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Recommendations for alterations

The design options in older buildings vary greatly from one farm to another. If the pen layout in existing pens is to be improved, the focus should be on creating and designing different functional areas. The starting point for this analysis is pens with fully slatted floors, as found in the majority of livestock housing.

Group size

The same applies to conversions: with larger groups, the greater overall space available allows for a better pen layout for the pigs.2

Whether a farm should form larger or smaller groups depends on various factors. The chapter ‘New Build – Group Size’ provides various details on group sizes, which can also be applied to conversions. It should be borne in mind that as group size increases, so do the demands on management and, above all, on animal monitoring. The decision on group size should therefore be suited to the people working with the animals. Combining several small pens into one larger one, for example, offers a way to create more space for pen layout in existing housing.

The working group recommends keeping more animals per pen during the fattening phase, so that a good social hierarchy can develop provided there is sufficient space. 30–50 animals is a good number.

Space per animal

In the case of conversions, provided the herd size is sufficient, the same guidelines apply as for new builds: for fattening pigs, 1.1 m² per animal and for piglet rearing, 0.35 m² per animal are recommended as the minimum space requirements for a well-designed pen layout. Additional space can be effectively created in existing buildings by retrofitting raised platforms.7 It should be noted that air quality may deteriorate on the raised levels where the surfaces are closed, as the area is additionally soiled by the animals. With perforated levels, however, the animals standing below may become dirtier due to falling debris. It is necessary to weigh up which method is best suited to the specific herd.

The ‘Pen Structure’ Working Group recommends 0.35 m² per animal up to 20 kg body weight and 0.5 m² per animal for animals weighing over 20 kg.

 

Design of the toilet area

Pigs tend to use cool, draughty and damp areas primarily as a place to defecate. Therefore, the establishment of the defecation area can also be controlled by means of moisture or wetness.10 If the defecation area is to be kept continuously wet, micro-pools are a suitable option. These can also be used by the pigs for enrichment. Triangular slatted floors are recommended for rearing and fattening as an alternative to concrete slatted floors, although they are better accepted during the rearing phase. The animals generally accept the slatted floors well, but are reluctant to walk long distances on them. Triangular slatted floors are also installed wherever high drainage performance of the floor is required, due to their high proportion of slats. Due to their significantly higher cost compared to concrete slatted floors, they are primarily installed in the ‘dung corners’. Before the final installation of the slats, animal observations should be used to determine where the animals establish their dunging area. This saves a considerable amount of time, labour and costs.

The targeted use of lighting can also be helpful in managing the pigs’ behaviour. As crepuscular animals, pigs prefer the darkest part of a pen for resting,10 whilst thermoregulation is also taken into account when selecting a resting area. In contrast, the animals tend to seek out brighter areas for defecation and urination. A lamp above the designated defecation area therefore aids in its establishment.10

Open drinkers are ideally positioned in the transition zone between the activity area and the dunging area. Nipple drinkers in the dunging area additionally draw the animals onto the slatted floor or triangular grating, so that spilled water is drained away, does not wet the paved activity area and does not inadvertently encourage defecation there.

Open partition grids between two pens can also aid in the establishment of the defecation area, as contact with the animals in the other pen leads to ‘territorial marking’.7 However, trough drinkers should not be fitted to such contact grids, as the drinkers could become increasingly soiled as a result of the marking.

 

The working group recommends installing a lamp in the manure area, which should be left on for 24 hours a day at a height of 1.5 metres. In addition, nipple drinkers and contact grids are suitable for use in the manure area to make it more appealing.

Design of the relaxation area

To convert slatted floors into solid surfaces, slat covers (slat clips, slat cover strips to be cut to size) can be used to close the slats. Disadvantage: they are difficult to clean. Alternatively, slatted floors can be covered with concrete or sealed with solid panels. All three options have proven to be viable. To avoid extra work, the floor should only be closed once the pen layout has proven to be functional. Seasonal effects should also be monitored to ensure that the animals do not alter the pen layout depending on the season. In the case of pens of identical construction, it is advisable to initially use one pen as a trial pen to test acceptance under various conditions.

In the resting area, in contrast to the activity area, a light intensity of at least 40 lux instead of 80 lux is sufficient. Every pig should receive an equal amount of light. This light intensity applies during the lighting period. At other times, sufficient light is required to allow the animals to orient themselves.

