Are pig farrowing crates legal?
Farrowing crates are restrictive pens that prevent the sow from turning around, and which aim to reduce the risk of the sow lying on and crushing her newborn piglets. Farrowing crates are legal and common practice in the UK and Europe.
What is the size of a farrowing crate?
wide; overall size of the farrowing crates is 55 x 80 in. (4.6 x 6.8 ft.). These crates have a middle flip up bar to restrict the sows as they lie down. All sizes of sows are placed in these crates.
How profitable is pig farming in South Africa?
It is a profitable business because the production cost is lower than other large livestock farming businesses. More than 20,000 metric tons of pork is consumed every month in South Africa. South Africa is a net importer of pork (more pork imports than exports), which means it is not self-sufficient in pork production.
What are the alternatives to using farrowing crates?
In general there are three indoor alternative farrowing systems to the crate: individual farrowing pens, individual temporary crates, or group systems. Here we focus on individual pen and temporary crating systems.
How many farrowing crates do I need?
To achieve an efficient all-in all-out system the farrowing houses should be of a size appropriate to the number of the sows in the herd and the number of farrowings planned for each week. Thus, ideally, in a family farm of 300-500 sows farrowing houses should contain about 10 crates and in smaller herds about 6.
Do you need a farrowing crate?
Pre and Post-Birth: Farrowing Crates When sows farrow, they need the space to give birth to their litters. Farrowing crates are enclosures designed to provide the room for the sow to give birth, and also provide the room for her litter during farrowing and nursing.
Is farrowing cages economically beneficial?
Farrowing crates are considered to be economical, efficient and safe with maximising piglet survival as a main aim.