Module on Housing

MODULE ON HOUSING

Housing your PIGS

Housing plays an important role in pig production. It can affect

the performance of the animals and eventually, the outcome
of the farm. It should be noted that pens or pig houses should
be properly constructed to make the pigs comfortable in their
pens. If the environment is not comfortable, the pigs is
subjected to stress problems and prone to infection and
setbacks which open the way for disease outbreaks.

Learning Objectives

1. To classify different pig housing design

2. To be familiarize on pen measurements
3. To enumerate space requirement of pig pen

Basics of Pig Housing

Housing should be designed and constructed to facilitate:

1. For freedom and individual comfort of pigs.

2. Her health and sanitation
3. Manure disposal
4. Bedding conservation
5. Labor saving

Emphasis should be given to these aspects since pigs are very sensitive to extreme changes in
temperature. Disturbance of the specific climate inside the pig houses may lead to respiratory and
intestinal diseases which would affect the overall performance of the herd.

Feed efficiency, daily gain and other similar production aspects will be affected due to poor housing.
Housing also serves as a protection against theft and creates a specific environment that can be
easily controlled and adjusted. Bette management of the animals can also be done if there are pig
houses.

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I. SITE AND BUILDING PLANNING

In order to survive financially, the pig producer needs to construct a pig house economically but at
the same time ensure efficient operation.

A. Site Selection

The first step in putting up or expanding a piggery project is the selection of the site. Bad planning
can result to dissatisfaction not only within the home but also among neighbors. It is a common
happening now that any odor or pollution caused by the project results in the neighbor’s complaint
that can even go as far as lawsuits and eventual closure of the project.

Important site requirements include:

Essential services
• Feed
• Water and electricity
• Accessibility
REMEMBER!!!
Suitable surroundings
• Drainage and manure Constructing a pig farm is not an easy task and it
disposal also requires a large amount of investment. Pig
• Distance from neighbors and producers should consider the following factors in
other farms constructing or expanding a pig farm:
• Compliance with local Site selection
policies like zoning and Zoning and Permits
environmental Accessibility
considerations Distance from other farms
• Possibility of expansion

B. Zoning and Permits

Check out local zoning laws and regulations for a proposed location. If it is zoned other than
agriculture, study the situation carefully before building the pig house. Before starting construction,
secure first all required permits such as building, environmental and other permits required by the
government.

C. Accessibility

Check the availability and cost of feeds, water and electricity. If high electricity demand is
anticipated, check the availability of 3-phase power. Maybe a standby generator can be considered.
Determine the total daily water requirements. A guideline for daily water requirement is three
times the weight of feed consumed plus 15% wastage and increases the amount by 30% for
cleaning. Water source should supply for the peak demands and for future expansion.

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D. Distance from other farms

If you have a choice, the best location for your farm is as far away as possible (about 1 kilometre)
from other farms and neighbors. This will serve as a natural screen in the prevention of diseases.

Distance from the neighbors will prevent complaints regarding pig odors, flies, noise and pollution.

FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HOUSING

You must keep

these in mind
while building
your pig
houses!

!
Environmental Control. For optimum performance, pigs should be provided with a
suitable pig house climate, if not, some problems in health, production and reproduction
may occur.
!
Proper ventilation. Animals cannot perform well in poorly ventilated house.

!
Minimum labor requirement. All possible labor saving considerations and devices should be a
part of the building construction.

!
Dryness. Buildings should be constructed to provide dry area for the animals, this means
that the building should be located on high ground and provided with good floor slope (2
– 3%) and drainage system.

!
Sanitation. Sanitation is essential for disease prevention and parasite control. The pig
house should be constructed in a way that it can be easily cleaned. Smooth walls and hard
floor are most satisfactory.

!
Safety. It is important that safety features be given considerations. For example, doors and
ceilings should have adequate height, doors should be of sufficient width and path walks
should not be smooth.

!
Rodent and Bird control. The feed storage should be constructed to provide maximum
protection against birds, rats and mice. This is important in feed conservation and disease
prevention. Installing welded/chicken wire (1/2 inch) can do rodent roofing.

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!
Durability of building materials. When planning your building, select materials that
are corrosion-resistant and durable enough to withstand the rugged pushing, rubbing and
chewing activities of the pig.

!
Future Expansion. During the planning stage, consider the possibilities of a future
expansion. Proper placement of the feed storage, waste disposal system and other
facilities is necessary to prevent costly relocation later on.

A person who is planning to construct a new pig house, if possible should visit a number
of established and successful piggery farms and discuss with the owner the housing and
equipment in the farm.

