Structure

• This standard specifies the minimum requirements for swine housing. It includes space requirement, feeding and watering facilities.
• Boar


  A male breeding swine which is at least 8 months old
• Creep area


  Place for piglets inside the farrowing pen
• Culling rate


  Rate of removing undesirable or unproductive animals within the herd
• Dry sows


  Unbred sows which have just been weaned; non-pregnant sows
• Farrowing


  Act of giving birth in swine
• Farrowing pen


  Area in which a sow is confined during farrowing and lactation periods, but in which the sow can turn around
• Farrowing stall/crate


  Device in which a sow is confined during farrowing and lactation periods and which prevents sow from turning around
• Fattener


  Swine raised for meat production usually starts at 15 kg
• Finisher


  Swine which are 66 kg and up
• Gilt


  Female swine that has not farrowed
• Grower


  Swine from 40 to 65 kg
• Litter


  Piglets born in one farrowing
• Litter index/Farrowing index


  Average number of farrowings of one sow per year
• Occupancy


  Number of days an animal stays in a pen
• Sow


  Any breeding female pig that has farrowed
• Weaner/Weanling


  Piglet that has been recently separated from its mother
• The location shall conform to the land use plan of the area.
• The site shall be accessible to service roads, water supply and electric lines.
• The site shall be well drained and allows for free air circulation.
• The building shall be constructed in an east-west orientation and the structure for marketable animals shall be located near the service road.
• The site shall be located where the prevailing winds will not carry odors to the farmhouse.
• One-unit system


  • The sows are removed when the piglets reach weaning age. The pigs remain in the same building from farrowing until they reach the desired weight for slaughtering.
• Two-unit system


  • The sows and piglets remain in the farrowing house until the piglets are weaned. The weanlings are transferred to a growing-finishing house.
• Three-unit system


  • The sows and piglets remain in the farrowing house until weaning. The weanlings are moved to a nursery house and finally to a growing-finishing unit where they stay until they are ready for slaughter.
• Four-unit system


  • The sows and piglets remain in the farrowing house until weaning. After weaning, piglets are moved to a nursery house, then to a growing house and finally to a finishing house until they are ready for slaughter.
• Minimum space requirement for swine

  • Up to 10 kg: 0.11 m2/animal
  • 11 - 20 kg: 0.20 m2/animal
  • 21 - 40 kg: 0.35 m2/animal
  • 41 - 60 kg: 0.50 m2/animal
  • 61 - 80 kg: 0.70 m2/animal
  • 81 - 100 kg: 0.85 m2/animal
  • Gilts up to mating: 1.00 m2/animal
  • Adult pigs in groups: 2.50 m2/animal
  • Gestating sows: 1.20 m2/animal
  • Boar pens: 7.50 m2/animal
  • Lactating sows and litters (individual pens): 7.40 m2/animal
  • Lactating sows and litters (multi-suckling groups): 5.60 m2/animal
  • Dry sows: 1.80 m2/animal
• Roofing material should be made of corrugated G.I. sheets and other durable roofing materials. At least one-meter roof overhang shall be provided to ensure shade and to protect the swine from rain.
• Roof should be equipped with gutters so that rainwater can be drained away separately.
• Types of roof for swine housing

  • Semi-monitor
  • Semi-shed
  • Monitor
  • Double span
  • Shed
• Ceiling height shall be at least 2.4 m high.
• Building sidewalls shall have a minimum height of 1 m and shall be made of durable materials.
• Concrete floors shall be paved on a well compacted gravel fills.
• Floor shall be skid-resistant with 2% - 4 % slope towards a gutter or drainage canal. The direction of the slope shall be away from the feeding trough.
• Slotted floors should be made of concrete, plastic, metals or combination of such materials. It shall be constructed to allow manure and urine to pass through.
• Wood is not recommended as flooring material because it is less durable, difficult to dry hence may harbor pathogenic organisms, and wood splinters may cause injury to swine.
• Recommended slat width and spacing

  • Farrowing sows and piglets (up to 30 kg): Width 18 - 25 mm, Spacing 8 - 9 mm
  • Weaners: Width 18 - 25 mm, Spacing 10 - 14 mm
  • Finishers: Width 60 - 100 mm, Spacing 10 - 20 mm
  • Sows, finishers and boars (over 100 kg): Width 80 - 125 mm, Spacing 10 - 25 mm
• In partially slotted floors, the slats shall be placed perpendicular to the long dimension of pens. For totally slotted floors, slat should be place parallel to the sow.
• Recommended specification for concrete slat

  • Span 1.20 m: Top width 102 mm, Depth 152 mm, Reinforcing bar No. 3 (10 mm)
  • Span 1.80 m: Top width 102 mm, Depth 152 mm, Reinforcing bar No. 4 (12 mm)
  • Span 2.40 m: Top width 102 mm, Depth 127 mm, Reinforcing bar No. 4 (12 mm)
  • Span 3.0 m: Top width 102 mm, Depth 152 mm, Reinforcing bar No. 5 (14 mm)
• For swine under 20 kg, flattened expanded metal (20 mm, 9 –11 gauge) shall be used. Supporting joists shall be spaced at 300 mm. Expanded metal shall be treated to prevent corrosion. Sharp edges shall be avoided.