Livestock Notes
Sow Performance: Sloped
Pens vs. Farrowing Crates
Interest in sloped or “hill-side”
pens has been growing. Pen
dimensions of the hill-side pen are
normally 6x7 feet with a creep
area measuring about 18 inches x
7 feet. The area for the sow (which
is sloped about 1 inch/foot) is
4/2 x 7 feet and allows for greater
mobility in the pen.
Researchers at Texas Tech Uni
versity recently published results
from a comparison of flat and
sloped (“hill-side”) farrowing
pens, and flat and sloped farrow
ing crates.
The results of the study showed
that all housing systems were
similar for sow feed intake, sow
weight loss during lactation and
number of stillborn pigs. The
number of pigs bom live was
higher (about 1 pig) in sloped
crates and sloped pens.
Crushing losses were high for
sloped crates and flat pens. They
were low but similar for flat crates
and sloped pens. Survival rate was
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GROOMING MOWER
jPEWMSVLVAISA
Straley Farm Supply, Inc.
1760 East Canal Road
Dover. PA 17315
717-292-2631
Bette Equipment
3 Miles S of Hope on 232
Rt 232, RD 3. Box 76
New Hope. PA 18938 9303
215-599-7501
Keller Brothers
R 7 Box 405
Lebanon, PA 17042
717-949-6501
1950 FrukviHe Pike
Lancaster, PA
717-569-2348
Marshall Machinery, Inc.
Rt 654
Honeedale. PA 18431
71*7*9-7117
Wm. Hobenaack s ft Sona
1060 Greeley Avenue
Ivyland. PA 18074
*l6-876-1610
best for sloped pens and flat
crates. Pig weaning weight was
best for sloped pens and sloped
crates.
Few differences in sow activity
were observed. Sloped surfaces
caused sows to lie on their bellies
for greater periods of time. But the
number of limes the sows stood
up, and the total amount of time
standing was similar for all
groups.
Based on this and other studies,
the “hill-side” pen offers a viable
alternative to the farrowing crate
with no imparement in produc
tion. It may also diffuse some of
the arguments of the animal rights
movement.
All-In All-Out Improves
Finishing Hog Performance
Many producers practice the
all-in all-out concept in the far
rowing house and nursery. Based
on recent research at Purdue Uni
versity we’re learning that main
taining finishing pigs in separate
groups improves health and
weight gain in the grower-finisher
' The Land Pride Solid Stand
* *' * Seeder features the precision
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mous with the Land Pnde
line Proven fluted seed cups
precisely meter grass seed
for either slit or broad
cast pattern
ROTARY TILLER
Pikevllte Equipment Inc.
RD 2, Oyslerdaio Road
Oley, PA 1C547
215-987-6277
Tractor Parta Co.
335 Central Road
Bloomsburg, PA 17615
717-784-0250
Swaigard Bros., Inc.
RD 43. Box 13
Halifax. PA 17032
717-896-3414
Stouffer Broa. Inc.
1066 Lincoln Way West
Chembaraburg. PA 17201
. *
717-283-8424
ttoKzfaa Farm Service
Cochranvile, PA
717-896-2407
-mV
Triple H Equipment
2388 Robert Fulton Hwy
Peach Bottom. PA 17563
71*848-6779
M.&Yeereley ft Sona
Watt Cheater, PA
21S-898-299Q
bam as well.
Three studies were conducted
to compare all-in all-out and con
tinuous flow methods of handling
growing finishing pigs. The first
study showed hogs in the all-in
all-out system had a faster growth
rate (1.70 pound/day vs. 1.56
pound/day), they had fewer lungs
affected with pneumonia (63 per
cent vs. 69 percent) as well as less
lung area affected by pneumonia
(2.8 percent vs. 6.2 percent).
The second trail demonstrated
that the all-in all-out group of pigs
took a total of 45 fewer days to
reach market weight and had
reduced variation in days to mark
et weight. The third and fourth
trials supported results in the first
two, again showing reduced days
for all-in all-out to reach market
weight (30 days) and had fewer
chronic lung problems.
These trials indicated that under
conditions of both poor health and
good health, the all-in all-out con
cept in the finishing barn allows
pigs to grow faster and reach
market weight with fewer chronic
respiratory problems.
