Service Accommodation
The service area is based on kennels with individual feeders. Group size is 4. Sows remain in this area until they are pregnancy tested at 28 days. They are then moved to the Electronic Sow Feeding (ESF) section where they are again pregnancy tested at 35 days.
Boar pens are interspersed between batches of sows to allow for good boar/sow contact. Sows are weaned on Thursday
On a Monday morning they are brought into the passage in front of the boar. Sows on heat are served that afternoon and again the next morning 60% of sows are normally on heat on Monday. The remaining 40% are on heat on Tuesday
Sows are artificially inseminated in the cubicle.They remain in the closed cubicle for 1hour after insemination.The catheter is also left in the sow for up to 1 hour. It is bent in two places to prevent backflow of semen.
On a Monday morning they are brought into the passage in front of the boar. Sows on heat are served that afternoon and again the next morning 60% of sows are normally on heat on Monday. The remaining 40% are on heat on Tuesday
Sows are artificially inseminated in the cubicle.They remain in the closed cubicle for 1hour after insemination.The catheter is also left in the sow for up to 1 hour. It is bent in two places to prevent backflow of semen.
Weaned sows are fed 3kg/day of a dry sow diet up until service. Feed levels are reduced to 2.5kg/day from 2 days after mating. Sows remain on this level until they are moved to the ESF section where they are fed according to condition.
Front opening cubicles eases the movement of sows. Sows are not closed into the cubicles at feeding time. 80% of sows receive their full allocation of feed.