January 23, 2008

 

Canada's VSTG seeks alternatives to gestation stalls
 

 

VIDO Swine Technical Group (VSTG) recommends swine producers considering to switch from gestation stalls to group based loosed housing to first look at other available options.

 

VSTG's chairman, Lee Whittington pointed out that the concept of loose housing has existed for sometime and that the concern for sows 25 to 30 years ago, was that they would fight and push a lot when they were placed in groups. 

 

Gestation stalls were designed and developed to remove this problem which offered the ability to protect the sow, give her access to feed and to perform a health check without having to fight through a group. However, welfare concerns have been voiced out.

 

Available options include electronic sow feeding (ESF), trickle feeding, floor feeding, and cafeteria feeding. But the advantages and disadvantages of each options must be thoroughly evaluated.

 

Alberta Pig Company's production manager, Tony Nicol, noted that ESF is a system that keeps the sows loose housed, and provides what a sow should get.

 

He opined that other systems rely on trough or floor feeding do not allow the opportunity to individually feed the sow.

 

Relaxed sows are easier to manage and they can be found in ESF and other loosed housing systems.

 

However, Nicol said that ESF systems are complex with much electrical wiring and is vulnerable to mice. He added that the system is ideal for new buildings as it is hard to install in existing buildings.

 

Floor feeding is a system in which feed is dumped into the pens several times per day.

 

VSTG member, Franklin Kains, said this system is simpler without too many electronics, cheaper to install and to manage.

 

However, there is a drawback in which feeding must be carried out on a group basis and cannot be done individually. There is also less aggression within this system.

 

VIDO is a non-profit organization owned by the University of Saskatchewan and operates with substantial support from the governments of Alberta and Saskatchewan as well as Government of Canada and industry competitive grants.