Group Sow Housing Types

By Kirk Brincks
Hog Slat, Inc.
February 27, 2007
 Why are stalls used?
• Social hierarchy and feed consumption
• To control feed consumption to manage the
body condition of the pregnant sow
• Adjust the feed to fix a problem – too fat or too
thin
• Prevent aggression and feed hoarding
• Provide individual care to the sows
• Lower labor costs
 Why are stalls used?
• 15 – 25% of the members of a sow group
are replacements and new to the social
order.
• Fighting will occur until the new pecking
order is established.
• Competing for feed. Poor management of
feed intake results in variation in body
condition.
 Why groups?
• Animal welfare and public perception.
• One key requirement of the animal welfare
movement is freedom of movement.
• “Enough room to turn around freely,
groom, lie down, and stretch its limbs”
• EU, Florida, Arizona, etc.
• Smithfield Foods’ announcement.
 Why groups?
• Oregon is next.
• Colorado is also being talked about.
• 15 other states plan to bring it up in their
legislation this year alone.
• This could fall quicker than expected,
• HSUS has a feather in their hat with
Smithfield announcement.
Smithfield Eliminating Small Sow Stalls
Thursday January 25, 2:58 pm ET
By Sonja Barisic, Associated Press Writer

Smithfield Foods to Phase Out Gestation Stalls for

Pigs, Use Group Pens Instead
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) -- Pork processor Smithfield Foods Inc.
said Thursday it will phase out gestation stalls or crates at all
187 sow farms it owns in eight states and replace them with
"more animal-friendly" group housing pens over the next
decade.
 Unanswered Questions about
Smithfield’s Group Housing Plans
• How many square feet per sow?
• Will breeding / post breeding stalls be used?
• How many days in post breeding stalls?
• How many sows per pen?
 Impact of Smithfield
Announcement

Smithfield Sows in the US (includes contract herds) 1,000,000

Farrowing Crates 160,000

Breeding & Early Pregnancy Stalls (24" x 84") * 300,000
Sow Spaces to Convert to Group Housing 540,000
*assuming 1/3 of non-lactating sow spaces being in breeding/early pregnancy stalls
 Additional Building
Space Required
Conversion to 20 Sq. Ft. per Sow

540,000 Sow Spaces at 21 Sq. Ft. (20 sq. ft. in pen plus 1 sq. ft. aisles) 11,340,000 Sq.Ft.
540,000 Sow Spaces at 18 Sq. Ft. (14 sq. ft. in stall plus 4 sq. ft. aisles) 9,720,000 Sq.Ft.
Additional Sq. Ft. Required 1,620,000 Sq. Ft.
Number of 40 ft. X 250 ft. Gestation Buildings 162 Buildings

Conversion to 24 Sq. Ft. per Sow

540,000 Sow Spaces at 25 Sq. Ft. (24 sq. ft. in pen plus 1 sq. ft. aisles) 13,500,000 Sq. Ft.
540,000 Sow Spaces at 18 Sq. Ft. (14 sq. ft. in stall plus 4 sq. ft. aisles) 9,720,000 Sq. Ft.
Additional Sq. Ft. Required 3,780,000 Sq. Ft.
Number of 40 ft. X 250 ft. Gestation Buildings 378 Buildings
 Approximate Cost of Converting a
2,500 Sow Unit to Group Housing at
24 sq. ft. / Sow in Late Gestation
Before Conversion After Conversion
432 Farrowing Crates 432
2100 Breeding / Gestation Stalls 700
0 Gestation Pen Spaces 1400

Convert 1400 stall spaces to 1000 pen spaces @ $150.00 / space $150,000.00
Construct a 400 Space Pen Style Gestation Building @ $1,000.00 / space $400,000.00
Estimated Total Cost of Conversion $550,000.00

Estimated Cost of Conversion / Sow Space $220.00 / Sow

Smithfield’s 1 Million Sows X $220.00 / Sow = $220 Million

 Smithfield Foods Inc. (SFD)
$30.00

$29.00

$28.00

16% Increase since

$27.00
Announcement
$26.00
Shares Outstanding 112,000,000
$25.00 Per Share Increase $4.12
Increase in SFD Value
$24.00 $461,000,000