Please note: Be patient and do not expect too much straight away. Only through observation over a longer period – one year is recommended – can seasonal effects be fully assessed. Only once it is certain that the animals accept the designated lying area as such is it sensible to finalise the layout of all pens.

The working group recommends creating a microclimate in the resting area at the start of the fattening period, for example by using a cover that retains heat whilst also providing shade. Heat build-up should be avoided. Later in the fattening period, floor cooling or a shower can help to dissipate excess heat.

The working group recommends installing test pens of the same design prior to the conversion. Before sealing off the floor to create a resting area, observations should be made over a sufficiently long period to ensure that seasonal effects do not influence the pen structure.

Figure 23: Adjustable lying area – The width of the covering over the lying area can be adjusted as required. The lying area can grow with the piglets, ensuring there is always optimal space under the covering.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, LSZ Boxberg)
Figure 24: The slatted curtain on the cover of the resting area provides the piglets with a warm and slightly darker retreat. This allows two climate zones to be utilised within the pen: a cool pen and a warmer resting area. Both the cover and the floor of the resting area can be optionally flushed with warm or cool water; this serves as heating in winter and cooling in summer.
(Image: KoVeSch project, LSZ Boxberg)
Figure 25: The lying area is completely covered by a cover and separated from the activity area by a concrete kerb. It is bedded with fresh straw twice a day. During the animals’ active phase, the lying area also serves as a rooting area. The floor is fitted with a rubber mat at the front and a plastic slatted floor with a rubber covering and a 3% slat ratio at the rear. There is no light source above the lying area, meaning that it remains darker even when the cover is lifted.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, V. Drexl, CAU)
Figure 26: The lying area is completely covered by a cover and separated from the activity area by a concrete kerb. It is bedded with fresh straw twice a day. During the animals’ active phase, the lying area also serves as a rooting area. The floor is fitted with a rubber mat at the front and a plastic slatted floor with a rubber covering and a 3% slat ratio at the rear. There is no light source above the resting area, meaning that it remains darker even when the cover is lifted.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, V. Drexl, CAU)
Figure 27: In some cases, the flat (and heated!) section of the floor in the lying area can be seen beneath the pigs; on the right-hand side, the section with reduced slats is also visible. Furthermore, the boundary of the manure area is discernible.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, Bavarian State Research Centre for Agriculture)
Figure 28: The size can be adjusted using the movable slatted curtain.
(Image: KoVeSch project, C. Diekamp, LWK Lower Saxony)
Figure 29: The reduced number of slats in the resting area compared to the rest of the bay is clearly visible, as is the heated cover with slats.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, LfL Bavaria)
Figure 30: The resting area is protected by a slatted curtain, making it darker than the activity area. Particularly during the first few weeks of rearing, the curtain provides a warm retreat, whilst the pen is kept approximately 10 °C cooler. This creates two climate zones within the pen. The varied flooring design in the resting area offers the piglets a choice. Furthermore, the proportion of slatted flooring is reduced
(Image: KoVeSch Project, L. Schönberg, LWK NRW)
Figure 31: The resting area features plastic slatted flooring with 3% slat coverage. This area, which is separated from the activity area by an HT pipe, is freshly bedded with straw twice a day. During the pigs’ active period, the lying area also serves as a rooting area for the animals
(Image: KoVeSch Project, V. Drexl, CAU)
Figure 32: The reduced number of slats in the resting area compared to the rest of the bay is clearly visible, as is the heatable cover with slats.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, LfL Bavaria)
Figure 33: The flat-surfaced, slatted section of the lying area is clearly visible, in contrast to the slatted flooring in the rest of the pen
(Image: KoVeSch Project, Bavarian State Office for Agriculture)
Figure 34: Lying area with (open) cover. Ventilation is provided by ceiling vents combined with an overhead and underfloor extraction system. The temperature in the pen is kept very low to encourage the animals to settle under the cover;
(Image: KoVeSch Project, V. Drexl, CAU)
Figure 35: Fresh straw is spread twice daily in the resting area, which is covered by a roof and separated from the activity area by a wooden beam. During the animals’ active phase, the resting area also serves as a rooting area. The floor is fitted with concrete slats and plastic slat covers, reducing the slatted area to 5% and allowing faeces and urine to drain away should the lying area become soiled.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, C. Diekamp, LWK Lower Saxony)
Figure 36: A sunbathing area shaded by a board.
(Photo: C. Becker)
Figure 37: Finely chopped straw is automatically distributed over the lying area in the piglet rearing unit twice a day. This serves as enrichment material for the piglets and provides a minimal amount of bedding. When the nest is optimally adjusted, often only the piglets’ snouts are visible beneath the cover and slats.
(Image: KoVeSch project, LSZ Boxberg)
Figure 38: The lying area in the barn is covered by a roof. The floor is fitted with concrete slats and plastic slat covers, so that the slatted area is reduced to 10 per cent, whilst allowing faeces and urine to drain away should the lying area become soiled. The size can be adjusted using the movable slatted curtain.
(Image: KoVeSch project, S. Lange, LWK Lower Saxony)

