Source: Pigs/Jos Thelosen
We are received by Van Sambeek at the German sows company of family Niemann. Since 2014, this progressive sow farmer has had a stable with nursery stalls with free range possibilities. This way of working was Niemann's favourite, says the PT1 -sales manager. The higher costs due to extra floor space, the lofts are 6 square meters each, he earns back with better production results and labor savings. Think of not having to move piglets and less often cleaning and disinfecting. Moreover, Van Sambeek explains that there is no need to invest in the space for the piglets raised.
When the German sow farmer wanted to increase the number of free-range stalls by 140, it became clear that the new German welfare requirements would become stricter than those 6 square meters. He, together with his Stalin Adjuster, focused on the possibilities and decided to keep 7.1 square meters per loft. In the preliminary stage, Niemann discovered the KZB family feed bin. The craftsman immediately saw the advantages of being able to eat together from a bowl through the sow and its piglets, explains Van Sambeek. So in the autumn of 2021, he asked to test two bins with a eating width of 40 centimeters on his own company. In two lofts the normal troughs were replaced by the KZB family feeding troughs. The difference in the behaviour of the sows and piglets in those two test lofts was immediately noticed, according to Van Sambeek. Because the sows themselves could determine when and how much food they wanted to take, they got a certain rest. They produced more milk and were more social, because together with their piglets they could eat and drink from the same bowl. As a result, more and better quality piglets were weaned. In the breeding phase Niemann also saw the piglets in the KZB test lofts perform better. After the baby sows were weaned, the weaned piglets continued undisturbed in those two lofts. They were used to eating from the family food bowl where from that moment on teat was in the storage bin, Van Sambeek explains. In the stalls with troughs more piglets had difficulty getting used to the situation. This created growth differences.
COMPLETELY OVER THE SIDE
After a test round the German sow holder was completely over. Despite the not too bright conditions in pig farming, he decided to invest. From Sambeek: All 160 troughs were replaced by rücksichtslos, because the direct profits were so large. Niemann realizes a 3 percent higher big survival to teats and a 0.1 more favourable feed conversion in the piglets in the stretch of teats up to 30 kilos, says Van Sambeek. The sow failure is 3.5 percent lower. They are fitter, have better intestinal health and take up an average of 1 kilo of feed per day and perform better. The new nursery that Niemann put into operation in May 2022 is also equipped with KZB family food containers. In each maternity ward, an oasis of rest is performed. Van Sambeek proves that by entering a nursery with a sow that is suckling her piglets. She doesn't look up or turn around. I can't help but think that the pigs will continue to do what they're doing.
‘KZB’BIG PERFORMS BETTER
3 percent more piglets are weaned when born in nursery stalls with KZB family feeding troughs instead of troughs. In the case of teats at 28 days of age, the weight of a single KZB-big
an average of 7.1 kilos, almost 1 kilos more than a . With one kind of piglets feed in the KZB containers, a pig grows to 31.2 kilos in 47 days with a feed conversion of 1.56. Four piglets were previously required and feed conversion was 1.66.