Hog and Pig Inventory
There were 970,000 hogs and
pigs on Pennsylvania farms on
September 1, 1990. This was 5
percent below last year’s figure.
The market hog inventory was
HYDRAULIC RETRACTABLE BOX SCRAPER REAR BLADE
Finch Scrvlooa-Hanovar Inc.
515 Frederick St
Hanover, PA
717-632-2345
Norman D. Clark & Son, Inc
Honey Grove, PA
717-734-J682
Loysville, PA
717-769-3117
Nicarry Equipment Co
RD 2. Rt 61, 3 Miles S of Loefipol
Reading, PA
215-929-2441
I.G. Sale* A Service
Bom 200, Silverdale, PA 18962
216-257-6165
iwcw jpwey)
Owen Supply Co.
East Avenue A Broad St
Woodetown. N J. 08098
•08.7884308
Adjustable tickler
tines help promote
soil to seed contact
A smooth steel roller
or solid cast iron
packer wheels firmly
pack the seed for
proper germination
For a high output,
user accessible
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down 6 percent at 863,000 head
\yhile the breeding herd inventory
was up 20 percent at 107,000.
Pennsylvania hog producers
indicated they intended to farrow
43,000 sows during the
September-November period, a 2
percent increase above the same
period last year. Their intentions
for the December-Fcbruary period
were to farrow 42,000 sows, also 2
percent above last year’s figure.
Across the nation, the inventory
of all hogs and pigs was estimated
at 56.3 million head on September
1, 2 percent below a year ago. The
breeding hog inventory was only
down slightly at 6.86 million head
while the market hog numbers
were down 3 percent at 49.4 mil
lion head.
Similar to Pennsylvania, the
rest of the nation’s hog farmers
intend to increase their farrowings
by 2 percent over the next six
months. Those figures, coupled
with good grain harvests will tend
to be bullish on hog profits. The
profit picture continues to look
good into the early part of 1991,
with prices probably staying in
the low ssos. But, with so much
uncertainty in the economy and
the Middle East, predictions of
any kind are risky.
PULVLRIZER
Caldwell Tractor A
Equipment, Inc.
480 U.S Route 46
Fairfield, N J 07006
201-2274772
Warren County Service Center
228 Route 94
Columbia, N J 07832
201.362-6816
Rodlo Tractor Sales
North White Horse Pike
Hamrnonton N J 08037
609-5614141
Frank Rymon A Sons, Inc
RD 3. Box 355
Washington, N J 07882
201-689.1464
Reed Brothers
Petticoat Bridge Rd
Columbus, N J 08022
808-267-3363
Trenton Ford New Holland
2836 Brunswick PM
Trenton, NJ. 08848
888483.7380
Lancaster Farming Saturday, December 15, 1990-D3
Gestation Feeding Level
Doesn’t Affect Reproduction
Researchers at South Dakota
State University fed large White x
Landrace gilts either 4 or 6 pounds
of feed during gestation. Gilts on
the higher feeding level gained
more weight during gestation, but
lost more weight during lactation.
Sows on the 4 pounds per day diet
during gestation consumed 48
pounds more feed during
lactation.
Feeding level during gestation
had no effect on the number of
pigs bom alive, number weaned,
litter weight at weaning or days to
return to heat. Based on the condi
tions of this study, there is no
advantage to feeding gilts more
than 4 pounds of feed during
gestation.
Feeder Pig Grades Do Not
Predict Carcass Grades
A study at the University of
Missouri indicates that the USDA
Feeder Pig Grade Standards do
not accurately predict USDA
grades for market hogs. In the
study, pigs weighing 60 pounds
were split into two groups and
were selected according to USDA
standards for feeder pigs, or
according to frame size (large,
medium or small). Pigs were
slaughtered at 220, 250 or 280
pounds, as the tables below show,
neither system provided a good
method for predicting USDA
grades for market hogs.
Feeder pigs grading USDA #1
were leaner and had larger loin
eye areas than those grading #2 or
#3. When graded according to
frame size, large framed pigs had
less fat than the medium and small
(Turn to Page D 4)
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FILLIPPO, INC.
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