Tools Under Development to Help Producers Evaluate Group Housing Systems

February 29, 2012 — 

New tools being developed by the University of Manitoba will help pork producers planning to switch to group housing of gestating sows identify the system that will best match their individual operations.

The University of Manitoba in partnership with Manitoba Pork Council is developing tools to help pork producers planning to convert from conventional stall housing of pregnant sows to group housing select the system that will work best for their particular management systems. Dr. Laurie Connor, the Head of the University of Manitoba's Department of Animal Science, says there's no one ideal group housing system for all situations so the challenge for producers is identifying what will work for them.

Qiang Zhang who is in Biosystems Engineering is actually developing a simulation model whereby a producer can put in the information that they have about the size of the barn and various other variables. The model will then help them to determine the layout of a particular design, how that will fit in their barn and also will help to determine the cost.

Dr. Connor says the project has been underway for about a year and the goal is to have the work wrapped up and be ready to offer workshops late this coming fall.

Source: Farmscape.ca, Farmscape for February 29, 2012 (Episode 4096)