The main elements of good grower and finisher pig housing

Housing is a key component for optimum grower and finisher pig performance.

As well as meeting the basic requirements for space and wellbeing, good pig housing should provide adequate light and enrichment.

Below, Christina Huelsmann-Diamond of Farmvet Integrated Livestock Services sets out some of the key considerations.

See also: Q&A: Pig housing – balcony systems explained

What are the basic requirements for grower and finisher accommodation?

For pigs, housing must provide a well-maintained, safe environment, protect stock from the weather and minimise the risk of access by wildlife.

It is also important to design housing to allow good observation of pigs at all times, and easy handling and movement.

The latter are going to become more important and might be reflected within the new Red Tractor rules.

From a housing perspective, think about how easy it is to isolate pigs. There must be a dedicated hospital pen at all times.

Is your loading ramp adequate? If you are putting a new ramp in, it may be worth consulting a haulage company.

Consider your drainage and where your gates are – there should be clear gateways between lorry drivers and pigs to promote biosecurity.

Handling and movement may have been done a certain way for years, but we do need to be sharper in what is acceptable now and how we can facilitate this.

Slatted vs straw – what are the pros and cons?

Slatted accommodation is generally less labour intensive as you do not need to muck out as often. Ventilation is fully controllable, as is temperature.

Pigs are usually kept in smaller groups and, as a result, there is less competition at feeding.

The cons are that you have to manage the slurry and have somewhere to put it. Also, the slats will need maintaining, as will the ventilation/temperature systems – anything that is mechanical can go wrong, so this has the potential to add more to your workload at times.

The public perception is that straw yards are nicer, and visually, they tend to look better than slats. Straw yards are also usually cheaper to build than slatted accommodation.

The downside is that they require a lot of straw, and the right kind.

Growers and finishers can probably cope with something like oilseed rape straw, which is a little cheaper, but it’s not advisable to use this for younger pigs as it can cause irritation and skin breakage, which can lead to infection.

Poor-quality straw can also cause mycotoxin issues.

When comparing the two systems on your farm, think about the labour requirements.

If you are likely to save time with a slatted shed and use that extra time to ensure better welfare, then that is only a good thing.

How much space do growers and finishers require?

This varies depending on the system and the weight of the pig.

The table below “space requirements for pigs”, gives guidance on unobstructed space requirements. Although this will be 25-30% greater in straw bedded systems.

Where concrete slatted floors are used, Red Tractor states the following slot and beam widths for rearing and finishing pigs (20-125kg):

• Maximum permitted tolerance ±3mm
• Maximum width of slots 18mm
• Minimum beam width 80mm

For those looking to meet Freedom Food standards, this space requirement is slightly different, and they depend on whether you muck out regularly or deep-bed pigs.

How can ventilation be monitored effectively and what are the key principles and requirements?

The basic principles of ventilation are to bring in fresh, oxygenated air while removing any warm, stale air to eliminate the risk of harmful gases and bacteria in the shed.

Pigs hate draughts and although air movement is required to reduce respiratory disease risk, there is a fine balance between this and maintaining temperature.

Whether you opt for fan-assisted or natural ventilation, there are lots of different types, but whichever you choose, maintenance is key. In slatted systems, inlets and outlets can get dusty or broken off during cleaning.

Also, check that the sensors are clean – if they are covered in muck, the temperature could be lower than what is being read, so keep clean and get everything serviced regularly.

Checks should be a daily occurrence and pig behaviour can tell us a lot about how satisfactory – or not – ventilation is by observing their lying patterns.

If you see a group of finishers huddling, there is definitely an issue and the shed is probably too cold. In contrast, if they are spaced out and lying completely on their sides, there might be a draught issue.

If you are concerned, use smoke bombs/machines to check airflow and detect where any air may be dropping.

What about lighting and sound?

If housing is artificially lit, there is a minimum legal requirement of 40 lux for eight hours a day.

This is something that is really being tightened up on. Do not assume that just because you have put up a brand new shed that is it meeting the requirements – it is essential to check.

It used to be said that you should be able to read the fine print of a newspaper in all areas, but with the new requirements, lux meters need to be used.

If the shed is not artificially lit these rules do not apply. Noise levels above 85 decibels must be avoided.

What about enrichment?

Adequate enrichment is something that is being enforced a lot more now thanks to the new code of practice for the welfare of pigs.

The guidelines state that all pigs must have permanent access to enrichment materials which provide the ability to investigate, manipulate, and carry out foraging activities.

See also: Guide to enrichment types for pigs

Enrichment materials must be safe, hygienic and should ideally have the following characteristics:

1. Edible – so that pigs can eat or smell them (possibly with some nutritional benefits).
2. Chewable – so that pigs can bite them
3. Investigable – so that pigs can investigate them
4. Manipulable – so that pigs can change their location, appearance or structure.

Source: Defra