Housing sows in groups at the automatic pig feeder : differentiating living spaces for successful floorspace planning

Indoor pigbarn facilities design is a key factor in housing and managing large herds of sows feeding at the automatic pig feeder.Studying two separate surveys, one led at 18 pig farms equipped with automatic pig feeders and the other led at feeding station system retailers, highlighted the main sow housing characteristics. The study outlines in-barn feeding station configurations according to pig herd management and flooring type. It underlines the importance of compliance on a handful of rules, such as stall width, the need for space to lay down, or the dimensions of the waiting pens and the feed station exitways. These findings, together with farmer feedback on management, highlight farm management practices that determine how to successfully group-house sows at the automatic pig feeders.