Dry Sow Accommodation

The dry sow section is based on Electronic Sow Feeding-Two Yard Layout. Each side of the house is split into 2 yards,entry and exit yards. A feed station is positioned between the yards. Smaller and younger sows are accommodated on one side of the house with the older and larger sows on the other side

As the sows pass through the feed station they move from one yard to the other. Towards the end of the feeding cycle only a few sows remain in the entry yard.These are sows that are timid ,unfamiliar with the system or sick

The kennelled area is subdivided into compartments. Plastic curtains along the front of the kennels prevents draughts and retains heat within the kennel. The roaming/feeding area is slatted to ensure pen cleanliness

The slatted area is washed down daily to prevent the build up of glar and the slats becoming slippery

Sows due to be vaccinated pregnancy tested or moved to the farrowing house can be shed into the divert pen rather than the main pen gilts are introduced to the ESF system 4 weeks after service. To reduce aggression they are shed into the divert pen for 3-4 days after introduction rather than the main group. They are moved back into the main group each morning when they can mix with the more timid sows rather than the dominant sows who are queuing at the feed station

Contact with a boar through railed divisions allows for the identification of sows that repeat