(Continued from Page 36)
Hoop-housed pigs tend to use feed less efficiently, but av
erage daily gain is as good or greater than confinement pigs,
especially if the pigs are healthy. The hog environment will
have lower levels of manure gases. Behavior research has
shown fewer stereotypical stress behaviors in hoop pigs. The
deep bedding and increased floor space per pig are thought
to contribute to this.
In a wean-to-finish production system, producers are
weaning two- to three- week old pigs directly into a modi
fied grower-finisher bam. This bypasses the nursery build
ing stage. The considerable efficiency in eliminating one set
of pig handling, trucking, and facility washdown is driving
this management conversion.
Reduction of pig stress with one less move and sorting has
led to more uniform performance. Obviously, modifying or
building a proper finishing building to accommodate this
management system can be a significant drawback.
The finishing bam essentially functions the same as a
nursery for the first few weeks after pig placement. This in
cludes minimization of drafts, care in floor slot opening,
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narrow spaced bars on partitions, and access to more sup
plemental heat.
Experts suggest that detailed attention to the heating
system and flooring are critical to success of raising pigs in
these buildings. The building size will appear underpopu
lated, on a square foot per pig basis, at the beginning of the
cycle.
Cost estimates for wean-to-finish buildings are higher per
pig space compared to a traditional finishing barn. Overall
production gains appear to be slight, if at all, when com
pared to comparable nursery and finishing setups.
Swine producers are considering lower cost structures
along with alternative management systems in new building
styles for raising pigs. If this introductory article has raised
your curiosity, additional information is available in Hoop
Structures for Grow-Finish Swine and Managing Market
Pigs in Hoop Housing.
Swine Nursery Facilities Handbook has introductory in
formation on the wean-to-finish system but most current in
formation is found in trade articles (copies available from
this article’s author).