Smart Herdsman Pig Farming Equipment

Ultimate Guide of Pig Farming and Pig Feeding Equipment

Pig farming is essential to the daily life of most U.S. citizens as it contributes to the economic growth of the country by providing a livelihood to farmers.

Pork is also a regular meal in most homes in its many varieties. In recent times, consumers are turning to organically grown food as it is healthier than food grown using fertilizers and other chemicals.

Meat production for human consumption has not been left behind as consumers also want to consume meat from animals that only feed in natural feeds.

Pig farming is one of the industries that have been impacted by this demand, and farmers are now trying to satisfy the requirement by rearing more pigs.

It is for this reason that pig farming equipment manufacturing industries in China continue to grow as it has established themselves, among other products.

This article will look at different pig farming systems and pig feeding equipment and their importance on a pig farm.

Essential Pig Farming Equipment

Pig Shelter

The first thing a pig farmer should have in mind when thinking about pig farming is the pig shelter. When constructing a pig house, ensure that it meets the following requirements.

1. Ventilation

A pig house should allow fresh circulation of air throughout the structure. Proper ventilation is as important as feeding and drinking for the pigs. It makes the pigs comfortable and enables them to feed without stress.

2. Warmth

There should be equal distribution of heat in the pig house to deter pigs from piling up in one location looking for warmth. Pigs do not have a natural fur coat like other domestic livestock; therefore, they need to keep warm when it is cold. When exposed to cold, they suffer from pneumonia or suffocation when they crowd together, seeking warmth.

3. Direct sunshine

Sunlight is essential in pig farming as it enhances the vigor and health of pigs. Build the pig house in such a way that it will have direct sunshine at least one time during the day.

Sun shining on the floor is especially important as it keeps it dry. You will notice that your pigs will seek out the sun by climbing on piles of manure and other available elevations.

4. Sanitation

When you allow them, pigs can stay clean to levels that you cannot imagine. The problem comes about when the pig shelter is designed in a way that makes it difficult to clean.

You should have easy access to clean the pig house quickly and easily. There should be no gaps or cracks on floors and walls as they hide dirt and germs, which poses a health risk to the pigs.

5. Comfort and Safety

The pig shelter should be comfortable for the pigs for the farmer to reap profits. For instance, when there are high door sills, they lead to abortion. Uneven and rough floors are also uncomfortable and can injure a pregnant sow; slippery floors also cause accidents and anxiety.

6. Sufficient Size

The size of the pig shelter should be spacious enough to house the number of pigs you intend to have. You should never squeeze many pigs in one small space as they may suffocate or spread infections to one another.

7. Durability

The pig house should endure weathering and extreme weather conditions. You should not disturb your pigs by carrying out regular repairs such as a leaking roof or inadequate drainage.

Apart from all the structures that you will need to put up, there is pig farming equipment that you need to make your work easier on the farm. For example, the fencing around your farm should be secure enough to prevent your pigs from wandering off.

You also need to have a container to hold large amounts of fresh water, in addition to having clean straw for the pigs to sleep on to keep them clean at all times.

Thus, for any pig equipment factory you visit, ask them for a pig feeding equipment price list that contains all their products for you to choose.

The following pig farming equipments are also essential on the farm.

1. Pig Board

A pig board is a barricade that keeps pigs away from you when you are in their midst. It helps prevent pig bites as your presence can set off territorial habits. You can also make your pig board or purchase one from a pig farming equipment suppliers withing your locality or check online.

When making one on the farm, use four by four-foot plywood and cut a hole on one edge at the top. Always keep the board between you and the pig even when patting, scratching, or hand-feeding them.

2. Large Fishing Net or Hog Snare

When a pig has an injury, it requires immediate medical attention to save its life. However, it is not easy to keep the pig in one place when administering medication or when tending to the injury.

A snare or a large fishing net comes in handy in such a situation as a pig cannot get out of it once it has been trapped. However, you should not work alone; have another person push the pig towards the snare while you securely hold the snare. Once inside, you should fast and not keep the pig in the trap for too long.

Another situation that hog snares become useful is when you want to take piglets away from their mother. Piglets being small are very fast, where you may spend a lot of time trying to catch one.

Large fishing nets can catch two piglets at once. You should have prior information on how to care for piglets before catching them on the snares as doing it the wrong way can compromise their health.

3. Pig Farming Heat Lamps

Heat lamps come in handy when temperatures fall, especially when you have piglets. Piglets can die or fall sick when exposed to cold temperatures for long periods. When purchasing heat lamps, consider where you will place it as some can cause a fire in the barn when they fall.

Choose a heat lamp that can be hung out of the reach of the pigs but still serve its purpose. Look for a factory that manufactures a variety of heat lamps; you can find a pig feeding equipment factory online.

4. Pig Farming Drenching Gun

A drenching gun is a piece of essential equipment as it is useful in medical emergencies. It is useful when administering medication to your pigs, as it makes the job much more comfortable.

The time it would take to rush to the store to purchase one could determine the fate of your pig.

