2.4 Abferkelbucht Buchtenstruktur - Netzwerk Fokus Tierwohl

	Foreword
1	Introduction
2	Farrowing pen
2.1	Farrowing pen – size
2.2	Farrowing pen – layout
2.3	Farrowing pen – floor design
2.3.1	Farrowing pen – Floor design: Lying comfort for the sow
2.3.2	Farrowing pen – Floor design: Slip resistance
2.4	Farrowing pen – Pen structure
2.5	Farrowing pen – Run-out area
3	Pen components
3.1	Pen elements – pen walls
3.2	Bay elements – Storage aids
3.3	Pen elements – troughs/drinking troughs for sows and piglets
3.4	Pen components – Piglet protection cage
3.5	Pen components – Cover for sow resting area
3.6	Pen components – Piglet nest
3.6.1	Pen elements – piglet nest: size and floor design
3.6.2	Pen elements – piglet nest: Position
3.6.3	Pen elements – piglet nest: Covering/walls
3.6.4	Pen elements – Piglet nest: Temperature in piglet nest
3.6.5	Pen elements – piglet nest: Piglet nest temperature control
3.6.6	Pen elements – piglet nest: Heat source
3.6.7	Pen elements – piglet nest: Heating the piglet nest
3.6.8	Pen elements – Piglet nest: Lighting
4.1	Organic material – enrichment material
4.2	Organic material – Manure removal and slurry technology
5.1	Climate – Creation of climate zones
5.2	Climate – Temperature regulation
6	Cleaning and Disinfection
	Bibliography

farrowing pen

2.4 Pen layout: Separation of resting and soiling areas

Figure 16: Manure area in the corner of the pen on plastic slats
(Image: Netzwerk Fokus Tierwohl, FiBL Deutschland e.V.)

Figure 17: Faecal area at the rear of the wall on a cast-iron slatted floor
(Image: Netzwerk Fokus Tierwohl, FiBL Deutschland e.V.)

Figure 18: Manure chute
(Image: Animal Welfare Network, North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture)

Under semi-natural conditions, as well as in so-called ‘get-away pens’ which allow sows to leave the farrowing pen freely, sows deposit faeces and urine some distance away from the lying area/piglet nest.^{15, 16} Pigs generally tend to deposit faeces and urine outside the lying area and, if possible, not directly next to the feed trough.^{16, 17, 18}However, as with pigs kept in groups, elimination behaviour is influenced by various factors, such as temperature gradients in the room, pen structure and stocking density.^{19, 20, 21, 22}^,²³ Practical experience shows that the elimination behaviour of piglets follows that of the sows.

The functional areas can be structured using different floor coverings. In the lying area, the floor is made solid; in the faecal area, it is fitted with slatted flooring (Figs. 16 and 17). To help keep the pen clean – which is only possible to a limited extent – faecal discharge openings (Fig. 18) should be installed. The distinction between the lying and elimination areas can also be supported by the placement of the feed trough and water trough in such a way that faeces are deposited largely on ²³the slatted floor, as the moisture near the water troughs encourages the deposition of faeces and urine.

Due to the small pen area, it is not possible to use targeted climate control to separate the manure and resting areas. There is currently little experience with the use of nose ventilation in exercise pens. Installing it in the feeding trough area could encourage the sow to lie with her head towards the trough.

A genuine active separation of functional areas by the sows is a matter of the absolute size of the pen and the temperature differences within the functional areas. It is not generally possible in conventional systems because the thermal comfort of the piglets takes precedence and pen sizes of 6.5 to 7 m² act as a limiting factor.⁹ In systems with an outdoor run, however, effective separation of functional areas is possible through access to the outdoor run.

Video 1: Free farrowing – the sow leads the way

Vision Pig

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farrowing pen

2.4 Pen layout: Separation of resting and soiling areas

Video 1: Free farrowing – the sow leads the way

Vision Pig