Pig Signals Revised edition 2022

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D SE VI ON RE ITI 2 E D 202

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PIG SIGNALS P R AC T I C A L G U I D E TO A N I M A L  F O C U S E D P I G FA R M I N G

Credits PIG SIGNALS Publisher Roodbont Publishers B.V. Authors Jan Hulsen, Kees Scheepens Editors’ edition 2022 Ton van Schie, Wim Vugteveen, Kees Scheepens

Roodbont Publishers B.V. P.O. Box 4103 7200 BC Zutphen The Netherlands T +31 (0)575 54 56 88 E info@roodbont.com I www.roodbontpublishers.com

English translation Language Centre Wageningen UR © Roodbont Publishers B.V., 2022 Final editing, English edition Tess Klifman, Agrolingua

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Pig Signals is part of the Pig Signals® series, together with Sows, Piglets and Finishing Pigs.

No part of this publication may be reproduced and/ or published in print, photocopy or by any other means whatsoever without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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Photography Cover: Mijntje Vugteveen (t) en Henk Riswick (b) Photographs: Jan Hulsen Others: Depositphotos: Baxter (8); Jonny_Slav (8), JakubMrocek (32), PantherMediaSeller (53), budabar (60), Xalanx (96); Dreamstime: Dmitry Kalinovsky (44), Tenrook (111); Elanco (91); Esaote-Pie Medical (44); Henk Riswick (6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 18, 25, 31, 37, 46, 52, 58, 59, 62, 65, 70, 72, 74, 84, 88, 96, 108, 110, 112, 113, 116); Janneke Janssens (111); Janssen Animal Health (34); John van der Wielen (105, 109, 110, 112, 114, 116, 117); Kees Scheepens (16); Manon Houben (109, 114, 115, 116); Marcel Berendsen (4, 62, 73, 78, 83, 90, 116); Mark Roozen (24, 93, 115); Marrit van Engen (9, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 49, 50, 56, 57, 58, 60, 61, 70, 71, 72, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 90, 94, 117); Michiel van Mil (29); MS Schippers (113); Netwerk ‘Vitaal uier’ (68, 69); Netwerken Verantwoorde Veehouderij (67); Snuitgeverij (32); Topigs (61)

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ISBN 978-90-8740-366-9

Illustrations Dick Rietveld, Erik de Bruin, Mogumash, Trudy Michels

The authors and the publisher have composed the contents of this publication with great care and to the best of their knowledge. However, the authors and the publisher shall accept no liability due to damage of any nature whatsoever, resulting from actions and/or decisions based on the information provided.

The publisher has attempted to trace the copyright holders of all image material. Where a source is not mentioned, rights holders may contact the publisher.

For more information please check www.pigsignals.com

Design Erik de Bruin, Varwig Design

Special thanks to: Henk Altena, Piet Dirven, Martin Fockedey, Hinnerk Kraneburg, Arno van de Laar, Jan-Paul Langens, Leo van Leengoed, Arie van Nes, Roy Nieuwenhuis, John Nijhoff, Mark Roozen, Marrina Schuttert, Han Smits, Hans Spoolder, Model Farm ‘De Tolakker’, hundreds of farmers, many vets, farm consultants and feed consultants.

Vertaalbureau AgroLingua www.agrolingua.com

Ta ble o f co nte nts

1. Introduction

4

4. Pregnant sows and gilts

Looking deliberately

4

Purpose of the farrowing house 46

Drastic changes

85

Observing and thinking

6

Special needs and indicator

The first day

86

Thinking and doing

7

Risks

8

animals

46

7. Weaned piglets

84

47

Feed intake

87

Feed pigs with your eyes

48

Feed and water

88

Activity peaks

49

Peace and quiet

89

Health

50

Space

89

Inspecting piglets

90

Diseases

91

2. The pig

10

Pig behaviour

10

Use of space in group housing

14

Hear, see, smell, talk

15

the sow

52

Test your knowledge of diseases 92

Looking around

16

Aggression

53

Respiratory disorders

93

Stress-free driving

17

Everything prepared for

Healthy or unhealthy?