Proper planning
and construction
of pig houses is
important

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BUILDING ORIENTATION AND VENTILATION

Building Orientation

In the Philippines, the front side of the building should be facing EAST and the rear side should
be facing WEST (Figure 1). This would prevent the animals from too much exposure to the
sunlight, thus there is equal distribution of sunlight through the day. If the building will be
oriented in a different direction, either side of the building will be hot at certain period of the
day and this would be too uncomfortable for the pigs.

PIG HOUSE PIG HOUSE

PIG HOUSE PIG HOUSE

Figure 1. Proper Building Orientation

Areas regularly visited by the outsiders should be situated near the gate. These areas are
offices, feed store, market area and fatteners pen. The farm road should have a
reasonable distance from the pig houses with alleys leading to each house.

The health condition of the pigs can be affected by the specific swine house climate. Any
disturbance in this climate can cause respiratory and intestinal diseases. Thus, it is very
important to make the animals comfortable by designing a pig house with roofing and proper
ventilation.

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 Ventilation

Ventilation is important for the

removal of odors, moisture and
excess heat in hot weather!

Factors to consider in providing good ventilation:

"
Fresh air moving into the pig house (inlets)
"
Insulation to keep the house temperature warm
"
Supplemental heat during cold
"
Vapour barrier
"
Removal of moist air (outlets)

Electric fans are the most commonly used equipment for providing
air where it is needed.

Normal air movement inside the house is very important. Thus, pig
houses should not be constructed too close to each other. The
distance between buildings should be at least one and one half of the
building’s height (1.5 x building’s height). This is done to achieve
proper ventilation. However, this practice is too expensive. To make
full use of the land, trees should be planted between houses or houses can be constructed near the
rice fields, vegetable gardens, biogas lagoon, or fish ponds. This set-up is suitable for ecological
balance and keeps the surroundings cooler. Natural flow of air is prevented when very high walls
both in the fence and in the houses are constructed. As much as possible, the walls should have
holes or better use, G.I. pipes or steel bars or railings. Although high perimeter walls are used for
security reasons, it may be wise to use barbed wire or live post.

Curtains can be used to prevent draft and as a protection for the rapid change of temperature in the
evening during increment weather.

Construction of very wide houses does not prevent ventilation problems. These wide houses will not
be very efficient in heat exchange since there will be accumulation of body heat produced by pigs
which is further increases the temperature inside the house. The width of the house should not be
more than 10 meters.

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HOUSING SYSTEM

A. Individual Housing. It is also called the feeding/lying box/stall (Figure 2). Stalls and tethers
are normally cleaner when the rear half of the floor area is slatted.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Good control of feed • Estrus stimulation and

quantities supplied observation is less easy,
according to age, particularly in large herds
pregnancy stage and • Building design is
body condition. complicated, needs a
• Conception and litter size housing specialist
may be better • More costly compared to
• Easier handling of group housing of sows
animals
• Sows are more quiet,
less restless before and
after eating
• Lower cost
• Minimal Stress

Figure 2. Individual housing for dry and pregnant sows

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 B. Group Housing. A housing system where a number of sows (usually 4-5 head) are grouped
and kept in one pen.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Stimulation to come • More fighting

in heat • More competition during
• Heat is more visible feeding time
(sows mount each other) • Increased chance of leg
• Simple design of building problem and injuries
can be used separately • Animals are dirty
when exercise and/or • Reachability of
dunging are outside individual animals is
more difficult

Figure 3a. Sows in group housing with Figure 3b. Sows in group housing
individual feeding stalls

C. Pen Construction.

When constructing pig houses, give

close attention to the different parts of
the building and materials to be used.
Costs and durability are important
consideration.

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!

Flooring. Concrete
flooring should not be too
rough to avoid foot and leg
problems. A good concrete
mix is necessary because
manure acids corrode
concrete. Rough concrete
floors have been shown to
cause abrasions to the feet
and knees, and the rough
surface traps moisture and
manure harbouring
bacteria. The abrasions Figure 4. Concrete flooring
caused by rough pen
surfaces can then be easily infected due to the bacteria present in the pen surface. On the
other hand, smooth floors are slippery causing foot and leg problems. Therefore, concrete
floors should have a smoothness equal to a wooden trowel finish.

A slope 2 – 3% should be applied to the floor. This means that a depth of 2 – 3 cm per
meter length should be placed towards a gutter or canal. The slope makes cleaning of the
pen easier. It facilitates draining of the urine and drying of the lying area, giving the
animals dry area when they lie down.

Slatted Floors allows animal waste to drop or to be forced through the slats. This reduces
direct contact of the animal with the wastes or materials possibly carrying pathogenic
organisms and/or parasites. Slatted floors reduce the problems on manure disposal with a
corresponding reduction in the total labor requirements.