Temperature

Rearing piglets

If the animals have access to an outdoor run, it has proven effective to separate this from the indoor area using curtains rather than doors. This makes it easier for the young animals to access the outdoor run, which in turn often keeps the indoor area of the pen cleaner. Younger animals in particular can open these more easily and get outside, which means the interior of the pen often remains cleaner. However, compatibility with the ventilation system must be checked, and a warm retreat area must be provided inside the barn due to the lower insulating effect of curtains compared to doors in winter conditions. It is worth giving the subject of barn ventilation careful consideration. When there are fewer animals in the barn – for example, because many animals spend most of the day outdoors – the ventilation is often oversized. Making adjustments can save money. It is advisable to seek the advice of a specialist in this regard.

Fattening

At the start of the fattening period, it has proven beneficial to set up a microclimate area for the young pigs. This can be achieved, for example, using a cover that can be raised and lowered.3 If this cover is fitted with slats, they must not reach the floor to ensure adequate air exchange. Even when the cover is raised, the resting area should still be darker than the rest of the pen. As an alternative to a closed cover, a wooden frame covered with a windbreak net also works well and simultaneously prevents heat build-up under the permeable cover.

Temperatures that are too low are less of a problem in closed housing than those that are too high. Temperature fluctuations also represent a stress factor for the pigs, which can lead to behavioural problems (tail biting). Particularly in the second half of the fattening period, it is important to dissipate the animals’ excess heat. The best solution is to install underfloor cooling; however, in older buildings this is only feasible at considerable financial and labour cost. Retrofitting an evaporative cooling system can, however, be a good alternative. In closed barns with forced ventilation, the humidity must always be monitored when using cooling systems based on water evaporation. Otherwise, excessive humidity can lead to heat stress in the animals. In forced-ventilation barns, high-pressure cooling systems should primarily be used instead of low-pressure ones. The smaller the droplets, the greater the cooling effect. Due to rapid evaporation, the animals ideally do not get wet. With low-pressure systems in closed barns where moisture forms in the area of use, wet animals may catch colds.

In outdoor climate barns, moistening pen surfaces, straw or the animals themselves can help dissipate heat through evaporative cooling. Even if the animals lie back down on the lying area whilst wet, this has a cooling effect.
The use of pig showers is another cooling option for the animals. These can be designed in a variety of ways. It should be noted that a water jet is better accepted than a spray mist or even the gentle rain from a shower head. Droplet size also plays a role: water jets with large droplets are better accepted than atomised water.

Find out more here about temperatures and heat stress in pigs.

The working group recommends using curtains rather than doors to provide access to the outdoor run for smaller and lighter animals, provided that ventilation permits. The indoor area remains cleaner if it is easier for the animals to get outside.

Figure 39: The slatted curtain on the cover of the resting area provides the piglets with a warm place to retreat to. This creates two climate zones: a cool section and a warmer resting area. Both the cover and the floor of the resting area can be optionally flushed with either warm or cool water; this serves as heating in winter and cooling in summer.
(Image: KoVeSch project, LSZ Boxberg)
Figure 39: The slatted curtain on the cover of the resting area provides the piglets with a warm place to retreat to. This creates two climate zones: a cool section and a warmer resting area. Both the cover and the floor of the resting area can be optionally flushed with either warm or cool water; this serves as heating in winter and cooling in summer.
(Image: KoVeSch project, LSZ Boxberg)
Figure 40: Pig shower
(Image: MuD Animal Protection, BLE)
Figure 40: Pig shower
(Image: MuD Animal Protection, BLE)
Figure 41: Micro-shoe
(Image: KoVeSch Project, L. Schönberg, LWK NRW)
Figure 42: Micro-sole
(Image: KoVeSch Project, V. Drexl, CAU)
Figure 42: Micro-sole
(Image: KoVeSch Project, V. Drexl, CAU)
Figure 44: Schweinebuzzer – a device for automatically switching on a shower
(Image: C. Becker)
Figure 45: Schweinebuzzer – a device for automatically switching on a shower
(Image: C. Becker)
Figure 45: Schweinebuzzer – a device for automatically switching on a shower
(Image: C. Becker)

