A new radio-controlled gate allows one person to sort pigs by opening or closing a gate from inside the pen.

"Porky's Pal" is a 2-ft. wide, portable sorting gate that can be adapted to any doorway used to sort hogs. The bi-fold, stainless steel gate attaches to one end of the existing gate on front of the pen as well as to the post that the gate fastens to. It's opened or closed by a wireless controller. An operator stands inside the pen and uses a guiding board with a wireless transmitter attached to it. As the pig approaches the gate the operator presses a button to open it.

The gate is equipped with an air cylinder that's operated by an electrically-controlled valve that's hooked up to a 12-volt rechargeable battery. Air can be supplied by a portable air tank or by an air line running the length of the building. 

"It allows you to sort pigs whenever you want because there's no need for a second person to open and close the gate," says Larry Bearinger, Reliable Equipment, Petersburg, Ontario. "You can also use the gate and guiding board in front of a weigh scale in order to let pigs onto it one at a time."