Fighting result if different groups of pigs

are mixed, thereby causing more extensive
injury to feet and legs. Maintenance of this
flooring may be high depending on the kind
of materials used.

It has been observed that incidence of tail

biting and other forms of cannibalism are
more or less the same on slatted floors and
non-slatted floors. For these two types of
flooring, management consideration is
equal. Slat spacing should be not more
than 2.5 cm for concrete slats

Figure 5. Slatted flooring

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Table 1. Summary of the Different types of Slatted Floors
TYPE OF SLATTED FLOOR
Cement or Concrete
Unflatten expanded metal,
plastic coated
Moulded plastics
Perforated metal planks
Fiberglass-reinforced T slats
Flatten expanded metals
Woven wire
Welded wire
Cast Iron
DESCRIPTION AND USE
The cheapest and; the top finish should be done by using
a wooden trowel. Slat top edges must be smooth and
straight, preferably rounded to a pencil radius. Unfinished
sharp edges can break-off, leaving a wider gap that lets
pig’s feet slip through the slot, causing serious foot and
leg problems
Recommended slot (space) width: 25-32 cm; 100-200 mm
Available in two mesh sizes, one for farrowing pens and a
smaller size for weaner decks. Needs supporting joists
spaced at 300 mm, perpendicular to the length of the
openings. Self-cleaning and easy to sanitize if plastic is not
cut or broken.
Best for weaner decks but are slippery for sows. It also
needs support spaced at 600 mm.
Made of galvanized or stainless steel and suitable for
weaner decks but are again slippery for sows. Have
indented holes that may reduce piglet foot and leg
injuries. It needs support spaced up to 1200 mm.
Slat width: 38 mm; slot width: 9 mm for weaner decks.
Can also be used for farrowing pens. Needs support
spaced at 600 mm.
Cleans well and suitable for flat deck weaner pens. It need
support at 300 mm. It has a short life span, not suitable
for sows (teat damage) or baby pigs.
Needs support spaced at 300 mm. used in weaner decks
and piglet areas of farrowing pens, but is not strong
enough for sows.
Consists of 5.3 mm wire spaced at 12.5, 15 or 18 mm.
Needs support spaced at 300 mm in piglet area of
farrowing pens. Causes few piglet foot and leg injuries but
is slippery for sows or weaner decks.
Can be supported at spacing up to 1200 mm. Suitable for
all ages. It is very durable but expensive.
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!
Roofing. Different roofing materials can help in keeping the temperature low. Aluminum
roofing reflects most of the rays of the sun while local materials like nipa, anahaw or
cogon have very good insulating quality. When using corrugated G.I. sheets, the height
should be at least 3.0 m and an angle of 25o or more.

The type of roofing will also influence rapid exchange of air. Monitor-type
roofing allows the chimney effect. Hot air tends to go up and escapes at the
chimney of the roof while fresh air from the sides goes in.

Generally, commercial farms adopt the monitor type, semi-monitor type and
double span type of roofings.

25o

3.0 m

Figure 6a. Monitor Type of Roofing Using Corrugated G.I. sheets

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Figure 6b. Double Span Type of Roofing

Figure 6c. Semi-monitor Type of Roofing

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!
Pen Partition. The height of the partition should be 1.0 m. Partition can be made of concrete
(hollow blocks) or slatted , either with the use of wood or G.I. bars. The walling should be smooth and
free from sharp edges/parts. Solid manure should easily pass through the partition going to the canal.
Well-finished solid concrete partitions are durable and decrease disturbance among animals.

Slatted partitions, on the other hand, are cheap, easy to

construct and provide animals with proper ventilation.
Pen partition
should be 1.0 m Distance between the flooring and the bottom horizontal
bar is 0.10 m and vertical bars are spaced at 0.10 m for ½
in height! G.I. pipe and 0.05 m for 10 mm diameter steel bars.
However, if wood is used, they are difficult to disinfect and
can be easily damaged by the pigs.

The spaces between the walls vary according to the stage of production and the kind
of housing system to be practiced.

The lowest bar must be 20 – 24 cm above the flooring so that cleaning is easy. Also, the
sow could use the space to stretch her legs when lying.

The length of the feeding lring box is from 2.25 – 2.5 m including the width of the trough.
The length also varies with the kind of trough used.