The working group recommends using coarser water jets when showering, as these are better tolerated than a fine mist.

Figure 46: The weaned piglets quickly settle into the resting area and pass through the slats. The cover can be opened mechanically, which makes it easier to carry out daily checks on the animals underneath. If the piglets do not pass through the slats straight away, slightly opening the cover helps.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, LSZ Boxberg)
Figure 47: A bird’s-eye view of a KoVeSch piglet rearing pen. The pen structure can be seen, comprising various zones, climate zones and different floor designs. The manure area (front) is moistened every hour by a sprinkler system and is lined with triangular steel; in the activity area (centre), plastic slats are laid, and the resting area (rear) is fitted with concrete slats and plastic slat covers. By covering the resting area, the pen temperature in the activity and manure areas can be significantly lower than the temperature in the resting area.
(Image: KoVeSch project, C. Diekamp, LWK Lower Saxony)
Figure 48: The installation of various elements is intended to divide the pens into resting, activity and dung areas. The resting area is separated from the rest of the pen by a slatted curtain. This creates different light and climate zones that influence the piglets’ resting behaviour. In addition, the proportion of slats in the resting area has been reduced. The activity area contains drinking troughs, enrichment features and the centrally positioned feed troughs.
(Image: KoVeSch project, L. Schönberg, LWK NRW)
Figure 49: The activity area, which is fitted with concrete slats, contains one long trough and two short troughs. There are also two basin drinkers at the transition between the activity area and the dunging area within the pen
(Image: KoVeSch Project, V. Drexl, CAU)
Figure 50: The pigs quickly adapt to the functional areas. Proper preparation of the pen helps with this: before the pigs are moved in, the lying areas are strewn with enrichment material (straw, hay, maize kernels, etc.) and the dunging area is moistened with water. Drinking troughs or drinking islands should preferably be placed near or within the dunging area. A disadvantage of open drinking troughs is that urine and faeces can end up in them, meaning they must be cleaned regularly.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, LSZ Boxberg)
Figure 51: In the foreground on the left is the defecation area, slightly to the right of this is the micro-pool, and at the far end of the bay is the resting area.
(Image: KoVeSch Project, Bavarian State Office for Agriculture)
Figure 52: On the left of the image is the resting area, complete with a cover, heating pipes and a slatted curtain. In the centre of the pen is a closed floor section, above which the hay rack is mounted, so that any activity material that falls out can be trampled into the floor.
(Image: MuD Tierschutz, BLE)
Figure 53: Overview of the KoVeSch fattening pen. The layout is clearly visible, comprising a resting area with an (open) cover (at the rear), an activity area (in the middle) and a manure area (at the front). Ventilation is provided by ceiling vents combined with an overhead and underfloor extraction system. The pen temperature is kept very low to encourage the animals to settle under the cover.
(Image: KoVeSch project, V. Drexl, CAU)

You can find further practical conversion solutions in Chapter 4 of DLG Fact Sheet 458. 

Tips for implementation

  1. When planning, take into account the incidence of light. Even within a single compartment, lighting conditions vary from pen to pen.
  2. The same applies to air supply. Different airflow conditions within the pens may mean that the structure within the pens needs to vary. Fogging the pens helps to identify the airflows. Furthermore, barrier tape can be hung in the pen to act as a fluttering tape to detect draughts.
  3. Observing the animals in a structured pen plays an important role. Test your ideas for a good pen structure in test pens over a sufficiently long period.
  4. Before undertaking a major conversion, it should be ensured that the animals actually accept the lying area in the intended location. The animals prefer a quiet, dark and dry area.
  5. Take seasonal influences into account during planning and implementation. Only by observing animal behaviour across the seasons can you be certain, particularly in barns where the outdoor climate has an influence.

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