94

Transmission of diseases

95

18

Handling pigs

19

farrowing and suckling?

Imminent birth

Anatomy

56

8. Finishing pigs

96

Stillborn or died after birth?

57

Process management

97

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The first day

58

Everything in its place

98

Monitoring farrowing

Infection pressure and disease resistance

24

the farrowing house

25 26

Non-viable animals

28

Stunning and killing

30

The Pig Signals Diamond

31

Signals of sufficient milk

61

Aggression

101

Signals of insufficient milk

61

Prevention of redirected

The right environment

62

Diseases

63

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103

Satiation

104

Warm/cold behaviour

105

Culling of sows and gilts

66

Sick pigs require early and

The claw check for sows

67

The udder check

68

effective treatment Respond effectively

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9. Biosecurity

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70

External biosecurity

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71

Disease vectors

111

Too hot, too cold?

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Pest control

112

The suckling process

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No introduction of disease

40

Points for inspection in piglets

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42

Disease-free, a good beginning 78

36

Stimulation by the boar

37

You really can’t imitate a boar!

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How to inseminate?

39

Ten ingredients for an ideal Fertilisation

102

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When to inseminate?

service unit

behaviour Intervene when pigs bite

64

Ten points for inspection in

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3. Pig reproduction

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sows in the farrowing pen

Reproductive organs

aggression

Exploratory behaviour

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examination

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Evaluating feed intake

Intra-muscular injections

Body Condition Score

Rest, redirected behaviour and

Monitoring the process in

Step-by-step plan for clinical

Lots of healthy piglets

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Recognising pig signals means knowing the pig

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Moving pigs

5. In the farrowing house:

6. In the farrowing house: the piglet The importance of colostrum

on pig arrival

113

No introduction of disease

Tips for successful insemination 43

Improvement necessary

79

Pregnant or not?

44

Piglets with diarrhoea

80

Outgoing slurry

114

Risk group: gilts

45

Tail docking

81

Outgoing carcasses

114

Castration using anaesthetic

82

Internal biosecurity

115

83

Cleaning and disinfection

117

Index

118

Preparation for weaning

on pig dispatch

113

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1. Introduction

You may already be very good at observing pigs. But do

Looking deliberately

you also understand what you see, and can you act on

You will see more if you keep asking yourself the three basic questions: 1. LOOK: What do I see?

Describe what you see completely and objectively so someone who has not seen it knows exactly what you saw.

2. THINK: Why has this happened?

Identify the causes of things you see.

3. ACT: What does this mean?

Is it good news or should I intervene? Only now should you draw conclusions and judge: good or bad.

it? Learning to understand the signals that pigs send out

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will help you to prevent "farm blindness" and to optimise your management. You will see more by looking delib-

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erately, thinking about it, and taking action accordingly.

That is the core of the Signals concept.

How can you see more? And how can you then act on it?

This has everything to do with understanding, desire and ability.

First, you need to possess the basic knowledge to understand and place things (understanding). In addition, you need to be motivated to tackle problems that could be done better (desire). And last, you need to be able to execute this. Do you have the time, do you possess the right skills or resources (ability)?

If you think critically and are open to other people’s opinions, you can take big steps in improving and optimising.

With the pig as your guideline.

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Pig Signals teaches you to keep observing critically. And it provides you with the knowledge and context to interpret what you see. Looking deliberately, answering all questions critically, and regularly verifying the answers are the medicine against farm blindness. Farm blindness occurs when you think that the way things are done on your farm is the norm.

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Focused and open-minded

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A well-conceived approach and good habits produce the most efficient inspections. Clever pen layout, practical

Inspection route

Quality assurance

walking routes and the right tools make the difference between doing something well and not doing it at all.

Take time for inspections and plan them carefully; never postpone them. Cleaning pens is important, but the two inspections of the grower-finishing pigs are more so. Take a ten-minute break to take a quick look in the farrowing pen.