Figure 7a. Slatted partitions result to better Figure 7b. Solid partitions
ventilation

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EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS
Proper design and construction of feeders
Feed Trough should be done ofr the following reasons:
"
Lesser feed waste
Swine raisers use different types of feeders but
the built-in concrete feeder is the most widely "
Rate of flow of the feed can be regulated in
used feeder because of its durability. automatic feeding system
"
Feeds will not be blown by the wind
Similarly, a good feed trough should be
constructed such that the pigs cannot lie in it "
Feeders are strong, durable and easy to clean
and contaminate the feeds.
"
Feeders can hold sufficient amount of feed

The feed trough measurement varies with the materials used in the construction but the
only consideration is the clear area which measures 40 cm. wide, 15 cm. deep and 40
cm. long.

40 cm
40 cm

15 cm 15 cm

20 cm 20 cm

Figure 8. Proper height of elevated feed trough

5 cm 40 cm 5 cm 50 cm

15 cm 25 cm
20 cm

Figure 9. Cross-section of a concrete feed trough

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The commonly used materials in the construction of feed trough are cement, fiber glass,
steel and plastic.

A feed trough may be installed either on the ground or elevated. The elevated trough is
mostly made of G.I., steel or plastic while the ground trough is usually made of concrete
although sometimes a concrete trough is also elevated but the installation is somewhat
difficult compared to G.I., steel or plastic. Elevated feed trough provides room for sows
which has long body or is longer than the stall. Its head can be placed under the trough
which allows space maximization, leading to cost minimization.

Drinking System

The drinking system of a farm should

provide and facilitate adequate
water supply to the animals.

The drinker/nipple must have a

discharge of 600-700 ml/minute. A
feed trough can also be used as a
drinking equipment provided that
the water requirement is met.

REMEMBER!
1. Don’t be thrifty about drinker points. Install 2 or more per pen.

2. Drinkers wear out and need replacing. The best engineered and simply
constructed designs give best use.

3. If wet feeding by pipeline is practiced, always try to provide supplementary water.

Types of Nipples. There are two types of

nipples widely used in pig production,
the bite and push nipple. Bite nipples
are installed at about 70-85 cm above
the flooring in the dunging area while
the push nipples are installed 8-10 cm
from the base of the feed trough. In
group housing, bite nipple is
recommended while for the feeding
lying boxes or individual housing, push
nipple is recommended.
Figure 10. Bite and push nipple drinker

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Table 2. Place of the drinking system by type of pen

PEN SYSTEM PLACE

Farrowing pen
Sow Bowl Dunging area
Bite nipple Dunging area
Push nipple Above feeding trough

Piglet Bite nipple Dunging area

Bite nipple Beside the trough, above the
Bowl slats
Dunging area
Nursery pen
Dry and Pregnant stalls
Individual housing Push/Bite nipple Above feeding trough
Group housing Bite nipple
Boar pen Bite nipple Rear side of the pen
Push nipple Above feeding trough
Fatteners pen Bite nipple Dunging area/rear side

Table 3. Required minimum supply of water for different drinking systems.

TYPE OF DRINKER SYSTEM REQUIRED WATER SUPPLY

Bowl 0.8 – 1.0 liter per minute
Bite nipple 1.0 liter per minute
Push nipple 1.0 liter per minute (1.5 liters excess for
lactating sows; minimum of 1.0 liter)

Table 4. Height of the Drinking System (in cm.)

Push nipples above

Type of Animal Weight (kg) 45o 90o Bowl bottom of trough
Suckling piglets - 20 15 5 -
Piglets above ____ 8 kg 30 25 10 -
Piglets above ____ 25 kg 55 50 20 8
Sows - 90 85 25 8
Boars - 90 85 8
Fatteners 15-40 kg 35 30
40-60 kg 50 45
60-100 kg 75 70

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REMEMBER!
!
Push nipple are always connected to a low-pressure system (3.5 psi).
!
Bite nipple and bowl can be connected to low pressure as well as high-pressure
systems.
!
High pressure (>3.5 psi) can be reduced to low pressure with a reduction valve or with a
constant level water tank.

45o bite nipple installation

90o bite nipple installation

Figure 11. Bite nipple installation showing 45o-90o angle

Brooders

Brooders are an essential part of the farrowing area. It create a microclimate which
should be 32oC – 35oC to enhance piglet survival. There are many types of
brooders which one can improvise.

60 cm

30 cm

Figure 12a. A brooder made of plywood. Similar brooder can be made using a
corrugated iron as frame and jute sack as walls.

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 60 cm

120 cm

Figure 12b. A triangular brooder made of plywood. Used on diagonal pens.

