Gestation unit
Sows are moved from the mating unit to the gestation unit about 4 weeks after mating. The sows stay here about 11-12 weeks until 3-7 days before expected farrowing. The gestation unit must be designed for group-housed sows according to EU legislation requiring all gestation sows to be group-housed after 2013. Gestation housing is normally designed with pens for each sow batch.
Outside the EU where the legal requirements do not apply conventional stalls can still be used. We have carefully designed our systems according to the needs of the animals through the reproduction phases while ensuring that legal requirements be fulfilled.
Free Access Stall
Vissing Agro’s free access stall (FAS) is the most robust and appraised product of its kind and the original design has been maintained. The FAS is designed so that the sow can easily move in and out of it. When the sow is inside the FASl, other sows cannot enter the same stall. The FASs can be locked sequentially as well as individually both from the front and rear end of the stall.
It is recommended that the FAS be locked one hour before feeding to achieve low activity around feeding time. The FAS should be opened again after inspection and feeding. The specially designed powerful and animal shaped gate in the rear end of the stall provides easy access for the sow while preventing other sows from jumping into the FAS.
The front gate has been designed so that the staff can manage and handle the sow safely and easily. The sides of the FAS and the low rear gate makes it suitable for AI.
See the legislation here.
Facts
- Height: 100 cm
- Width: 65, 70 and 75 cm
- Length incl. trough model L:240 cm
- Length incl. trough model XL: 250 cm
- Water supply with a ½” drop pipe for each two sows
- The sow can freely access and leave the FAS.
- The sow can enter but cannot exit the FAS until the lock is released.
- Sows in the group pen cannot enter the FAS if it is occupied.
- Manually or automatically opening of rows
- Release of the lock individually, manually
- The FAS is designed for AI.
Pens for large groups of sows and gilts
Vissing Agro offers the strongest solutions for sows, gilts and boars in the market. The penning is designed to provide maximum robustness.
Pens might be designed in different ways as plastic panel/steel bar or in 50 mm plastic panels. The front of the pen might be made of plastic panel/steel bar and pen partitions might be made of 50 mm panel, concrete panels or a combination of these. It is also possible to incorporate a contact grid above the slats.
Furthermore, the many options make it possible to adapt the penning/equipment to the slope of the floor.
Floor feeding
The pens are have partly slatted flooring and the sows are feed directly on the concrete floor. Sow housing with floor feeding provides a flexible, modular housing system that might easily be applied to existing or new buildings. The size of the pen is typically designed according to the number of animals per sow batch, which is usually divided into 2-3 pens providing better opportunities for sorting sows into groups of strong/large sows, weak/small sows and gilts. It is recommended to have one sick/relief pen per batch of sows.
Shoulder barrier
Pens includes a long trough for feeding and the shoulder barriers are mounted above the trough with 50 cm distance to protect the sows while they are eating. The shoulder barrier might be to attached to the wall or the penning, bolted to the floor via a footplate. A 1” galvanized tube is attached for additional stability above the shoulder barriers.
Facts
- Penning made of plastic panel/steel bars, height: 100/110 cm
- Includes 12 mm solid plastic panel at the bottom and vertical steel bars at the top
- 50 mm plastic panel, height: 100/120 cm
- Flat iron in gate opening
- Possibility of high posts height 210 cm with 1”galvanized pipe for increased stability
- Stainless mounting at floor
- Water supply either with a drinking cup, drinking trough with aquaflow or drinking valve
- Shoulder separation of galvanized steel frame including plastic panel and foot plate
Electronic sow feeding
The pen is equipped with electronic sow feeders (ESF), a flexible, modular housing system that can be applied to existing or new buildings. The pens are usually designed for dynamic or static groups. It is recommended that static groups comprise 50-70 sows per pen but the number of sows per ESF depends on the model and brand. High stability and robustness is required of the penning while using ESF systems. Therefore, we only use 50 mm plastic panels elevated posts with 1” stabilization pipes at all entrance doors.