$23.00 Smithfield Stall Announcement 1/25/07

$22.00
Group Housing / Feeding Options

• Floor Feeding in Pens

• Trickle Feeding in Pens
• Free Access Stalls
• Electronic Sow Feeding in Pens
• AGS (Schick System)
General Notes about Group Housing
• Smaller groups (50 and under) should be
considered “static” groups. No sows should
be added once a group is established.
• Larger groups (100 and over) can be
considered “dynamic” groups. Sows can be
removed and introduced without major
incident.
• Pens with “dynamic groups” should have
hiding places to allow sows to avoid
confrontation.
General Notes about Group Housing
• Concrete slats with 1.5” openings may be a
foot and leg problem when sows are
allowed to roam.
• Some injuries from confrontations between
sows can be expected in any group system.
• Genetics may have to change to meet
requirements of group housing.
• All proposed group housing systems will
work with the correct management.
 ESF
• Electronic Sow Feeding
• Sows are kept in groups of 50-60
• Each wears an RFID tag or collar
• Sows enter a feeding station to eat once
per day.
• The sow is fed her due amount into the
tough.
 ESF
• The amount of feed is calibrated to the
individual sow
• Sows have to wait their turn to feed
• The station protects the sow while feeding
• Timeout period.
• If she doesn’t eat her allotted amount, the
next one gets it.
 ESF
• RFID reader in the station collects data
• Data is analyzed and reported to central
computer
• Complete recordkeeping system
• Training of gilts is required
 ESF
• Static Groups 40-80 sows – 1 ESF Station
/Pen
• Osborne – No new sows are introduced
post breeding
• All sows are in the same production phase
 ESF
• Dynamic Groups 80-200 with 2-5 ESF
Station/Pen
• Waiting 20-30 days after breeding reduces
fallout
• Denmark has explored and will
recommend this system.
• Requires partitioning of large pens
• 5-6 stations per pen
 ESF - Advantages
• Sows can be fed individually customized
diets
• An existing gestation building could be
converted to ESF without reducing the
number of sows in the building
• Data collected, records, handheld
scanners
• Estrus detection, etc.
• Loss of 0-5% of sow spaces
 ESF - Disadvantages
• Repair & maintenance, calibration
• Wear and tear on equipment
• Scanner & tag reliability
• Fallouts – static groups
• Serious high incidents of vulva biting while waiting in line.
• Tag loss, power failure due to lighting, feed bridges, feed
line failure.
• Requires insertion, removal and maintenance of RFID
tags
• Availability of tech support could become a problem
 ESF - Disadvantages
• Aggressive sow behavior while waiting in line
• Sows with lower social rank are smaller with
higher injury rates
• Dynamic groups have more fallouts and lower
born alive
• Static groups lock you in to not adding and
moving
• Expensive, more than other options
• Overloading feeding stations will cause system
failure. (not our customers)
 ESF
• Technical support across vast geographic
regions
• Training the staff of the farms on an
entirely new system
• Manager may need Masters of EE.
• What is the service life of the
components?
 ESF - Vendors
• Osborne Industry
• CTB Porcon
• Crystal Springs
• Big Dutchman
• Ejegberg
• Expect many entries into the market
• Compare to the scale barn issues
• Likely evolution in US market
 Loafing / Feeding Stalls
• Combines group sow housing and
individual feeding stalls.
• Sows are free to roam a large pen except
during feeding.
 Loafing / Feeding Stalls
• Open Stalls
• Free to roam in large pen except when
they are fed
• Minimum space allowance – 14.8 ft2
• Body length stalls are preferred to reduce
aggression
• Body length stalls are used as a resting
area
 Loafing / Feeding Stalls
• Self Locking / Free Access Locking
Stalls
• Can be used to vaccinate, E-detection, AI
• Sow enters and locks gate by activating a
shield or half door
• Sow unlocks the stall by backing up and it
opens the door
• Sows randomly enter stalls and it doesn’t
allow individualized feeding
 Loafing / Feeding Stalls
• Advantages
– Sows tend to stay in the stalls when not
feeding
– Stalls protect sows against aggressive
behavior
– Pregnancy checks, breeding, vaccinations
can be done easily
– Visual inspection is easier.
– Utilize troughs, feed systems, plumbing
 Loafing / Feeding Stalls
• Disadvantages
– Mechanical locking system can be problematic
– Space requirements – as much as 37 Sq. Ft./ head
– Reduces sow spaces in existing buildings by as much
as 50%
– Very expensive.
– More buildings or fewer sows.
– Will need to adjust minimum ventilation and heating.
– Potential high maintenance cost
– No ability to feed to individual condition of sows
 Loafing / Feeding Stalls -
Vendors
• CTB – Porcon, Laake
• Big Dutchman
• Ejegberg
• Others
 Trickle Feeding System
(Biological Fixation)
• Aims to reduce aggression and feed intake
by dominant sows during feeding
• Sows are kept in small stable groups
• Shoulder length divides separate the
trough.
• A second auger under the standard flex
auger line and sow drops delivers feed
over 15 – 30 Minutes.
 Trickle Feeding System
(Biological Fixation)
• Ideally, this gives no incentive for sows to
move away from the trough to steal feed.
• Introducing feed slowly keeps the sows in
the feed space for the duration of the
cycle.
• They are “Biologically fixed”.
• Individual rationing is not possible.
 Trickle Feeding System
(Biological Fixation)
• Many producers retrofitting are trying to
use 16 sq. ft. with some management
issues.
• Give gilts as little as 16 sq. ft.
• Research shows that 20 sq. ft. is required
for sows.
• May need to adjust minimum ventilation
and heating.
Stall Gestation Conversion
to Group Housing Project
BEFORE
 AFTER