SPACE REQUIREMENT

Pens should be constructed in such a way that the minimum space is OVERCROWDING
utilized for maximum growth rate. Overcrowding of animals may lead to
tail biting which is hazardous to the health of the animals since wounded
of animals in the
tails can be an entry point for organisms. However, constructing too wide pen should be
pens will result to very high construction cost.
avoided!
Minimum Space Requirement for Swine
Space requirement/animal
Age and size of animal
(m2/animal)

Groups of growing swine

Up to 10 kg 0.11
11-20 kg 0.20
21-40 kg 0.35
41-60 kg 0.50

61-80 kg 0.70
81-100 kg 0.85
Gilts up to mating 1.00
Adult pigs in group 2.50

Gestating sows 1.20

Boar Pens 7.50

Lactating sows and litters
Individual pens 7.40
Dry sows 1.80

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PENS FOR REARING GILTS

The pens for rearing gilts are almost the same as the finishers pen. It is advisable that each pen
should contain 4-5 gilts per pen for easier control and observation of their behaviour.

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS FOR AREA OF PENS FOR GILTS

Trough length: 0.35 m x 5 heads = 1.75 m

Area required:

Lying area: (0.7 m2) (5 head) = 3.5 m2

Length of lying area: 3.5 m2/1.75 m = 1.4 m

Dunging area; (0.5 m2) (5 head) = 2.5 m2

Length of dunging area: 2.5 m2/1.74 m = 1.4 m
1.75 m

Feed trough
0.5 m

Lying Area
2.0 – 2.57 m

Dunging Area 1.14 – 1.7 m

Figure 13. Pen for Gilts (5 heads).

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 PENS FOR BOARS

Boars should be individually penned to eliminate fighting, riding and competition for feed. However,
rearing boars in isolation may severely hamper the libido (sex drive) of the boar. Therefore, boar
pens should be located near the dry sows and the gilt pens.

There are two possibilities of constructing boar pen according to its use:

a. Holding pen

The dimensions of this pen should be at least 2.7 x 2.7 meters (inside measurements).
A mating pen is needed if a holding pen is used.

b. Holding pen and at the same time a mating pen

This pen is bigger than the holding pen. The dimension can vary, but the most practical is 3.0
x 4.0 meters. This gives enough space for the boar and the sow to move around the pen.
Other choices can be the following:
"
2.5 x 3.0 m (inside measurements)
"
2.5 x 3.5 m (inside measurements)
"
3.0 x 3.0 m (inside measurements)

Another option is a circular pen with a diameter of 2.5 – 3.0 meters.

If the boar is also used as the mating pen, avoid obstacles in the pen.

2.7 m

2.7 m

0.7 m
Figure 14a. Holding pen (solid floor) Figure 14a. Holding pen (semi-slatted)

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c. Mating pen

The mating pen is a pen wherein the boar and the sow are brought for natural mating.
Mating pen should be large enough for the sow and boar to move around. As the boar
follows the sow around the pen before mating, it needs room to walk forward without
pivoting on its hind legs or arching the back. The mating pen can be rectangular, octagonal
or circular. A circular pen should have a diameter of 2.5 - 3.0 meters.

A suitable mating pen should have:

1. Dry floors, in good order and non-slip, so that the boar and sow can have sure
footing. Floors should have a wooden trowel finish.
2. Sufficient room for both boar and sow. The shortest side should be a minimum of 3.0
meters to allow the boar easy access to the rear of the sow and to allow the
stockperson to adequately supervise and assist.
3. Nothing that will injure or obstruct the animals.

3.0 m
3.5 – 4.0 m

4.3 m

Figure 15a. Octagonal mating Pen Figure 15b. Circular mating Pen

3.0 m

4.0 m

0.7 m
Figure 16. Boar Pen
(Holding pen as well as mating pen)

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 d. Collecting pen

The collecting pen is a pen wherein the boar’s semen is collected to be processed and
used for artificial insemination. Collecting pen should be large enough for boar to move
around. The recommended is 3.0m x 3.0m.

SOWS WITH PIGLETS

It is important to have specific area for the sow to farrow and to rear her piglets. A wee-designed
pen improves the health and performance of the animal.

Important Points to Consider

a. Protection of piglets against crushing

Guard rails
Farrowing crate
Hurdles in the farrowing pen

b. A good view of the sow and piglets

Easy entrance. There must be a door and/or low partitions
Animals should be easily visible even at a distance
Height of partition is important
Sows : 1 meter
Piglets: 0.6 meter

c. Reachability of the piglets

Possibility to easily catch the piglets for treatment, assistance, etc
Piglets should be able to suck milk from the sow

d. Adjustability of the pen

The sow should farrow inside the crate and should not be able to turn
around
Possibilities of adjustment:
Hurdles width : 0.65 m – 0.70 m
Lowest bar : 0.20 m – 0.22 m
Guard rail : 0.20 m – 0.25 m

