Preparing a farrowing room
How to prepare a farrowing room, before and after sow arrival?
Preparing a farrowing room
28 November 2023
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Duration
6:00
Summary
How to prepare a farrowing room, before and after sow arrival?
Current rating
1
Cleaning and disinfecting facilities
The first phase takes place when a farrowing room is empty. Compliance with an all in-all out management flow, including all farrowing rooms, means that the facilities can be completely cleaned, disinfected, and dry before the next group of sows enter.
2
Wash the room and all fixed equipment
Once the room is empty, wash the room and all fixed equipment, such as divider panels , the floor , stalls , walls
3
To clean and disinfect small equipment
Outside this room, remember to clean and disinfect small equipment such as feeders and mats, and not forgetting lamps.
4
Check feeding and watering systems
You should also check that feeding and watering systems are working properly. For farms equipped with a liquid feeding system, we recommend that you check that the system is working properly at least once a year, focusing on weighing accuracy, dispensing quantities, and homogeneity.
5
Ambient temperature
Once all the above steps have been completed, all that remains is to ensure that the ambient temperature is around 19°C. This concludes the first phase of room preparation.
6
Sows entering the farrowing room
The second phase of farrowing room preparation begins after the arrival of the sows, ideally 5 days before farrowing. This period of acclimatization to their new environment allows the sows to become calm and comfortable. To promote a peaceful atmosphere in your rooms, make sure gilts are not positioned close to doors. Surround them with older sows, who will be more serene, less noisy and who will help calm your gilts.
7
Installation of sow cards
During this period, scrape the manure twice a day to keep the pens clean before farrowing. Also take advantage of this time to place sow cards above each stall This allows you to see at a glance important information about the sow, such as litter rank, estimated farrowing date, and sow history.
8
Installing lamps and nesting materials
It’s also time to install nesting materials. Burlap piece can be used to improve the sows’ wellfare. By handling and chewing this, stress is reduced and farrowings are calmer. They should be positioned and secured at the front of the crate.
