The Citizen, 2005-03-17, Page 29PAGE A4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2005.
One large pen houses 600 pigs in the barn
New barn
The sideview of the rear portion of the new pig barn built
last year on the farm of John and Ann Nesbit on Moncrieff
Road in Morris-Turnberry. (Jim Brown photo)
Continued from A3
lank for manure storage,” he said. “I
told them I was just going to store th'e
dry manure in a special area of the
barn."
Ann said they believe in dry
manure. She added when they looked
at the final drawings for the barn, they
felt it looked like a sensible, easy-to-
manage barn.
They also decided to use straw for
bedding.
Another innovation was that
instead of putting a certain number of
the animals in small pens, the Nesbits
decided on one large pen for the 600
pigs they were going to put in the
barn
’’That is small by today’s
standards." he said.
This is one of the first pig bams to
have just a single pen for the animals,
with a retaining wall down the
middle.
According to John they have a total
of 1.100 pigs in three barns under
contract to Monoway Farms. He said
the farm is still a family operation
with his two adult sons helping out
when they can. The other two barns
have the slatted floors.
When the barn was completed, they
initially had problems with the doors
dividing the* large pen. but that was
quickly resolved.
One advantage to the new bam is
that it can be easily converted to
house cattle, horses or possibly even
chickens.
It is also easier to clean and
maintain.” said John.
He said the feeders are all at one
end ot the barn.
“The main thing we have to do is to
train them to use the gates to get to
the food area.” He indicated that it
takes about a week to get them
trained, and that may be a minor
drawback.
“Pigs are pretty smart.” he said.
"It’s supposed to be a one-way gate,
but some were finding a way to go
back out the way they came in.”
The pigs go through the sorter at
least three times a time to eat.
When it comes to getting the pigs
ready for shipping they could get
them sorted quickly and without
putting too much stress on them. He
said the pigs are sorted on a Thursday,
with the animals being shipped out on
Mondays.
“We try to get them up to 240
pounds before we ship them.” said
John. "They are re-weighed just
before we ship them.”
The animals would be directed to
the automatic sorters where they
would be weighed as they entered the
sorter, then directed to go into a pen
for shipping or to a holding pen
because they were not heavy enough.
"The (truck) drivers and the pacing
plants enjoy getting these pigs
because they are easier to work with
and know how to follow one
another.” he said, adding they are
easier to load and unload.
He explained because they have
been trained to go through gates to get
to the feeders, they are more
controllable when they get to the
packing plant.
He said the animal rights people
would be pleased with this bam as the
animals are not touched or prodded as
they are loaded for market. They are
not in a crowded pen and are bedded
on straw.
“We are still learning the ins and
outs of the barn." said John. “We arc
fine tuning the systems.”
He said they are just 'beginning
pork production as they just took their
second batch of 600 pigs in early
February.
John said the pen is cleaned two
times per week. When it comes lime
to clean the pen. the pigs are collected
on one side of the retaining wall, with
removable wall extensions. It usually
takes two people to clean out the pen
and it can be done in about 90
minutes. Ann usually helps in the pen
cleaning.
"We'd clean one side of the pen.
and then the other side.” he stated.
Before a building permit was
approved, a nutrient management
plan had to be done for the barn. The
bam also had to be engineered. The
plans had to be inspected by both an
engineer and the municipal building
inspector.
“It look about a‘year to get the
nutrient management plan approved."
he said.
John said even though they were
going with dry manure they could not
just pile it. the planning department
felt a tank was needed for the run-off.
He said the manure was going to be
stored in part of the barn that was
natural ventilated, with a cement floor
and a roof over it.
“We could store the manure in the
barn for up to eight months.” he said.
“I feel we have better manure,
because there is nothing leeching out
of it.”
John said they spread the manure
on the fields in the spring and again in
the fall.
He said the barn is temperature
controlled with a propane furnace.
With the natural ventilation in the
summer, it is less expensive to
operate.
“The barn is more efficient and
comfortable for the pigs.” he said.
The Nesbits had an open house last
year, and at that time they had a
number of people come and tell them
they liked the concept. “We are
environmentally friendly with the dry
manure which is safer on the land,”
said John. “We use very little hydro.”
ae at qua wwccc 1971
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