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 e. Dimension of the pen according to its purpose
The creep area should be wide enough (0.75)
Length of the pen:
• Based on concrete trough - 2.0 m behind trough
• Based on elevated trough - 2.0 m between front wall and partition
Dung area : 1.5 m deep
Hurdles : 0.64 m wide

f. Removal of dung and urine

Proper slope of flooring: 3 – 5 cm/m run (3% - 5%)
Easy cleaning should be made possible

(Slatted floors are most hygienic but more expensive in terms of initial investment,
compared to solid concrete floors)

g. Cost of Labor
Cost : make use of cheap and simple but durable materials
Labor : convenience for worker (make the work easier)

Elevated Farrowing Pen

Although this is called a farrowing pen, piglets stay here until weaning because of
its elevated slatted flooring.

Advantages: Disadvantages:
" "
Easy cleaning Expensive
"
Less space needed "
Need training of sow to go
"
Good view of animals
inside the pen
"
Should be durable

Ground Farrowing Pen

A specific ground pen for sow with piglets with either a concrete trough or a self-feeder.
Enough space provides proper drainage.

Advantages: Disadvantages:
"
" Less stress to sow and piglets More space needed
"
More space
"
Minimize crushing
"
Easy cleaning
"
Good view of animals

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Farrowing-Rearing Pen

This is the pen in which the sow and piglets stay up to weaning. The piglets could stay in this
pen even after weaning up to slaughter weight. In that case, a self-feeder for the piglets has to be
used.

Advantages: Disadvantages:
"
" Less stress to sow and piglets More space needed
"
More space
"
Minimize crushing
"
Easy cleaning
"
Good view of animals

Figure 17a. Typical Farrowing pens (Source: PAES 401:2001)

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 Figure 17b. Farrowing pens (traditional) Figure 17c. Farrowing pens (modern design)

This pen has two possible adjustments:

1. Farrowing Position

In this position, two hurdles (crate panels) are placed providing a limited space for the sow
and two creep areas for the piglets at both sides of the crate. This position is for a sow
with piglets from 3-7 days before farrowing until 2-3 weeks after farrowing.

creep creep
area Sow area
lying
area

dunging area

Figure 18a. The farrowing-rearing pen in farrowing position

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2. Rearing Position

In this position, either one hurdle is removed or two hurdles are pushed aside (diagonally).
This provides a wide space for the sow top roam and still leaves one or two creep areas
for the piglets.

creep creep
creep area area
area

Sow
area
Sow area

Figure 18b. The farrowing-rearing pen in Figure 18c. The farrowing-rearing pen in
rearing position, hurdles are removed rearing position, hurdles are diagonal position

creep
area

creep creep 2.20 – 2.40 m

2.20 – 2.40 m Sow
area Sow area area
area
creep
area

0.75 – 1.0 m 0.65 m 0.40 m

1.60 – 1.80 m
Figure 19a. Floor plan of an elevated
farrowing-rearing pen (perpendicular) Figure 19b. Floor plan of an elevated
farrowing-rearing pen (diagonal)

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 0.65 m 1.15 m

1.0 m

0.60 m

0.30 m

Figure 19c. Front view of a farrowing-rearing pen (diagonal)

1.0 m

0.15
2.0 m
0.50 1.50 0.35
2.35 m

Figure 20. Side view, ground farrowing-rearing pen

1.50 m 2.0 m

Figure 21. Side view of a ground farrowing-rearing pen with elevated

trough, note measurements. The extra space underneath the elevated
feeding trough is an additional

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 2.15 m

0.75 m 0.65 m 0.75 m

Creep Sow
area
area

Creep
area

Figure 22. Front view of a ground farrowing-rearing pen. Note that the
height of one piglet area is shorter than the other piglet area.

Farrowing Crate

It is a movable crate for a sow with piglets during the first 2-3 weeks.

After 2-3 weeks, the crate is removed.

It is the cheapest way to avoid crushing of piglets. The crate can be used by backyard
farmers, especially those who have existing pens. One can easily convert a fatteners’
pen into a farrowing pen.

Disadvantages:
Advantages: "
" No fixed creep area
Cheapest way of housing
"
No adjustment
"
Can be used in any kind of pen
"
Minimized crushing
"
Transferable
"
Easy to clean
"
Good view of the animals

28 | P a g e
 Figure 23a. A farrowing crate with floor which is made of wood

0.65 m

0.60 m

0.15
0.35

2.00 m

Figure 23b. Top view of a farrowing crate

0.18
0.18
0.18
0.21

0.25 0.25 m

Figure 23c. Side view of a farrowing crate

29 | P a g e
GESTATING STALLS

Sows should be either housed individually (box/stall) or by group. For individual pen,
the dimension should be 0.65 m x 2.4 m.