Approximate Conversion Cost at $110/Space at 16.5 sq. ft.

Prestage Farms P300 Sow Unit
 Trickle Feeding System
(Biological Fixation)
• MB in Mexico
• 50 sows at 20ft2  30% Drop Out
• 25 sows at 20ft2  15% Drop Out
• 12 sows at 20ft2  8% Drop Out
• (Stalls at 14ft2  6% Drop Out)
• They settle the sows in individual stalls for
35 days before entering into static groups
 Trickle Feeding System
(Biological Fixation)
• Advantages
• Cost is similar to stalls
• Retrofits are relatively easy
• The technology gap is not huge
• Teaching husbandry is easier than teaching
computer science and engineering.
• Potential benefit in digestion and ulcer
reduction
 Trickle Feeding System
(Biological Fixation)
• Disadvantages
• Groups need to remain small
• Regrouping for size and aggression is
required.
• Results is 15-20% reduced sow space in
the existing building.
• No ability to feed to individual condition of
sows
 AGS / Schick
Group size – 150+ / Sq. Ft. – 16 +

Pros:
• Record keeping and management tool (currently behind others)
• Labor saving tool
• Individual sows can be sorted for treatment
• Allows for large “dynamic” groups
• Consequences of system going down not as severe as EFS

Cons:
• Requires higher management skills
• High initial cost of equipment (AGS + trickle feeding)
• Not easily adaptable to existing facilities
• Requires insertion, removal and maintenance of RFID tags
• Limited ability to feed to condition of individual sow
 Floor Feeding
• Hand feeding a small group in a pen
• By hand scooping and spreading the feed
on the solid floor
• Using mechanical systems like feed drops
• 4-5 sows per pen at 16 – 20 sq. ft. per
sow.
 Floor Feeding
• Advantages
• Cost less than any other system
• Retrofits are easy
• Teaching husbandry is easier than
teaching computer science and
engineering.
 Floor Feeding
• Disadvantages
• Aggressive behavior at feeding
• Dominant sow protects the largest pile
• Excessive weight gain by dominant sows
 Floor Feeding
• Maxwell Foods
• 5 sows in 8’ x 10’ pens 16ft2 per sow
• Feed 2x per day – hand feed
– Sling the feed evenly on solid half of the pen
– Have used drop sow feeders on one farm and
new farms will include the drop feeders
– Used electric fences with wire under sow
drops to keep sows from messing with sow
drops
Group Housing with Hand Feeding
 Floor Feeding
• Wean sows into wean stalls and breed
and they stay in there for 4-5 days
• Move them to gestation stalls to settle for
28-35 days (32 days is ideal)
• Groups are segregated by size: bigs,
mediums, smalls, gilts
 Notes
• Prestage Farms
• Mark Daughtry says the trickle feed has
two advantages over floor feed
• Sow conditioning is better
• Feed Conservation is better
 Notes
• Genetics will have to change
• Bedding is not likely an option for our
customers
• Slats may become an issue.
• We may have to offer all options
• Transformation stage
• Educate yourself!!!