Observe all pigs at fixed times. Keep a notebook, use logically placed notice boards, attention lists and checklists, and make sure experiences are communicated effectively.

Good livestock managers always have their tools at hand and make sure the work can be done efficiently.

For example, you should be able to inspect and replace nipple drinkers with ease. Farrowing aids should be kept in the farrowing house. Is everything clean, ready and in working order at all times? After all, who wants to break their neck to adjust an air inlet?

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While observing, focus on your inspection points.

These are observations that you know provide specific information. For example, do all of the pigs stand up immediately if you create a disturbance, or do some remain sitting or lying? What does the dung of the sows ready to farrow look like? Also keep an eye on all things that stand out.

Observe with an open mind so that you even see things you aren’t looking for. As a result of experience and learning the number of inspection points will grow, but you should still remember to observe with an open mind. Observe like an outsider, or like a child. To see well, your mind shouldn't be occupied. This means you shouldn’t combine your inspections with other work activities; inspecting is a job in itself.

Work route

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Bright light means you can see everything, and it ensures pleasant working conditions. The minimum is 200 lux.

An outsider sees things you no longer see yourself. This could be a vet, an advisor, a colleague or an employee. They can help you with answering questions: what is good, what is normal, am I thinking along the right lines? Occasionally switch roles between the person asking questions and the person doing the explaining.

1 . I ntro d u c t i o n

From time to time, carry out your inspection round in the opposite direction, in a totally different order than your regular work route.

Don't do anything else than just look and think.

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2. The pig

Knowledge of a pig’s characteristics helps you to avoid unnecessary problems, stress and mistakes. Consider

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things like hierarchy, the way the pig orients itself, and

its natural response to disruptive factors. Handling pigs

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in a calm and friendly fashion promotes peaceful conditions and high production. Another advantage is that working calmly is necessary for high-quality work.

Pig behaviour Pigs in a pen don't lose their need to express their natural behaviour. As a pig manager, you use this to prevent stress.

Pig management also becomes less forced if you stay close to the animal’s natural behaviour.

In the wild, sows form family groups of two to four sows with their piglets. The size of the group and its habitat depends on feed availability.

Habitats of different groups can overlap. The habitat is centred around a nest where the entire group rests. The pigs defecate in designated latrine areas, never in the nest or the foraging area. The group traverses the habitat on

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walkways (trails), which are also defecated and urinated on.

Group members harmonise their behaviour: they eat, rest and suckle at the same time. Within both a group and a litter, there is a linear dominance hierarchy. Groups do not mix, new animals are not admitted. Gilts form new groups with each other or with their mothers when they are 7-8 months old. Boars also leave the group at this age. They initially live with two or three other boars, and eventually on their own. Boars only join a group during the mating season. They live within the habitats of the sow groups and announce their availability by means of scent tracks.

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Resting Pigs spend the majority of their time resting, preferably in a quiet environment, in the company of other pigs. So there needs to be sufficient safe lying space in order for all animals to rest at the same time. The resting area is separate from other areas in the pen where they eat or play. The resting area provides a comfortable lying space that is soft and has a pleasant climate: not too hot, not too cold, no draughts, and no disturbances by other pigs. In nature, the resting areas are hidden deep in the undergrowth.

In addition, the surface of the resting area must provide adequate grip so they can lie down and get up with ease.

Exploratory behaviour

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If it were up to the pig, it would eat and drink unlimited amounts. Besides resting, the animals also like to eat at the same time as the others. That means they need enough feeding spaces as well. In the feeding area, the pig can eat undisturbed. It is important that the animals cannot monopolise the feed or take feed from each other.

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Eating and drinking

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Pigs explore their surroundings using their snout. In nature, they do this both to forage and to map their habitat. If a pig cannot express this behaviour, its exploratory urges can be redirected to its pen mates. This can lead to biting (tail, ears) or stereotypical behaviour like bar biting. You can prevent this by providing sufficient distraction materials.

