 m x 1.8 m. In the last case,
the crate runs diagonally from corner to corner. Most modern designs incorporate
a section of steel mesh or slotted-plastic flooring at the rear of the sow.
Whatever the design, floors must remain dry. Artificial heating using gas,
electricity or fuel oil is often necessary in creeps to keep litters warm, often
incorporated into a kennel. However, it is equally important to keep the sow
relatively cool.The 'all-in, all-out' system, in which pens in separate rooms hold
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each weekly, fortnightly or monthly batch of farrowing, is commonly adopted to
improve hygiene and reduce the effects of disease.
Growers
Weaners are often held in kennels or specially designed pens until 8-10 weeks of
age. These are hygienic and warm, with controllable environments. From about 10
weeks of age, weaners are reared in the grower pens. It is not advisable to wean
pigs directly into grower pens unless the environment can be adjusted to suit
them. If adjustment is possible, leaving pigs in the same pen from weaning to
market prevents the growth setbacks and stress problems associated with moving
and mixing pigs.
In the case of small herds, it is usually convenient to rear one litter in each pen.
The litter-sized pens give good results and keep stress to a minimum, but waste
space. Batch farrowing enables the piglets to be mixed around the time of weaning
- the earlier the better, so they become familiar. Two or more litters are kept in a
pen until 10 to 12 weeks of age when they are divided according to size. To use the
pen space most efficiently, five or more litters of similar age should be weaned
together, and then divided and later subdivided according to size or sex. The
number of pens required depends on the size of the pigs at market age.
In fully slatted pens equipped with single-space, wet-and-dry feeders, the preferred
maximum depth is 4 m and the minimum practical width is 1.8 m. This allows for
a shed width of 10 m with pens arranged back to back, service lanes on either side
of the shed and a common effluent drain running down the centre of the shed.
In partly slatted pens, one-third of the floor area should be slatted. The total depth
of the pens should be double the width. Preferably, they should also have:
Location
There must be sufficient distances between the piggery, ponds, manure or used
bedding disposal areas, and dwellings to prevent odour becoming a problem.
Drainage from the piggery must not be allowed to enter a running stream.
Various local government regulations also relate to piggeries, and a licence may be
necessary in some areas. Contact your local government authority for further
information.
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What’s More
Activity #1
Farmer A plans to put-up a piggery project---a backyard category for a start. In his
list of animals to be procured are 8 sows, 1 boar, 12 growers at 45 kilos each, and
15 weaners. Based on the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals in
relation to minimum space requirements, How much floor space do each group of
animals need?. What is the total floor space area of the proposed pig house when
all these animals are placed in one ?( provide floor space allowance if it requires).
Note; Compute the surface area required in each group of animals, the total floor
area of the pig house where these animals are contained, and write your answers
in a sheet of bond paper.
What I Can Do
Activity # 2
From the computations you’ve made in activity #1, layout the floor plan of the
proposed pig house of Farmer A. Do not forget to place labels, dimensions, and
some other notations required to illustrate the layout plan clearly.
Note; The layout plan should be prepared neatly in a sheet of short bond paper. If
you have knowledge in scaling you may apply it in your layout plan.
Assessment
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A. Multiple Choice: Read the questions carefully and select the best answer by
writing the letter of your choice on a separate sheet of paper.
1. The temperature range required to achieve the best pig productivity is called
3. The Upper Critical Temperature of which serious problems are likely to occur is
at temperatures ____ above ECT.
6.Weaner pigs should be supplied water via bite-type nipple drinkers or pressure
plate-operated bowl drinkers, with one drinker for every
7.The minimum floor space requirements for all surface types flooring for growing
pigs at 10 kilograms is
10. Fatal chilling will occur within minutes unless warmth is provided is when
temperatures drop
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Additional Activities
Direction: Write T if the statement is correct and F if the statement is incorrect.
Write your answer on a sheet of paper.
1. Clean, dry conditions reduce germ populations and their effect on the health
and performance of pigs.
2. Weaners are often held in kennels or specially designed pens until 8-10 months
of age.
3. In a typical stall, the rear half of the floor is slatted.
4. Whatever is the design of a pig house, the floors must remain dry.
6.Poor access to feed produces uneven growth and condition and up grade pigs.
8. Solid concrete floors may also be satisfactory even if not they are well drained.
10. Stalls are also useful for sick animals, or sows who need to lose or gain weight.
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Answer Key
Glossary of Terms
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References
Kruger, I, Taylor, G and Ferrier, M (eds) 1994, 'Plan it - build it', NSW
Agriculture/Pig Research and Development Corporation, Tamworth, Australia.
https://thepigsite.com/articles/how-to-farm-pigs-housing
https://www.cupapizarras.com/int/news/10-types-of-roofs/#Gable_roof
https://build.com.au/clerestory-roof
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