Figure 24. Measurements of Gestating Stalls

PENS FOR WEANERS

Ground Nursery Pen

It is not advisable to have large groups. One litter per pen will be enough to get good results.
Space requirement depends on the transfer weight.

Transfer Weight Space Requirement Trough Length

15 kgs 0.25 m2 0.12 meter
20 kgs 0.35 m2 0.15 meter

Elevated Nursery Pen

These pens are provided with slats, therefore the hygiene is good.

Transfer Weight Space Requirement Trough Length

15 kgs 0.20 m2 0.12 meter
20 kgs 0.30 m2 0.15 meter

30 | P a g e
Figure 25a. Nursery pen with long trough

Figure 25b. Nursery pen with self feeder

31 | P a g e
FINISHER PENS

A good housing design has a minimum space allowance to permit maximum rate of gain.
Overcrowding of animals in a pen may give more chances for pigs to indulge in tail biting. On the
other hand, constructing too wide pens for small number of animals will result to a very high
construction cost. The types of pen can be slatted (elevated) or ground concrete pen.

Advantages and disadvantages of separate or combined lying and dunging area

Kind of Pen Advantages Disadvantages
Separate lying and dung area • Cleaner animals • Higher construction
• Easier to manage the cost
animals while cleaning
Combination of lying and dung • Lower construction • Dirty animals
area cost • More difficult to
• Less space required control animals

Space requirement according to weight of finishers

SEPARATE AREAS TROUGH
WEIGHT GROUND PEN SLATTED PEN
LYING DUNGING Length/animal
(kgs) (m2) (m2) (m2) (m2) (m)
15–40 0.3 – 0.4 0.2 – 0.3 0.5 – 0.6 0.4 – 0.5 0.20
40–65 0.4 – 0.5 0.25 – 0.35 0.6 – 0.7 0.5 – 0.6 0.25
65 – 100 0.6 – 0.7 0.3 – 0.4 0.8 – 0.9 0.7 – 0.8 0.30

The figures below show two (2) different designs of pen for 10 fatteners. The separate lying and
dunging area is more commonly used in commercial farms while the combined lying and
dunging area is more common in the backyard or small farms.
3.0 m 3.0 m

FEED TROUGH 0.5 m FEED TROUGH 0.5 m

LYING AREA 2.2 m

LYING AREA 3.0 m

and
DUNG AREA

DUNG AREA 1.2 m

Figure 26a. Separate lying and Figure 26b. Combined lying and
dunging area dunging area

32 | P a g e
FORMULAS FOR COMPUTATION OF NUMBER OF PENS

GILTS PEN

Note: 4 – 5 gilts per pen (group housing)

BOAR PEN .

DRY AND PREGNANT SOW PLACES

FARROWING-REARING PEN
. = . ( . . ) .

WEANERS/NURSERY PEN
.

FATTENERS PEN

1
The additional 10% serves as correction factor just in case one or two farrowed on top of the expected number

of farrowing per month

33 | P a g e
COMPUTATION

The following discussion will now focus on the calculation of the number of farrowing and weaners’ pen
needed for a given number of sows. There are steps to follow: first is to assume some production
parameters or starting points and then calculate the occupancy per pen (occupancy period).

COMPUTATION OF OCCUPANCY PERIOD

The occupancy period represents the number of days the lactating sow and the weaners stay in their
respective pens, including cleaning and disinfection (3 – 7 days). As have been mentioned, one
should have assumptions of production parameters to serve as starting points and one can proceed
with the calculation:

Example Computation

Assumptions:

• Number of sows 10 sows

• Litter index 2 farrowings/sow/year
• Piglets born alive 11 heads
• Weaning age 30 days
• Weaned piglets/sow/litter 10 piglets
• Grower/sow/litter 9 piglets
• Rearing period (weaning to transfer) 7 days
• Number of pigs per weaners’ pen) 12 heads
• Number of pigs per finishers’ pen 12 heads
• Acclimatization before farrowing 7 days

Solution:

GILTS PEN
Selection of gilts at 6 months

Rearing period @ 2 months = 60 days

Cleaning and disinfection = 7 days
Occupancy period (gilts pen) = 67 days

DRY AND PREGNANT PENS

D&P Occupancy = 365 – (occupancy of sows in farrowing pen x litter index)

= 365 – (37 x 2)
= 365 – 74
D&P Occupancy= 291 days

34 | P a g e
 FARROWING PENS

Acclimatization period = 7 days

Lactation period = 30 days
Rearing period = 7 days
Cleaning/disinfection period = 7days
Occupancy (Farrowing) = 51 days

NURSERY PENS

Nursery period = 30 days

Cleaning/disinfection period = 7 days
Occupancy (Nursery) = 37 days

FATTENING PENS

Fattening period = Age at market – Age at start of growing

= 180 days – 67 days
= 113 days

Fattening period = 113 days

Cleaning/disinfection period = 7 days
Occupancy (Fattening) = 120 days

Computation on the Number of Pens needed:

We can now proceed with the computation on the number of pens needed for a 10-sow level farm.

