1992 - Volume #16, Issue #4, Page #26
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Farrowing Crate
This new farrowing crate is totally adjust-able and provides the sow with maximum comfort while keeping baby pigs safe, says Hollam Inter-Products, Inc., Marysville, Ohio.The PC100 crate is designed to be in-stalled inside a 5-ft. wide by 8 ft. long farrowing stall. Baby pigs are free to walk around the entire crate rather than being confined to one corner. Length and width of crate are adjustable.
"Anti-crush bars on each side are bent inward to force the sow to lie down slowly and quietly to reduce crushing of baby pigs. The distance between bars can be changed according to sow size," says Jeff Ramsfield, marketing manager. He says the crate was designed to meet both present and future hog-raising needs. "We think that within five years the average sow will be 10Q lbs. heavier than now and will farrow an aver-age of 15 pigs per litter. This crate can easily be adjusted to provide maximum comfort and safety to any size sow. Baby pigs are free to walk almost completely around the crate to help reduce crushing and deaths. Conventional farrowing crates confine baby pigs to a corner of the pen, forcing them to walk across the crate to nurse."
The sow has access to a nipple drinker or can drink water from her feed bowl. "Keeping the feed bowl full of water for the first 24 hours after farrowing lets the sow get all the water she wants. Lets her come into milk faster which helps big litters of baby pigs get off to a fast start. She doesn't have to work at drinking from a nipple and run the risk of dehydration," notes Ramsfield.
Sows can enter the crate from either the side or rear. The rear end of the crate is equipped with a concave gate that can be reversed to change crate length by 4 in. The front end of the crate lifts up and swings out to provide side access.
Sells for right at $530.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Hollam Inter-Products, Inc., 1561 Milford Ave., Box 324, Marysville, Ohio 43040-0324 (ph 513 642-7682).
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