The pig housing system is intended to safeguard pigs while also providing them with the best possible habitat for growth and production. The types of pig housing systems are determined by a farming system that varies according to the prevailing farming conditions as well as the farmers’ financial status.
List of pig housing systems
Pigs are housed in sties, which are divided into one or more pens, each with a single or group of animals based on age, sex, and purpose. The pig farming business is very lucrative, however, having the best structures for your pigs goes a long way growing your business. Below are some types of housing systems to consider for a pig farmer.
Confinement Housing System
A pig confinement housing system is a complete production facility. Buildings, feed and water systems, manure handling systems, pig handling equipment, pens, and gating are included. This housing system allows for better mud, dust, and manure control, as well as reduced labor for feeding, breeding, and transporting to the farrowing house. Confinement housing systems also allow the pigs to be separated from other animals, which improves biosecurity.
Outdoor or Free-Range Housing System
It is a pig-keeping system in which the pigs can freely move and forage on open lands. The pig has complete access to water, feed, wallows, sunlight, fresh air, and plenty of space to run about or sleep outside anytime it wants. Outdoor or free-range pig rearing is frequently advocated as having better animal welfare and environmental performance. Pigs reared in this system have greater production values and lower input costs.
Deep Litter System
This is a system where several pigs are housed in a single covered enclosure in which they can wander around freely. The floor could be concrete or appropriately compacted and raised litter. Litter acts as insulation to keep young pigs warm. Pigs grown in a deep litter system outperform pigs raised on a concrete floor in similar conditions.
The partially slatted floor system
Part of the floor is slatted in the partially slatted floor system, and manure and urine fall into a pit below the floor, forming a slurry. This approach is also far less labor-intensive than having to scoop or remove the waste on a regular basis. This housing method gives pigs a specialized (solid) resting place, improved drainage in farrowing pens, and pigs have more lesions.
All-Slatted Floor System
There are long and narrow openings in the floor of the all-slatted floor housing system. This housing system essentially provides a waste disposal system in the barn, preventing the pigs from lying around in messes. They also lessen the labor required. Because the pigs have no contact with the ground with this system, soil-borne diseases are eliminated, and there is no need for litter or bedding.
Straw-Bedded Housing System
The straw-bedded housing system refers to pig houses in which the floor is coated with a thick layer of litter straw that is removed only at many-month intervals. Straw has numerous benefits, the majority of which are beneficial to pig behavior and welfare by providing a comfy floor. This system has been identified as one method of growing pigs without tail docking by enhancing their natural exploratory activity.
Nursery Housing System
A nursery housing system is a facility or building that is specifically built to house newly weaned pigs until they reach the grower/finisher stage. This system requires the most capital and human resources, as well as the maintenance of clean facilities and proper ventilation. Pigs grown in this system have greater exit weights and better grow-out performance.
Farrowing Housing System
A farrowing housing system is one in which a sow gives birth to her piglets and then stays with them until they are weaned. A few days before their projected delivery date, sows are transported to the farrowing house. This housing system allows the piglets to be with their mother while also allowing the sow to walk around and obtain her food and water without contaminating them. It offers sows comfort and piglets a safe and warm environment.
Dry Sow Housing System
A dry sow housing system is a place where an adult female pig who is between litters and so not producing milk is housed. A good dry sow housing system should provide an intriguing environment in which a variety of behaviors can be expressed. The system also contributes to the well-being of the pigs being produced. Aggression is also lessened by giving the sow greater space, bedding material, and barriers.
Finisher Housing System
A finisher housing system is where market-ready pigs are kept until they are sold or slaughtered. The finisher housing floor can be constructed with non-slip concrete flooring with varying degrees of openness. A solid floor is advised in the building to limit the amount of ammonia evaporation, resulting in better pig welfare.
Multi-tier Housing System
Multi-tier housing systems improve pig well-being by allowing them to express their natural behavior and stimulate healthy development. The multi-tier system is one in which tiers are the most common characteristic of the housing and give living space at various levels. This housing has numerous benefits, such as lower installation costs and lower feed consumption due to fewer pigs moving. There is also a reduced risk of illness and parasitism.
Climate-Controlled Housing System
This housing system is critical in determining the inside climatic conditions of the house for optimum pig health, growth, and productivity. The correct climate in the house promotes your animals’ growth and health while saving you money on feed, water, and electricity. The Climate-Controlled Housing System allows you to fully manage the environment inside your pigs’ confinement.
Breeding Housing System
A breeding housing system is a type of housing in which a boar and gilt or sow are paired for breeding in order to include or retain desired features. This housing system influences your pigs’ genetic background and hence plays a vital role in their activity performance and meat quality. It is intended to safeguard pigs and provide them with the best breeding environment possible.
Mobile Housing System
After a quick start-up, the mobile housing system is ready for the pigs to move in. It protects the pigs from the elements, supplies them with water and extra feed, and slowly moves across a field, introducing the animals to new grass every day. Ventilation can be adjusted in this system to keep animals healthy while also reducing overgrazing and overfertilization of the field.
Integrated Pig-Fish Farming System
An integrated pig-fish farming system is one that produces fish alongside pig-farming operations centered around the fish pond. Pig dung is a great pond fertilizer, boosting the biological productivity of the pond and, as a result, increasing fish production while also lowering the expense and demand for compounded fish feeds. The goal is to save resources while improving farm profits.
