Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
One of the chief reasons for diseases among swine is overcrowding, so try to keep the number
of pigs you house together down to lower numbers. Hygiene can be affected when pigs tear
up the ground with their hooves. It is likely that after it rains your pigs' pen may turn into a
muddy pit. There is not much you can do about mud in your pigs' pen if you are raising them
on dirt, but you can rotate your pigs to new pens from time to time if you have the space
available. This will allow one pen to dry out while your pigs use the new pen. Rotating your
pigs to clean pens tends to cut down on the spread of disease and parasites as long as you
make sure that the new pen has been sanitized since its last use.
You can raise your pigs on concrete flooring. This can be a viable option if you have outdoor
concrete pads already on your property where grain has been kept or barns have stood before.
Concrete is not an ideal surface for pigs because it is hard on their hooves and legs and not
comfortable if they wish to lie down outdoors. Concrete can also become hot during the sum-
mer months unless there is plenty of shade provided. However, it is easy to keep clean and not
subject to disease and parasites in the same way that dirt pens are.
Sand is another option for your pens to keep them cleaner and more hygienic. Pigs enjoy
sand, and it is relatively comfortable for their legs and hooves. Sand does not promote the
spread of disease or parasites as much as dirt does. Sand also can provide good drainage for
your pen, so water and urine do not collect.
You also can make your pigs' living situation better and cut down on slipping, sliding, and
mud by placing your feeding and watering stations on concrete platforms in the pens. The
platforms do not have to be high. The goal is to keep the pigs from sliding around in the mud
as they spend time in these important areas.
Remember that ventilation is also important to hygiene if your pigs have an indoor sleeping
area or if they are confined part of the time. Good airflow will help reduce disease. If your
pigs are housed, you can solve ventilation issues by having one side of their sleeping area
open to the outside, have a window in the building, or have a fan in the top of the ceiling.
Food, Water, and Shade
Your pigs have a number of basic requirements to stay happy and healthy. Without food, wa-
ter, and shade, your pigs cannot grow and be happy. There is a wide variety of watering and
feeding methods for you to choose from, depending on how many pigs you will be raising,
your husbandry methods (the way you raise and care for your livestock), and how much
