Galen Johnson (left) and an employee, Edwardo Tapia, are pictured in a new farrowing room at Grandview Hogs, LLP. New Farmweld farrowing crates are designed for sow comfort and operator ease.

Animal comfort, operator ease and flexibility were three main facility goals when Galen Johnson of Grandview Hogs, LLP, Dodge Center, MN, recently expanded farrowing and gestation facilities. "Our number one goal for our entire operation is always to keep animals comfortable and healthy," says Johnson, who is on the advisory committee of the University of Minnesota’s Swine Disease Eradication Center.

Johnson’s new facilities include a gestation barn, two adjoining gilt development rooms and two new farrowing rooms. The farrowing rooms were designed with deep pits so that they could be later converted to gilt development rooms should Johnson wish to add additional facilities. All five rooms contain Farmweld equipment.

The new farrowing rooms are equipped with Farmweld Sow Feeders and the recently redesigned Farmweld Farrowing Crates with cast iron center panels and plastic flooring for baby pigs.

Grandview employee Edwardo Tapia says he likes the Farmweld Sow Feeder because it is easy to clean. A quick-release pin makes it a snap to tip the feeder and remove old feed. The trough is also wide and deep, giving the sow plenty of room to eat.

			Grandview Hogs, LLP, employee Edwardo Tapia demonstrates how easy it is to tip the Farmweld sow feeder for cleaning. He likes the quick release latch that secures the feeder to the front of the crate.

The crate is designed for sow comfort and operator ease. Non-removable pins "line up and fit nicely together for easy opening and closing," says Johnson. The Swinging Rump Guard at the back of the stall allows the back gate to be opened without letting the sow step out of the crate. "This makes it easier for scraping manure," says Johnson.

Other features include finger style sides. According to Johnson, they provide pigs with excellent access to the sow’s teats, including the upper row. Pig Saver Flip Bars function to keep the sow from crushing pigs as she gets up and down. "They keep her from laying down in one quick move," says Johnson. Instead, the sow has to ease herself down and this gives the pigs time to move out of the way.

Johnson says he thinks the cast center panel is a very comfortable surface for sows to rest on. "We’ve had other flooring that can cause teat damage if sows get restless," says Johnson. "That hasn’t been a problem with the new cast flooring."

The gestation facilities have Farmweld’s new Artificial Breeding (A.I.) Gestation Stalls with u-shaped back gates and solid rod construction. The stalls have sloped fronts and stainless steel feeding/watering pans. Funneled feed drops are bolted to the side of stalls and flow freely without plugging.

Johnson opted for custom-made six-foot, four-inch gestation stalls instead of the standard seven feet in order to put more stalls in the space. According to Johnson and the unit’s manager, Chuck Prentice, the six-foot-plus gestation stalls provide plenty of length for gilts, and ample space for workers in the stall. The front of the Farmweld g-stall design keeps animals from getting their heads caught, according to Prentice. Sows are able to explore but remain safe without getting jowls stuck in the bars.

Legs are also kept safe. "There are no sharp angle irons or edges that scrape or damage legs," says Johnson. In addition, the stall’s solid rod side gates are welded smoothly so there’s nothing to scratch or nick the animal.

According to Johnson and Prentice, the new Farmweld u-shaped back gate allows workers to easily step into the stall without having to open a gate. The gate keeps the sows and gilts in place but the u-shaped section is low enough that even shorter workers can easily step over it. "It works well," says Prentice.

			Chuck Prentice, the gestation manager at Grandview Hogs, LLP, says the new Farmweld A.I. Trolley is a convenient item for breeding sows and gilts.

The u-shape is also a safety feature during breeding. "You’ll have some sows that will go forward and back several times," explains Prentice. "The open space keeps you from getting smashed into" and also protects the A.I. rod from damage.

Another convenient feature in the new gestation room is the Farmweld A.I. Trolley. The trolley is a rolling stainless steel tray that can hold a semen cooler, rods and other breeding supplies. It glides along a specially designed track on top of the gestation stalls. "This makes breeding a heck of a lot more convenient," says Prentice. "We can put all the rods and doses up there on the tray. They are out of the way, but still where you need them." Without the trolley, Prentice says it was not uncommon for Grandview’s crew to place breeding tools on the stall gates. "That might work for awhile," says Prentice. "Until an animal decides she’s going to mess with it. Then it is $15-20 down the pit. This works much better."

Dr. Scott Dee, Grandview’s consulting veterinarian, says the A.I. Trolley is a good safety net for other procedures as well. "This would make the handling of equipment during blood testing very efficient and safeguard samples from damage."

Email Galen Johnson at johnsongalen@yahoo.com