Pig stall: 5 selected questions and answers to learn

There is one frequently asked question among the pig farm owners, that is:”what is the pig stall pros ” , in order to answer this question accurately, we get 5 selected answers to this question.

1.What is a  pig stall for pigs?

The pig stalls is a basic equipment for large-scale and intensive pig raising in the 1980s.

In order to obtain maximum benefits in the process of intensive and factory production, the original intention of setting the pig stall is to facilitate the quality management of the sows, and flow operation management, so as to achieve the result of saving manpower and material resources

pig stall

Pig stall is also called gestation crates,sow cages and so on, it is one widely used and important equipment in the modern pig farms .

Pig stall is used for dry sows housing insemination and pregnant sows living, it can provide an individual space for each sows, offer an independent feeding trough and water drinking nipple, thus to avoid gestation crates sows fighting with other sows, so as to reduce the gestation crates pigs hurts and abortion risks.

Pig stall can work with feeding system to feed the sows automatically, which can reduce the labor cost and increase the feeding result and efficiency

2.What is the Pig stall pros

Save land and increase the number of breeding heads per unit;

 Avoid the fight of sows and reduce the abortion rate;

 It is convenient to manage the body condition of sows, and feed them reasonably according to the body condition of sows;

It is easy to manage the data of the sow, and the suspension of the file card is not easy to make mistakes;

It is convenient for the cleaning of feces, and at the same time reduces the labor intensity of workers.

3.How long are pigs in Pig stall?

Generally the sows will stay in the pig stall for 80 days, the whole pregnant period for sow is about 113 days, usually sows will be transfer into gestation stalls from 28 days after pregnant, and transfer out by 7 days before transfer to farrowing crates, so total the sow will stay in gestation stalls about 80 days .

Sometimes if there is no group barn for dry sows and gilts, the sows will stay in the gestation stall too, it will be a very long time then, so the overall time in the pig stall will be 106 days

While some farms only use gestation stalls in the early pregnant stage, sows will stay the group barn in the late gestation stage, the time in the gestation crates only 6 weeks time, sows will stay in the group barn most of the time, it will be about 10 weeks.

4.Why do pig farmers use Pig stall?

In the early gestation stage, the sows are easy getting abortions, so in order to prevent the sows fighting for food or territory, gestation stalls can give each sows an individual feeders and drinkers, as while as a private space to live,the abortion rates can be reduced greatly.

So as to increase the economy benefits, that is the reason why farmers prefer to use gestation crates

pig stalls

5.What happens to a sow in a Pig stall?

When a sows stay in gestation crates, there is a independent feeders and waterer, she will not fight for food and water anymore,while since the space in the pig stall is limited, the sow is restricted to move around and do sports.

So usually one sports space shall be provided for the pregnant sows, farm operator can open the doors and let sows come out of the sow crates.

In order to make a better animal welfare living, you can let the sows stay in the group barns in the late gestation stage, because compared the early gestation stage, the abortion risk rate is relatively low, sow can have more space for sports in the group barn, which is good for the farrowing too.