Pigs have to root. Wild boar eat by moving their snout back and forth and scooping up the food with their lower lip, teeth and tongue. The domestic pig still eats this way, more or less, and also has the need to root.

2. The pig

These sows have their resting areas against the side walls.

The defecation area is in the middle. Sows are lying near or in the defecation area. This indicates that the space is too small for the number of sows.

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Defecating area The pig is a hygienic animal that likes to keep its resting and eating areas clean if possible. Create a separate area in the pen where they can defecate and urinate. They like to do that at the same time too, so provide enough space.

The defecating area allows a pig to do its business without being disturbed and safe from aggression. The smell of manure prompts the pigs to do so. Defecation areas are at least five and no more than 15 metres from the feeding areas. And as far away from the resting area as possible.

The walkways are recognisable and suitable as paths. This means that there is enough space between lying, eating and defecating areas. It also means that the pig can move about safely: with sufficient grip and without hazards from hard floor components that can damage its hooves. And the animals should be able to pass each other with ease as well.

Self-care

Pig toilet

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In comparison to other animals, a pig has a relatively hairless skin. The pig wants to protect itself from itches, irritation and skin damage. It does so by scratching, rubbing, rolling, and – if possible – taking mud baths.

To scratch itself, the animal needs to be able to stand on three legs. This requires a floor with sufficient grip.

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Paths

Pigs are house-trained animals by nature, they urinate and defecate in a designated spot. You can use this behaviour to create a toilet in a specific part of the pen.

Multiple systems are available that can collect the pigs' manure and urine separately, which reduces ammonia emissions. For instance, there have been experiments with giving pigs a treat after urinating in the desired location (the intelligent pig toilet of Kees Scheepens).

The urine is detected, after which a treat is provided automatically.

This brush enables a pig to groom itself and has a calming effect.

In the wild, it would groom itself by rubbing up against trees or shrubs.

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Social behaviour Pigs have a strict hierarchy. In the wild, they form family groups with multiple generations. Adult boars don't belong to these groups, but live solitary lives.

The family groups create a stable unit. In pig farming, it is therefore best to avoid mixing groups too much. This prevents aggression and agitation, because the animals don’t need to determine the hierarchy all over again.

When the sow and boar mate, they need a lot of space to circle around each other. On pig farms, the animals usually don't mate, but young boars do display sexual behaviour.

They mount each other, sometimes causing wounds. Sows can cause agitation as well, when they are in heat and start harassing pen mates. This is why animals need enough space to walk away or avoid each other when they are being harassed. In pig husbandry, however, sows in heat are often confined.

Nesting behaviour and maternal behaviour

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A few days before farrowing, the sow starts feeling the urge to build a nest. You can observe this behaviour in straw pens.

During the first few hours after the piglets are born, they will suckle from the sow almost continuously. After a few hours, they switch to suckling periodically. As the piglets grow, the number of feeds declines.

In the farrowing pen, the sow must be comfortable lying on her side. She also needs to be able to communicate with her piglets through sounds.

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Sexual behaviour

This older sow is showing the gilt her place at the bottom of the hierarchy. The sow makes herself as big as possible and looks downward (dominant behaviour). The gilt makes herself as small as possible and avoids the sow (submissive behaviour).

2. The pig

The sow must be able to connect with the piglets in the farrowing pen.

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3. Pig reproduction

The fact that pigs can produce piglets all year round

makes them very efficient producers. Piglet production

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is still an important determinant of the results of a pig

farm. The foundation for the results is laid in the service

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pen and is closely related to the skill of the stockman.

Skill and reproduction go together. To determine the best insemination moment, you have to observe the sow carefully. The results of insemination depend in turn on the skill of the inseminator. But the results of skill in the service pen are also affected by other factors, such as the quality of the farrowing period. Management decisions play an important role: sow genetics, the use of a teaser boar, sow culling, boar genetics, and semen storage and processing.

