FAST II Alley - Farmweld

Convert your 1,000-hd barn to automatic sorting in just one day and $12 per pig space with FAST II Alley™.

FAST II Alley Why FAST II Alley™?

Low cost, simple way to instantly convert conventional facilities into FAST. There’s no need to move feed systems, feeders, water cups, and you make only minimal gating adjustments. You don’t have to rip out functional equipment prematurely.
Without the hassle of moving equipment, there’s almost no downtime. Construction time can be compressed in just one or two days. That means less labor cost and less production cycle.




			The FAST II™ (Farmweld Automatic Sorting Technology) scale is built for the harsh environment of a pig barn with stainless steel construction and a protected console that can be mounted on the scale or in a remote location such as an office or store room.I

The FAST II Alley™ Design does away with formal pig training protocols. Most pigs learn to use the scale as part of their daily exploration of pens. Some producers may wish to encourage pigs to move toward scale by emptying certain pens during certain times. (See below).
Easy to start wean-to-finish pigs because open gates can be closed to to make smaller pens.
Very comfortable transition for operators accustomed to managing conventional barns because pens are arranged similarly and there’s no food court.
Requires only one scale per 1,000 - 1,400 pigs. Total cost is approximately $10,000 - $12,000 per typical barn including cost of minor gating adjustments.
Enables producer to sort lights to one-half of the barn and heavies to the other half to feed different diets to different weight pigs.
Converts non-productive alley space into useable production space.

Non-Sort Position: How it works

1,000-hd FAST II Alley™ Design—Non-Sort Position

In the Non-Sort Position, pigs in one-half of the barn (Pens #1-20 above) are given access to the alley for one or two weeks to experience using the scale. An easy way to ensure that all pigs are using the scale is to move pigs from Pens #1-4 into Pens #5-8. After 24 hours, move all pigs from Pens #5-8 to Pens #9-12 and repeat down the line until all pigs have crossed the scale. Repeat the process for the other half of the barn and then alternate so each half of the barn uses scale for one week at a time.

Sort Position: How it works

1,000-hd FAST II Alley™ Design—Sort Position

Sorting pigs in a FASTII Alley™ Design is easy when gates are arranged in the Sort Position. Simply move all pigs out of the alleyway (between the scale and the load-out area) and from Pens #1 and #2 into Pens #3 and #4. Close the gate between Pen #2 and #3. Swing the gates at the scale so heavy pigs are directed through the alley and into Pen #2 and light pigs flow into Pen #8 and back through the system.

If a second heavy group is needed immediately after the first, a second sort pen can be arranged by closing off Pen #2 at the alleyway and directing new heavies into Pen #4. Close the one-way gate between Pens #4 and #5 by using a gate or blocking board. This is just one example of how to set up a sort. With this layout, as few as 10 pigs could be sorted or as many as 360 pigs (two full truckloads). You can fill loads from either the top or bottom half of the barn.

Sorting should be started several days prior to the shipping date. It can even be started weeks prior to the shipping date because feeder space is not centralized. Remaining pigs have access to a proportionate number of feeders. If a load is needed at the last minute, operators can perform an assisted-sort by moving pigs from pen to pen, toward the scale.

Design Notes
A single scale (for up to 1,400 pigs) is located in the center or side alleyway. Alley width doesn’t matter.

If each half of the barn has its own feed system, split-weight feeding is very convenient.

Sick pens may be located in Pens #10 and #30 in this example, or in another location based on the operator's discretion.

In barns with 1,000 plus head, be sure that sort pens for at least two truckloads are located between the scale and load-out chute. (For example, Pens #1-7 and Pens #21-27 above are located between the scale and load-out.)

“I was planning to wait until my barns needed remodeling to convert to automatic sorting.
But when I heard that I wouldn’t have to change the gating or move feeders
or waterers by retrofitting with the FAST II Alley™ Design,
I decided to invest in a Farmweld scale right away.”

-- Carl Swinford, Swinford Farms, Hillsdale, IN

See FAST II Alley on Video