The increasing size of litters in modern breeding lines poses a growing challenge for farmers who rear piglets. Farrowing pens often no longer offer the sows enough space to behave naturally. At the same time, the German animal protection laws require that periods of confinement be reduced significantly from 2036. This forces farmers to establish alternative housing and management systems.
Animal welfare that pays off
In the German Ammerland district (Lower Saxony), the Specht family has developed an innovative management system and realised it in cooperation with Big Dutchman. The concept is marketed under the name Agilo RS and combines group housing, freedom of movement and optimised hygiene.
The house comprises two rooms with six pens (5.5 m × 3.0 m) each. Each pen is occupied by three sows and their piglets. A creep with an area of 4.5 m² is available for the piglets, separated from the sow area by the trough wall. The piglets can move freely between their nest and the group area; during treatments, access can be closed by pulling a rope.
The group pens are divided into functional areas:
- Resting area: cast iron flooring with a high solid-to-void ratio.
- Activity area: fully slatted plastic flooring.
- Area for defecating: cast iron flooring with contact grids and drinkers in the rear part of the house.
Untreated oak trunks serve as structural and activity elements.
The concept plans for the sows and piglets to be moved into the group pens on the piglets’ third day of life. The sows are the first to be brought into the group pens. While also on the way to the group pens, the piglets are treated in a separate room that has its own ventilation system to improve occupational safety (e.g. when using isoflurane for castration). Tails are not docked, i.e. the piglets are reared with their tails intact.
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