5. Pig Creeps

Pig creeps are enclosures that are only accessible to weaning piglets. The piglets retreat to the creeps to feed away from the larger pigs that may take all the feeds. Creeps are used to teach piglets how to eat on their own away from their mother’s milk.

They feed inside the creeps up to a time when they consume feeds proportionally to their weight, where they are then weaned from their mother’s milk.

6. Pig Holding and Breeding Crate

A pig breeding crate is used to enable the mating of a sow and a boar without the sow bearing the entire weight of the boar. A mature boar has a lot of weight that a sow can sometimes not bear without having an injury; a pig breeding crate helps control the boar’s vigor.

When using a breeding crate, the farmer has to be patient as boars need to be taught how to use it. Also, some farmers dispute the ability of the breeding crate to help their sow conceive.

7. Pig Shipping Crate

A pig shipping crate is used to ship pigs to their owners. The crate has to be big enough to hold each pig comfortably.

8. Pig Loading Chute

A pig loading chute is used to help pigs get into a truck when they are taken to the market for sale. The pig loading chute is portable such that the farmer can use it while loading the pigs and when offloading them once they reach their destination.

It is important to have a comprehensive pig farming equipment price list from various manufacturers for comparison.

Pig Feeding Equipment

Although pigs like to scavenge and feed on the ground, they still need properly prepared feeds. The feeds should be placed in a proper pig feeding equipment such as a feeder that is anchored to avoid toppling them and spilling the feeds.

Give your pig feeds according to its weight and age as pigs feed differently at different ages. Ensure that you clean the feeder daily to avoid feeding your pigs on moldy and stale feeds.

Pig Self Feeders

Pig Self-feeders save time, the cost of labor, and feeds. They are a preferred means to feed fattening pigs that need to feed every time.

They supply constant feeds and grains to pigs when they need to feed; their design also prevents feed wasting as it is controlled. Also, the pig feeder feeder design protects feeds against rain and wind. It should have several compartments to allow feeding of more than one feed at once.

Make sure that the self-feeder does not fail, clog, or run freely to limit feed intake or allow too much to waste away.

Pig Feeding Racks

A pig feeding rack is a practical way to feed legumes and hay to your pigs. The bottom of the feeding rack should be tight to catch fine particles and leaves that break off when handling or feeding the pigs.

The pig feeding rack should be large enough to avoid daily refilling. If it is outdoors, it should have a cover to shield hay from rain.

Mineral Feeder for Pigs

Mineral intake is a necessity for all livestock. Although pigs obtain part of their mineral ration from dirt, they also require mineral supplements. Use a pig mineral feeder to hold the mineral supplements when pigs consume them.

This will reduce wastage and contamination from dirt and wet weather conditions. The pig mineral feeder can be secured on the ground or mounted on the barn wall.

Pig Water Drinkers

Your pigs should have sufficient clean drinking water at all times. Adequate water intake helps pigs consume more food; however, you should supply water according to the age of the pig. Large scale pig farms have automatic water drinkers that release a certain amount of water when the pig needs to drink.

There should be enough water throughout the day; do not be afraid that the pigs will drink more than they need as the excess water will be flushed with other body waste.

Pig Feeding Silos

Pig feeding silos are used to store animal feeds for future use. Farmers who manufacture their feeds need the silos for storage as they produce the feeds in large quantities. Steel pig feeding silos are the best choice as they do not rust or form molds, which can contaminate the feeds.

Pig feed storage helps in times of food scarcity by acting as a reserve for the pig farmer. A farmer can buy feeds when there is a surplus supply for use later when supply has diminished. However, all the feeds should be well dried to avoid the formation of molds, which can cause health complications for the pigs when consumed. Purchase your silo from a feeding silo supplier to pick the one that best suits.

Conclusion

All pig feeding equipment should be clean at all times. Dirty feeding equipment is a source of diseases for the pigs.

It is important to note that pigs get sick quickly; hence a farmer should take all measures necessary to avoid sickness in the barn.

The pig house should be as comfortable as possible, with enough lighting and warmth. Since pigs do not have fur on their skin, they need a constant supply of heat, especially at night and during winter.

Their skin condition allows cold to get into their body, which can cause pneumonia in the absence of warmth. One sick pig can spread the illness to all your pigs, which can wipe them away within a short time. This is why it is necessary to vaccinate your pigs in time and to be on the lookout for diseases to catch them early before they do irreparable damage in your pig farm.

Additionally, when the pigs are cold, they tend to crowd in one place, which mostly leads to some of them suffocating as others pile on top of them.

Pig farming equipment help ease daily activities in the pig farm by helping the farmer control the pigs. Mature pigs are heavy, which makes it difficult to control them when you need to do something like administer medication or wean off piglets.

Any pig feeding equipment supplier will get you the equipment you need. China has some of the best pig feeding equipment suppliers who will sell you the equipment at an affordable price.

When you have all the necessary feeding and farming equipment, it makes your job easier. It will allow you to take care of your pigs in the right way, which will ensure that they gain the required weight quickly for sale. Make sure your pig farming equipment factory is reputable for quality and durable equipment.