In the wild In the wild, mating usually takes place by the end of December, so that the piglets are born in early spring. A roaming boar mates with the sow and then leaves. Mating with multiple boars can lead to a litter of piglets with different sires. The wild boar’s reproductive cycle is seasonal, but also depends on the supply of food. Autumn brings acorns, a rich and much-loved food source. In years of plenty, sows farrow twice.

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Reproductive organs Knowledge about the structure and function of the reproductive organs is essential for a good understanding of 11 mating, ovulation and fertilisation.

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The boar The preputial sac of a boar contains a mixture of urine, sperm and dead skin cells. The scent of this material contributes to the sexual appeal of the boar. The spiralling out of the penis takes place through a combination of swelling and expansion of the S-bend.

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Prepuce, shaft

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Preputial sac

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Penis

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S-bend

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Bulbourethral or Cowper's glands

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Prostate

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Seminal vesicles

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Testicle

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Epididymis

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Bladder

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Kidney

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The sow

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After service/insemination, the uterus contracts, pushing the sperm towards the oviduct, where fertilisation takes place. The large volume of semen makes this process possible. In non-pregnant sows, the distance from cervix to oviduct is 0.6 to 1.0 metre, in extreme cases up to 1.5 metres.

The embryos distribute themselves evenly around the uterus, sometimes moving from one horn of the uterus to the other.

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Vagina

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Cervix

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Oviduct

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Ovary

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Bladder

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Uterine horns

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Uterine body (Uterus)

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3 . Pig re p ro du c t i o n

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Lots of healthy piglets The breeder’s main aim is to produce the maximum number of healthy weaned piglets at the minimum effort and cost. From the pig’s point of view, two keywords are important: lots and healthy. But having lots of piglets isn't everything; they must also be robust. They must drink plenty of colostrum and get off to a strong start.

After all, which is better: a litter of 12 strong piglets or a litter of 14 piglets with four weaklings? And what happens if there are more piglets than sow’s teats?

The health and vitality of the piglets depends on various factors such as the infection pressure on the farm and the genetics of the sow, boar and piglets. Management aspects also play a role, such as sow nutrition, insemination, housing and peace and quiet.

A healthy sow is a sow that is physically capable of producing 15 healthy piglets and feeding them properly until weaning. She has no infections or diseases that can prevent this and no wounds or disorders.

Lots of eggs

Lots of piglets

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The number of eggs released during ovulation increases until the fourth/fifth pregnancy. During the eighth pregnancy, the number of live-born piglets declines, while the number of stillborns increases. Emaciated sows produce fewer eggs; in practice, these are generally first-time farrowers.

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Lots!

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The estimated inheritance of litter size is 17%. This means that good genetics can achieve a lot. But it also means that management accounts for 83% of the variation in the number of piglets farrowed.

Inbreeding leads to smaller litters. Heterosis or “hybrid vigour” (crossing non-related lines) increases litter size and the vitality of the piglets.

Lots of semen The boar’s penis ends in a corkscrew-like point.

This is used to anchor the organ in the cervix so that the semen flows towards the uterus and does not return to the vagina. A single ejaculation produces 150 to 250 ml of semen. This is released in a sustained stream containing various fractions.

The final fraction contains gelatinous “plugs” that help to close off the cervix.

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Pig S i gn a ls

Body Condition Score

Because the follicles still need to grow substantially after weaning, good feed intake after weaning is important to ensure the quality of the eggs at ovulation. A flushing diet contains enough carbohydrates with fast-releasing sugars and slow-releasing starch. A flushing diet often contains extra vitamins (A, E, B12, folic acid) and minerals (cobalt and chromium ), which helps the sow to recover after the lactation period. It also aids the development of follicles and uterus.

The condition of the sows at weaning is an excellent benchmark for nutrition and fertility. The right condition is a goal and a control point. Physical condition predicts the ease with which a sow will raise her piglets in the farrowing house.

Moreover, sows that have become too emaciated in the farrowing house don't come into oestrus properly and produce fewer live piglets.