Gilts Pen

.
=
.
.

10 35% 67

= 1.1
365 35% 5

= . ≈

Dry and Pregnant Sow Places

.
&= .

10 291 1.1
365

&= . ≈

35 | P a g e
Farrowing-Rearing Pen
= . ( . . ) .
10 2 51
= 1.1

Weaners/Nursery Pens

.⁄

. .

= .

1021037 1.1

365 12

= . ≈

Fatteners/Finishers Pen

. . .⁄

. .

= .

1029120
1.1
365 12
= . ≈

Sample computation to be able to design a ground pen for 12 fatteners which will be
marketed at 90 kgs LW.

Solution:

Compute the length of the feeding trough wherein 12 fatteners can eat at the
same time. Mark it as “a” (the length of the pen).

a = no. of fatteners x trough length per pig

a = 12 pigs x 0.30m/pig
a = 3.6 m

Compute for the total area required for 12 fatteners. Mark it as “C”.

36 | P a g e
C = no. of fatteners x required area per fattener
C = 12 pigs x 0.90 m2/pig
C = 10.8 m2

Make a sketch of a square. Assume that the squares is our pen, the area of a square
is “C” and one of the side is “a”. Mark the other side of the square as “b”.

Feed trough 0.5 m

A b

From the sketch we can say that a x b = C; being known a and C, we can now compute for b.

b=C
a
b = 10.8 m2
3.6 m
b=3m

Therefore, the dimension of our pen is 3.6m x 3.0m (excluding the feed trough).

3.6

Feed trough 0.5 m

10.8 m2 3.0 m

37 | P a g e
Reference
https://www.google.com/search?q=pig+drinking+water&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=98f2r
LR20TVlKM%252CgJsLqbCa4sbYbM%252C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-
kT0Wpr13S_pbK9uIwg1pad3grl9Nw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjO6NbZpfzhAhXBA4gKHaYAAUcQ_h0
wHHoECAoQBA&biw=1600&bih=789#imgrc=98f2rLR20TVlKM:&vet=1

https://www.google.com/search?q=installation+of+pig+drinker&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:CTpwiX3V3
ZyVIjjNhkQ4q4EAI6VysfFl2GLdyzmLFfygK9eq0s-uw5CJjSXj35eN5HkCUWLTmempMiLq7pZ-
i0H9DCoSCc2GRDirgQAjEX5q3EyCWJEOKhIJpXKx8WXYYt0RySKCGY70Zx4qEgnLOYsV_1KAr1xFJ6
WRrCzCtzioSCarSz67DkImNESx6q0zEvGIBKhIJJePfl43keQIR6hZDdltw9rQqEglRYtOZ6akyIhFG_1Ke
cmpmwAioSCeruln6LQf0METpRL6NP_1q8p&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiK2aP4sfzhAhWJPXAKH
b9eByYQ9C96BAgBEBs&biw=1600&bih=789&dpr=1#imgrc=OnCJfdXdnJX7RM:

https://www.google.com/search?biw=1600&bih=789&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=Hd7LXNvRBIrg-
AaTkIzACA&q=pig+mating+pen+octagonal+&oq=pig+mating+pen+octagonal+&gs_l=img.3...3237
3.34722..35067...0.0..0.188.488.0j3......1....1j2..gws-wiz-img.hsIA007yiIk#imgrc=F0Ahb3zDWYUSaM:

PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING STANDARD PAES 401:2001 Agricultural Structures

Housing for Swine Production

38 | P a g e
ANNEX A. Summary of Space Requirements and Standard

SPACE REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS

39 | P a g e
*the size of finisher and nursery pen shall be design to hold not more than 25 pigs.
*aisles and walkway shall have a minimum of 1.5m and 1m on the primary and secondary.
The primary is the entrance or the door with 1.5m width and the walkway must have at least
1m.
*the feed trough width must be 300mm and the depth must be 250mm
*the height of nipple must be 305mm for weanlings and 450-650 for finishers, 1 nipple
is designed for 10 pigs
*ceiling (optional) must be at least 2.4m high *walls
of the building must have at least 1m height

40 | P a g e
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