Scott Oltmans (L), KBQ, Inc. pig flow manager, and grower Dennis Sjogren

KBQ, Inc., a swine production system based in Mountain Lake, MN, was one of the first operations to install FAST™ (Farmweld Automatic Sorting Technology) in a wean-to-finish facility. Though the initial group of pigs has not yet been marketed, Steve Dick, a KBQ owner, and Scott Oltmans, pig flow manager, are both impressed with how well the pigs started and have continued to grow in the new facility. The barn is owned by Dennis Sjogren, a contract grower in Trimont, MN.

Pigs entered Sjogren’s facility weighing ten pounds. FAST barns are typically designed to handle pigs in very large pens. However, Oltmans says, “We were hesitant to go to groups of 500 to start pigs.” So Sjogren and KBQ opted to use a barn layout that would allow them to create five, 200-head pens for the first 30-45 days. After that, gating is converted to large pens for the remainder of the feeding period. The 1,000-head barn is equipped with two FAST scales.

During the early part of the nursery phase, the pigs have access to heat lamps and mats, which is the same as in other KBQ wean-to-finish facilities. The first group of just-weaned pigs was easy to manage in the 200-head pens. The pigs had no trouble finding the feeders or drinking cups, according to the KBQ folks. “They started extremely well,” says Oltmans. In order to accommodate KBQ’s and Sjogren’s pig flow pattern, the 1,000-pig FAST facility was first loaded with 1,600 pigs. When the pigs reached about 80 pounds, KBQ and Sjogren used the scale to sort out the lightest 600 head. Those pigs were then moved to another finisher that Sjogren owns.

Four other FAST facilities are in the works in the KBQ system. Dick and Oltmans say they were drawn to the new technology for the many potential benefits it offers. For example, they believe it will allow them to do a better job of selecting market pigs to match packer premiums.

“We think it will allow us to optimize our selling weights – getting the pigs as heavy as possible with out being too heavy,” says Oltmans.

FAST will also allow KBQ to more closely monitor feeding programs and be a management tool for incorporating additives such as Paylean®, according to Dick. Last, but not least, FAST should take away the hassle and headaches of sorting and loading pigs. That will impact KBQ’s work load and allow employees to have more time for other management activities, according to Dick.

Paylean is a registered trademark of Elanco Animal Health.