High hygiene concept extended to finisher pigs
A new concept based on high health and hygiene for sows and piglets will soon also become available for finisher pigs.
At EuroTier 2014, Dutch-based pig equipment company MS Schippers won a gold medal with its Hy-Care concept, in which pig production was redefined taking high hygiene as its basis. Recently, Pig Progress visited the prototype farrow-to-wean farm De Zwartakkers to explain how this all works.
Concept for finishing pigs
Late September 2015, the concept will also be introduced for finisher pigs. The trial farm De Raamloop, in Bladel, the Netherlands, will be opened on September 25 by the Dutch minister for health, welfare and sport, Edith Schippers. Her interest is mostly the reduction of 80% of antibiotics which can be achieved according to the company.
The company states that in theory, the concept can be applied to each finisher pig farm, achieving also a reduction of 20% feed costs and a significant 40% increase in growth performance.
Achieving 36% extra piglet growth
First trial results indicate that the piglets achieved on average 36% extra growth after weaning.
Although the Hy-Care farrow-to-wean farm is completely different in its set-up than a conventional pig farm, in its finishing component it is very well possible to achieve better results with piglets having been farrowed and weaned in conventional facilities.
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