To the eye

Measuring fat thickness

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Body Condition Score (BCS )

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People with a experienced eye can assess the condition of sows very accurately if they regularly “calibrate” themselves by measuring the back fat. This calibration remains essential, because estimation “by eye” can still go incredibly wrong. By placing your hand on the hip bone and spine, you can feel the thickness of the back fat. The optimal Body Condition Score (BCS) is 3.

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A fat thickness measurement provides reliable information about a sow’s condition. Always measure at exactly the same location on the body and place the sensor at right angles to the animal with very little pressure on the skin. Standard values differ between breeding lines. However, the ideal is often around 18 mm of back fat when the sow enters the farrowing house. During the farrowing period, she should lose no more than 5 mm of back fat. For gilts at insemination, aim for 13 mm. Just weighing sows is often practised as well.

The measurement takes place over the last rib.

3 . Pig re p ro du c t i o n

Determining the location with respect to the vertebrae. The dabs of scanning gel are placed 5.5 cm to the left and right of the spinal column.

Place the sensor perpendicular to the skin to prevent false readings. The average of the two measurement points yields the back fat thickness of the sow. A measurement of 9 mm means the sow is too thin.

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6. In the farrowing house: the piglet

For the sow, the birth is the final stop in the process of

fertilisation and gestation, which transitions into lacta-

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tion. For the piglet, it is the start of life; from the protec-

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tion of the womb into a world full of new challenges.

Piglets are born into relatively cold surroundings behind the sow. Their skin is wet so they lose a lot of heat. They have low fat and glycogen reserves, and lack the “brown” fat that human babies have. Their reserves are enough to last a day at most. So the piglet has to drink colostrum as quickly as possible in order to convert it into body heat.

Piglets are extremely sensitive to temperature in the first few days. The ideal ambient temperature is 32 to 35°C. Create a microclimate for the piglets: a lamp is lovely and warm, but newborn piglets prefer half-light so sometimes avoid the light from the heat lamp. To be on the safe side, use a red lamp. The piglets’ lying behaviour will tell you if they are okay!

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Small piglets lose relatively large amounts of heat due to their relatively greater surface area. 2 kg piglets can withstand cold 1.75 times longer than 1 kg piglets. Make sure the piglets stay warm by hanging a lamp with an adequate heat output and by providing floor heating, a straw bed and/or a covered nest. Roll the piglets in drying powder. Piglets lying in a corner of the pen and cooling down as a result should be moved back to the nest.

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The importance of colostrum

Lack of disease resistance

Nutrients Energy Antibodies

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Colostrum is essential. The newborn piglet doesn't have any antibodies of its own. It needs energy, partly to keep itself warm. The protein provides nutrients and antibodies.

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For each litter of piglets, the sow produces a fixed quantity of colostrum containing antibodies. The more piglets in a litter, therefore, the fewer antibodies are available for each piglet. The colostrum supply is triggered during farrowing and the concentration of antibodies drops very quickly.

Mark the firstborn piglets and, once they have filled their bellies, put them behind a partition to allow the lastborn piglets to drink extra milk. Piglets born to gilts are even more susceptible: a gilt’s immune system isn't yet fully developed and she hasn’t been exposed to all of the pathogens present on the farm. Plus gilts themselves excrete more pathogens than an adult sow, putting the piglets at greater risk of infection. Keep the piglets of gilts separate from those of adult sows and vaccinate the gilts to maximise their immunity.

The level of antibodies in the colostrum depends on the number and type of pathogens to which the sow has been exposed, the reaction to them and the time of exposure. As a result, older sows often have more antibodies in their colostrum than gilts. Vaccinations for diseases such as circo or influenza may result in a higher concentration of antibodies to those specific pathogens in the colostrum.

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Does the piglet lack antibodies? Is this down to the farmer, the piglet or the sow?

• Sow hasn’t produced enough colostrum (quantity).

• Sow doesn’t have enough antibodies in the colostrum (quality).

• Piglet hasn’t drunk enough and/or has drunk too late.

LOOK - THINK - ACT What does this thin piglet tell you?

Crooked back, head down, sunken flanks and a thin rump.

