straw based pigs. ideas to stop dunning in lying area

[snarling bee]

We can bed up 2000 pigs in 10 minutes (1 man/woman) daily, with 3 men for just over an hour once every 10 days to put 20 bales up. We use 120x90 big square bales.
We muck out 40 deep littered pens with 2 men, a small skid steer, a small telescopic and a shovel/fork in a day and a half.
We use a contractor to wash out.
I think our system is pretty simple.

We muck out daily for the first 12-14 weeks then deep litter for the last 6 - 8 weeks. We scrape out daily.

PS The pigs bed themselves, we just fork a biscuit of straw off the walkway into each pen every day. Simples.

 

[Spud]

How often do you muck the pens out?

After each batch, which is about every 12weeks

 

[Hjwise]

After each batch, which is about every 12weeks

Can’t they step over the gates by the end of batch?

 

[Spud]

Can’t they step over the gates by the end of batch?

No, gates about 3' high. Annual straw use is about 190kg straw per pig place

 

[Hjwise]

No, gates about 3' high. Annual straw use is about 190kg straw per pig place

You’ve got your system sorted . Our larger pen shed is a scrape through system, which allows for a higher stocking rate - the downside is that the pens need mucking out a re-strawing about 5 times a batch. This is all done with the Merlo, takes two of us 3 hours to do 1000 place shed. Swings and roundabouts I guess.

 

[snarling bee]

Spud - you are obviously 35kg to finish system. We are wean to finish. Difficult to compare.

 

[Spud]

Spud - you are obviously 35kg to finish system. We are wean to finish. Difficult to compare.

Yes, very true.

 

[ploughman1963]

We have a Bobcat S70, the smallest they make. It needs to be under 2.00m to get under the walkway. Does the job, but better at lifting than pushing. Certainly easier than doing it by hand which would take an age.

We were advised to use a mini digger to clean out and to soak the shed/muck with a few tankers of clean water. Both bits of advice were sound. We had intended buying a skidsteer but the small ones that go under a walkway wouldnt have the lift we need. We are using a tractor to scrape out and a mini-digger seems the best for cleaning out - for us.

 

[Tommy]

How long have you been keeping pigs ploughman

 

[ploughman1963]

How long have you been keeping pigs ploughman

Hi Tommy
Into our second batch now.
Would be putting up another couple of sheds but planning seems to be near impossible at the moment

 

[Pinnfield]

So on the back off all the above how would you configure a new shed if you were staring again, what would you change, we have two 100x50 Bqp style scrape passage each side with 11 pens in each which work fairly well until we have +24deg, just got steel in to build a 120x50 but can’t decide on internal layout, at the moment I am leaning towards more larger pens so thinking splitting through middle and having 6 x 60x16’6” pens and single scrape on each end with feeders towards central wall, I’m convinced ours muck in bed area when they can’t get to dung passage as pigs laying on the cooler concrete, they only muck on the one side furthest away from feed hoppers when they are behaving

 

[Hjwise]

So on the back off all the above how would you configure a new shed if you were staring again, what would you change, we have two 100x50 Bqp style scrape passage each side with 11 pens in each which work fairly well until we have +24deg, just got steel in to build a 120x50 but can’t decide on internal layout, at the moment I am leaning towards more larger pens so thinking splitting through middle and having 6 x 60x16’6” pens and single scrape on each end with feeders towards central wall, I’m convinced ours muck in bed area when they can’t get to dung passage as pigs laying on the cooler concrete, they only muck on the one side furthest away from feed hoppers when they are behaving

I have double size pens, the main much passage has been widened so that a Merlo 32.6 can scrape out and also swing in to the pens for mucking out. The main advantage (as I see it!) to my layout is that I have kept the muck passage at the back. These have double doors so each pen can be closed off individually and are kept shut for the first half of the batch. Later on in the batch it is scraped when needed (which reduces the time between ‘main’ muck outs). This passage is also used for selecting at the end, so two people can properly select in an 8’ passage as you would now. This layout saves time in first half of the batch and replaces manual forking with a machine. Downside is dealing with individual pigs is harder in a big pen and the ‘main’ muck outs are much easier with two people, as you are moving pigs from pens to passage and back again. I had to be a bit inventive with the gate closings which I’m not 100% happy with.
Edit
I have never had any catwalks.

 

[Pinnfield]

I have double size pens, the main much passage has been widened so that a Merlo 32.6 can scrape out and also swing in to the pens for mucking out. The main advantage (as I see it!) to my layout is that I have kept the muck passage at the back. These have double doors so each pen can be closed off individually and are kept shut for the first half of the batch. Later on in the batch it is scraped when needed (which reduces the time between ‘main’ muck outs). This passage is also used for selecting at the end, so two people can properly select in an 8’ passage as you would now. This layout saves time in first half of the batch and replaces manual forking with a machine. Downside is dealing with individual pigs is harder in a big pen and the ‘main’ muck outs are much easier with two people, as you are moving pigs from pens to passage and back again. I had to be a bit inventive with the gate closings which I’m not 100% happy with.
Edit
I have never had any catwalks.

Yes handling and sorting is the downside to the bigger pens, was also thinking of putting a smaller gate in on dividing wall at back so when we muck out we could put a pen onto passage and push a pen back and move round shed if beds got that bad, I like our cat walk but would probably look at putting something in that a compact can go under

 

[ploughman1963]

@Mad For Muck
As promised (eventually, sorry) - photos of our bin. As noted by someone else, conveyor goes full length of the shed

 

[Hjwise]

Yes handling and sorting is the downside to the bigger pens, was also thinking of putting a smaller gate in on dividing wall at back so when we muck out we could put a pen onto passage and push a pen back and move round shed if beds got that bad, I like our cat walk but would probably look at putting something in that a compact can go under

I visited a farm not far from me (highly regarded by Bqp) that changed their new build pretty quickly to a layout similar to what you suggest. As I understand, the were happy with the change but cut thousands of holes in the catwalk floor to aid ventilation so I assume it still has it’s issues.
I’ve always thought if I were to put up catwalks, I would just have two railway style tracks that a trolley with a bale could easily trundle up and down.

 

[Pinnfield]

We use poles on ours to support Terram as the colder weather sets in can do both sides and create a tent type set up when pigs are small. Replace terram every batch as it’s cheap. Never had a problem with ventilation under catwalk

 

[Mad For Muck]

@Mad For Muck
As promised (eventually, sorry) - photos of our bin. As noted by someone else, conveyor goes full length of the shedView attachment 927052View attachment 927048View attachment 927049View attachment 927050View attachment 927051View attachment 927052

Thanks very much I have been in touch with Collinson & got prices etc. Just need to Christmas out the way then we can put in planning & hopefully get building.

 

[ploughman1963]

Thanks very much I have been in touch with Collinson & got prices etc. Just need to Christmas out the way then we can put in planning & hopefully get building.

Hope you get better news than we did on planning - see my thread planing problems

 

[Mad For Muck]

Hope you get better news than we did on planning - see my thread planing problems

I did see your thread about your issues - I’m hoping planning will be easier than dealing with the Lloyds bank tho!

 

[ploughman1963]

I did see your thread about your issues - I’m hoping planning will be easier than dealing with the Lloyds bank tho!

You surprise me, I thought the banks were pretty supportive of funding for B&B pig set-ups?