The Rural Voice, 1999-06, Page 11Scrap Book
Alberta company
designs automatic
pig sorter
An Airdrie, Alberta company
thinks it has invented an automatic
pig sorter that is fast. doesn't
upset the pigs, and works at temp-
eratures as low as -40 degree C.
"They're not scared of it." said
Liesel MacPhee. vice-president of
K and L Technical Services Ltd.
which invented The Super Sorter.
The machine can sort 1.50-200
pigs per hour. It is built around a
weigh scale and allows one pig at
a time to enter. It looks like an
alleyway, so the pigs aren't
frightened by it. said MacPhee.
They can see all the way through
the sorter.
The machine reads the pig's
weight and, if it is the minimum
weight set by the producer, an exit
gate to the market hog pen will
open and the pig will amble out to
join its colleagues. If it is
underweight, a different exit will
open and the pig can join other
pigs which need more feeding.
MacPhee said the pigs are keen
to pass through the gates when
feeding bunks are on the other
side of the sorter.
The machine weighs about 200
pounds and can be easily wheeled
in and out whenever sorting is
required. Most producers use the
system only for sorting pigs for
market but MacPhee said some
keep the machine permanently
operating so they can closely
monitor their animals' weight
gain.
The gates use air pressure
rather than hydraulics, which
allows the scale to function in the
coldest winter conditions.
The company suggests putting
the sorter in 24 hours before
shipping. That way even the
fattest, laziest pigs will succumb
to the urge to pass through to eat.
The Super Sorter costs $5,500
plus the cost of fencing.0
—Source: Western Producer
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