This piglet hasn’t drunk enough colostrum. He runs a high risk of succumbing to disease. He doesn’t have enough anti-infection agents in his intestines or antibodies in his blood. As a result, a pathogen could easily flourish in his intestines and infect him. In addition, his intestines won’t develop so well because he lacks growth factors from the colostrum. Finally, he is not receiving the necessary nutrients and will starve, become chilled and then die.

6 . I n th e f a r row i n g h o u se: the pi g let

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9. Biosecurity

Many diseases are caused by pathogens, so you better

External (preventing introduction)

need to reduce infection pressure and prevent further

• •

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keep those out. And if any pathogens are present, you

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transmission within the farm. This is called biosecurity.

Biosecurity can be divided into external biosecurity: keeping disease outside the farm, and internal biosecurity: preventing transmission within the farm.

On a regular basis, verify whether all biosecurity measures are correct and whether you need to take any new precautions. Provide your staff with clear protocols to ensure biosecurity during their daily activities.

• •

Internal (preventing transmission) • • • • • •

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Strict separation of the dirty zone and the clean zone Hygiene lock in which everyone showers and changes clothes Refrigerated carcass storage as far away from the farm as possible Excellent pest control

Separate clothes for finisher unit (on a closed farm) Cleaning hands when moving between compartments (wash for 20 seconds or wear gloves) Changing or cleaning shoes between compartments Separate materials for every compartment (e.g. by means of colour coding) Working from young to old Inspecting compartments with sick pigs alway last

Pig S i gn a ls

External biosecurity Everything from outside the farm can be viewed as a possible source of infection, so is regarded as the dirty zone.

The clean zone is inside the farm. Even though things from outside need to be brought inside occasionally, you should restrict access to the farm whenever possible.

Clean and dirty in this regard have nothing to do with whether something has been cleaned or not. To clarify: in terms of biosecurity, the pigs’ manure is “clean”. And incoming feed is potentially “dirty”.

To avoid confusion, we prefer to use “white” and “black”.

Manure storage

Outgoing finishers Carcass refrigeration

Outgoing manure

Air intake

Pig houses = “WHITE ZONE” (clean)

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Fence

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Incoming feed

Carcass pick-up point

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Air intake

Air intake

Hygiene lock

Incoming Material pigs

Persons

Silo's

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Public road = “BLACK ZONE” (dirty)

Approach A: • Outgoing manure, carcasses • Incoming feed

Approach B: • Incoming pigs, materials and people

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A single central unloading bay for feed in the “black” zone, outside the fence.

Dead pigs are collected from a pick-up point by the roadside after leaving the cold storage. The farm is further protected by fences.

9 . B io s e c u r i t y

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Secure the farm entrance with a barrier or fence and ask drivers to report on arrival.

Display your phone number near the gate.

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Materials aren't brought on to the farm directly but are placed in a UV light box or a separate area, from outside the perimeter.

After UV treatment or a suitable interval, the materials can be retrieved from the inside.

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PIG SIGNALS PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ANIMAL F O C U S E D P I G FA R M I N G

“Su ccessful p ig m anagem ent is abo u t do ing the right th in g at th e right time.”

te ct ed

Pigs continuously send out information about their health, well-being, and their production.

The trick is recognizing these signals and using them to improve your management day by day.

That will benefit the pigs, which in turn will benefit your operating results.

ig ht pr o

Why does a sow defecate in her resting area? How did that piglet get a dry cough? And is the aggression among the finisher pigs caused by fights for dominance, or by draughts?

Animal-focused pig farming means working diligently. Yesterday’s mistakes can cause tomorrow’s problems.

Focus your senses every day and do not make any assumptions. What do I see? What does that mean? And what can I do about it?

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With the knowledge of Pig Signals, you will learn to recognize suboptimal conditions and to act upon them. But it all starts with the determination to improve: whether or not the Pig Signals knowledge is going to benefit your pigs is up to you!

ISBN 978-90-8740-366-9

www.roodbontpublishers.com 9 789087 403669