The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: waterboy on May 27, 2011, 06:12:03 pm
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Hi all,
Due to some alterations to the site i rent ground on I'm having to move my pigs, before i do I'm trying to figure out the best way to separate the pigs and sort out their pens.
At the moment i have 1 pen down the far end where i put the uncastrated males, 1 in the center where i keep my boar with a gate into the large pen with the sows and gilts and a small pen with a farrowing ark up at the end.
The girls are quite happy to be in a large group but i think it will be easier to keep them in smaller groups but I'm unsure if it would be better for each sow to have her own pen but this could lead to a lonely sow when she hasn't any piglets or would they be better in pairs with a spare pen next door so that they could be separated when 1 is due to farrow then brought back afterwards?
I was also wondering how far away would an isolation pen (for sick or bringing in new pigs) need to be to fulfill the role? And are there any special requirements?
I seem to spend lots of time altering pens round so would like to avoid any simple mistakes and get these right from the outset ;D
Thanks Rob
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I would not separate the sows into singles. If they are happy in a group why not keep them that way. Just removing sows about a week or 2 before they are due to farrow.
Isolation pen should be as far away from the other pigs as possible.
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Thanks for the reply,
its going to be a busy bank holiday i think ;D
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WB,
agree with HM - keep the sows in small groups - we often bring sows onto the yard in pairs/3's two weeks before farrowing (to increase feed) and then split off just prior to farrowing.
Legally there are several factors with creating an isolation pen for defra approval (to allow you to bring pigs in and not be on standstill) , email [email protected] and I'll mail accross the reqs and form the vet needs to complete early next week when I can track them down on the other PC. However as a rough guide, if in a field you need to achieve a 3m seperation and have this approved by your vet who then sends to defra for their approval - typically takes a couple of weeks. Two rows of stock wire 3m apart will achieve this, just need to consider where wee and poo will drain to, so not on steep slope. If building, then more needs to be thought about - but think you are just in fields? You need to have foot disinfectant dip, and seperate overalls/wellies and we recommend feed last. We achieve this by having a dustbin with food by the isolation and bucket/or scoop, together with a second dustbin holding overalls/wellies (so they don't get wet in the rain!). On feeding we dip existing wellies, take off, put overalls and other wellies on, feed, dip wellies on exit and remove + overalls, re-store in dustbin, put old wellies on and re-dip. Bit of a regmarole, but quick and easy with practice and afterall you want to ensure you keep any germs in the isolation.
You need to be able to unload directly into the isolation.
As HM says, greater distance is better, but legally it's 3m !
If you are not worried about standstills, so don't need a "legal" isolation, then above will give you a good guide to think about.
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Oaklands that answered beautifully my question about isolation, i would appriciate the regs and form by email too please.
Thanks so much for looking after me and Titty today, looking forward to seeing you at the next show as soon as I can sort my isolation out!
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Titty being a pig !!
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Thanks for the details Oaklands,
I don't need a legal isolation pen i just thought it would be a good idea for when i bring new pigs onto site or if there is a problem with one of the gang :o
Rob
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Titty being a pig !!
Ah, just spat juice all over my laptop screen
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D