The swine industry in Germany is in transition, now that free farrowing will become the norm by law. Sow farmer Klaudia Arnemann, from Sendenhorst in the state North Rhine-Westphalia, designed her own free-range farrowing barn.
Klaudia Arnemann owns a farrow-tofinish together with her parents. The farm has 250 Camborough® sows, achieving on average 29 piglets/sow/year. It has a capacity for 2,300 finisher pigs. The farm covers 120 ha.
Upon entering the 2-year-old free-range farrowing barn, several things immediately stand out. It is remarkably light due to the many windows in the central alley and each of the barn’s sections. In addition, the barn is crisp – not only in terms of temperature, but also in terms of air quality. Klaudia Arnemann emphasises that while the temperature depends on what’s happening outside, she strives to keep the section under 20°C. “About 18°C is optimal for the sows. We can keep it warm for the piglets in their nest.”
Read the full article:
Farm visit: Customising a new free-range farrowing barn (pigprogress.net)
