Bibliografiska uppgifter för
Organic pig production based on one-unit pens
in climate tents
Tidskrift/serie NJF Report
Utgivare
Nordiska jordbruksforskares f rening (NJF)
Utgivningsår 2005
Nr/avsnitt
1
Författare
Hindrup Andersen B., Frank H., Kongsted A.G.,
Hermansen J.
Ingår i...
NJF-Seminar 369. Organic farming for a new
millenium - status and future challenges
Huvudspråk
Engelska
Målgrupp
Forskare
Nummer
(ISBN, ISSN) ISSN 1653-2015
Poster no. 27
Organic pig production based on one-unit pens in climate tents
Bent Hindrup Andersen1, Helle Frank1, Anne Grete Kongsted2, John Hermansen2
1
Dept. of Agricultural Engineering, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Research
Centre Bygholm, Schüttesvej 17. DK-8700 Horsens
2
Dept. of Agroecology, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Research Centre Foulum,
PO Box 50. DK-8830 Tjele
The most commonly used system for organic pig production in Denmark is sows kept on
pasture all the year round and growing-finishing pigs reared in stables with access to an
outdoor concrete area. Production of finishing pigs reared under such conditions is
constrained by considerable building cost and it may be questioned whether it comply with
the consumers’ expectations of organic farming. Corresponding, to keep sows on pasture is
often associated with a high risk of nutrient leaching, especially during winter.
An alternative system for organic pig production is the one-unit pen system in twelve-sided
climate tents as described by Andersen et al. (2000). The conceptual basis of this system is to
combine animal welfare with a low environment impact. So far, this system has only been
employed for housing of pregnant sows and finishers. However, whether the concept is
suitable for housing of lactating sows and weaned pigs has not been investigated.
The purpose of the project was to document the production performance of lactating sows and
weaned pigs housed in twelve-sided climate tents and to identify the most critical obstacles to
an efficient production. In this abstract focus will be on the performance of the lactating sows
and their offspring until weaning.
Each tent included four farrowing pens with access to separate outdoor, deep-bedded run.
Only 2nd to 4th parity sows were employed. The male pigs were not castrated and the sows
were not ringed. At approximately eight weeks of age the piglets were weaned and the sows
were moved whereas the weaned pigs stayed in the tent until slaughter. The farrowings took
place in March-April and in September-October. The sows and piglets had access to pastures
during the summer.
Preliminary results from 20 litters showed productivity on a per-litter basis comparable to
indoor and outdoor conventional Danish pig production. For instance, total number of born
piglets was 13.8 and number of weaned pigs was 11.1. The total piglet mortality was thus 20
% for the entire lactation period. At weaning the piglets weighted in average 22.4 kg.
The one-unit pen system for housing of lactating sows makes it possible to combine animal
welfare with a low environment impact and the results of this study indicate that it is possible
to obtain production results comparable to conventional outdoor production. However, future
studies are needed to develop the concept further, especially with respect to control of
endoparasites and improvement of the working environment.
References
Andersen, B.H., Jensen, H.F., Møller, H.B., Andersen, L. & Mikkelsen, G.H., 2000. Concept for ecological pig
production in one-unit pens in twelve-sided climate tents. Design and layout. Proc. NJF-seminar, 303: Ecological
Animal Husbandry in the Nordic Countries, 65-75.
273