Pigs Do Better In Nursery Pens

Pigs Do Better In Nursery Pens “We’re not sure why but pigs raised in these new-style nursery pens stay healthier and consistently gain faster ” reports Sam Kennedy president of Ag Waste Controls Clear Lake Iowa “The pens can also be stacked to boost capacity of an existing facility for very little extra cost ” It all started a year ago with Kennedy was visiting swine operations in Europe: “Nineteen of the first 20 farms we visited were using nursery pens It was the hottest new idea I saw on the trip ” Kennedy made arrangements to have experimental nursery pens shipped to the company’s 800-sow farrowing operation near Clear Lake “Pigs raised in these nursery pens from weaning to 70 lbs have consistently weighed 10 lbs heavier than pigs kept in large conventional pens We think getting them off the floor and out of drafts is part of the reason along with being able to keep fewer pigs of the same weight in each pen ” Kennedy whose firm is licensed to market the nursery pens in the U S notes that some of the first U S hog producers to test them are using the littermate concept of keeping individual litters intact as they’re weaned Others prefer to sort hogs by weight into individual pens In either case they’re weaning as early as three weeks with excellent results says Kennedy He anticipates that most producers will use the new nursery pens in new or existing facilities for raising pigs from weaning to bout 70 lbs “They can be set on top of existing slatted or regular floors or they can be double decked in various configurations for optimum utilization of available floor space ” he points out Individual pens are hot-dipped galvanized “We considered having them made of aluminum but our contacts in Europe shoed an overwhelming preference for hot-dipped galvanized ” Kennedy told FARM SHOW Standard pens are 7 ft 7 in long; 3 ft 7 in wide; and weigh 330 lbs Pens interlock from 3 sides with one side or end serving as a common partition between adjacent pens A latch at the feeder end allows the entire unit to swing open The opposite end also swings open Openings in the mesh floor constitute 50% open space enough to maintain maximum cleanliness with a minimum of abrasions and foot injuries says Kennedy Individual units cost $475 for the first unit and $375 for each additional 3-sided unit Slightly larger pens measuring 9 ft 3 in long are available for approximately $100 more per pen For more details contact: FARM SHOW Followup Agricultural Waste Controls 2150 4th Ave South Clear Lake Iowa 50428 ph 357 7020

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