Types And Functions of Pens in a Piggery Unit – All You Need To Know

Types And Functions of Pens in a Piggery Unit – All You Need To Know

Welcome to Nagro Farms, in this article we will be walking you through common types of Pig Pens and their functions, so keep reading.

You might not be aware of how many different kinds of pigpens there are if you’re new to keeping pigs. You may require just one type of pen or a variety of pens, depending on the size and nature of your pig-raising operation. Remember that some regions have additional laws governing pigs raised for meat or as breeding stock in terms of sanitation and other health-related issues.

Types of Pig Pens

1. Farrowing pen
2. Grow-out pen
3. Finishing pen
4. Breeding pen
5. Holding pen

1. Farrowing pen

The farrowing pen should be given top priority if you are raising pigs from birth. A pregnant sow will reside here from just before giving birth to her litter until the time comes for the piglets to be weaned. Since only one adult pig can be housed in a farrowing pen per litter, it is one of the smallest varieties of pigpens, but it can also be the most challenging to construct properly.

Also Read Remedy for Sow not producing Milk after giving birth

2. Grow-out pen

Pigs that have been weaned are prepared to leave the farrowing pen and move into their own pen, where they will gain weight and spend the next few months of their lives. While it is possible to combine the grow-out pen and finishing pen into one, this could waste a lot of space if you consistently breed pigs. In addition, when selectively breeding pigs for a specific trait, many weaned pigs will be culled out of the bunch before they’re old enough to move on to the finishing pens.

3. Finishing pen

The finishing pen will likely be the biggest in your entire pig-keeping operation because it is the third stage of a pig’s life cycle. Your pigs will be housed here from the time they weigh about 50 to 80 pounds until they weigh about 200 to 300 pounds.

4. Breeding pen

You might decide to have a separate pen for breeding pigs in a pig breeding operation, especially if you decide against using artificial insemination. Usually quite compact, these pens are designed to house a breeding pair, trio, or small group. The sows will likely remain in this pen until they are prepared to move to the farrowing pen after the pigs are only kept there until the sows’ pregnancy can be verified.

5. Holding Pen

Pigs that are being raised for meat are occasionally kept for a brief period of time before heading to their final location in an area close to a personal smokehouse, or somewhere easily accessible to buyers or wholesale transport trucks. A holding pen does not necessarily need to be large or have features that make it simple to clean, but it must be big enough to accommodate pigs that are butchering in size.

Functions of Pens in a Piggery Unit

1. Farrowing pen houses a pregnant sow from just before giving birth to her litter until the time comes for the piglets to be weaned.

2. Grow-out pen houses pigs that have been weaned and prepared to leave the farrowing pen, they are kept in the Grow-out pen where they will gain weight and spend the next few months of their lives.

3. Finishing pen houses pigs from the time they weigh about 50 to 80 pounds until they weigh about 200 to 300 pounds.

4. Breeding pen houses sows until they are prepared to move to the farrowing pen after the pigs are only kept there until the sows’ pregnancy can be verified.

5. Holding Pen houses pigs that are being raised for meat are occasionally kept for a brief period of time before heading to their final location in an area close to a personal smokehouse, or somewhere easily accessible to buyers.

Also Read Piglet Anaemia and how to Correct it

Types And Functions of Pens in a Piggery Unit

What To Consider When Building a Pig Pen

Overall, it’s important to always keep the following things in mind when planning a pigpen:

• The number of pigs you’re going to have.
• The maximum size they will reach while living in the pen in question. Remember that various pig breeds can change dramatically in size, so always do research on the specific type of hogs you intend to raise.
• The function that the pen will perform.
• The durability of the materials. Pigs are extremely powerful, though often docile, creatures that will test the durability of any pen. In addition, they do get bored easily and will likely chew on anything wood or plastic, and have been known to chew metal as well.

Video on How To Build a Proper Pig Pen