The Rural Voice, 2004-04, Page 28• Hobby sheds
• Farm buildings
Horse barns
Barn repairs
Cos! -effective �?
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24 THE RURAL VOICE
depends on how many sows share the
cost of a feeder. "It's recommended
that an entire group of animals be
able to complete feeding in 14-18
hours. For mature sows, this limits
the number of animals per station
from 55-65. Gilts eat more slowly
than sows and the number of animals
may have to be reduced if the group
contains a large number of gilts."
The larger groups needed to cut
costs in such a system may
mean more aggressive
behaviour so it may be important to
pen gilts separately from older sows.
"Electronic sow feeding systems
are likely to form a major component
of the industry if we move away from
gestation stalls," Dr. Gonyou
believes. "Their greatest advantage is
their ability to provide control over
each sow's feed intake. Using
electronics to manage animals is an
emerging field and it will take some
time for producers to achieve its full
potential."
Research at the Prairie Swine
Centre showed productivity increased
for gilts to first parity to older sows
as expected in both electronic sow
feeding and stall systems. However,
the younger animals tended to
perform better in stalls and the older
sows did better in electronic sow
feeders.
In another research study reported
by Dr. Gonyou, he has been trying to
calculate just how much space a pig
needs for both its welfare and
optimum growth?
Floor space, Dr. Gonyou wrote,
represents one of the clearest
conflicts between animal welfare and
production efficiency. "Although it is
evident that crowding results in a
reduction in individual animal
productivity (growth rate) and
welfare, the fact that productivity per
unit of area increases, results in
improved efficiency (cost/product)."
The challenge is to find the saw -
off between maximizing welfare and
maximizing cost efficiency.
The problem with most research
up to the present has been that it has
established the productivity of
animals under specific conditions
with little emphasis on extrapolating
these results to the range of practices
in the industry, Dr. Gonyou wrote.
The research also tends to discuss a
certain space allowance per pig,
when actually the space requirement
varies according to the size of the
pig. As pigs grow, they need more
space.
He tried to develop a new
measurement to take into account the
need for a greater amount of space
for larger pigs. Average daily gain
for the final two weeks for grower -
finisher pigs was recorded to test the
hypothesis that growth would decline
if Less than the optimum space was
allocated.
The study found that with a pen of
pigs in which the average weight of
pigs are first market is 100 kg,
reducing the space from 7.12 square
meters per pig to 6.5 would limit
growth during the final week by 4.5
per cent.
From the industry side, producers
need to decide what level of slower
growth will be acceptable because of
Tess space per pig, Dr. Gonyou said
but the industry ultimately will have
to answer to what consumers, either
the general public or wholesale and
retail distributors and packers want.
When these standards are
eventually established,
producers will have to
learn how to manage within the
system, Dr. Gonyou said. "It will be
critical to know the average weight
of pigs in a pen when the first
animals are removed for market. In a
typical production unit marketing
heavy pigs (125kg) the first 'pull' is
likely to occur when the pen average
is approximately 110 kg. The
difference between 'market' weight
and average weight is dependent
upon the proportion of pigs removed
(the larger the proportion, the smaller
the difference) and the variation in
pig weights (the greater the variation,
the larger the difference). By
managing your operation to market a
smaller proportion of pigs in the first
pull, you can reduce the space
requirement."
Dr. Gonyou said it is also possible
to market the first pull at a lighter
weight, perhaps under a different
pricing grid. By reducing the market
weight by 5 kg., the average weight
of animals in the pen at the first pull
is also reduced, and a space savings
of approximately three per cent can
be realized.°