Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute

Behaviour & Welfare

Animal Health

Body Composition

Environment Impact

Performance Trials

Pig research facility with a 140 sow herd. We rear pigs from birth to slaughter. Gestating sows with automated feeding system (ESF) and weekly weights obtained automatically (capacity to administer up to 4 different gestation diets). Lactating sows fed manually, capacity to feed up to 4 different diets; conventional farrowing system. Nursery facilities with flexible penning (from 10 to 60 pigs per pen), with automatic feeding system (Spotmix) allowing for up to 10 different diets. 6 pens with total collection capacity (digestibility studies). 3 different finisher houses. House 1: with electronic feeders (MLP stations or Fire stations) allowing for individual feed intake recording within a group, each pen with its respective slurry tank. 8 pens with capacity for 10 pigs pens. House 2: with MLP stations, 14 pigs per pen. House 3: conventional feeders, 14 pigs per pen. All finisher houses with spotmix electronic feeding system, allowing for multiple diets. Small house with flexible penning (from individual housing up to a few pigs per pen), separate from the other houses, manual feeding. Ideal for studies on alternative ingredients (even many non-authorised additives/ingredients). We have a DXA scanner able to scan live animals and carcasses (or part of carcasses) to obtain body composition information (i.e., fat and muscle tissue content, and bone mineral density). We have capacity to conduct digestibility studies (apparent total tract digestibility using marker), we also have access to metabolic houses. AFBI Hillsborough has a welfare unit with expertise on pig behaviour and welfare. We have conducted health related projects/trials and have capacity to conduct regulated procedures (as per Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986). We also conduct research studies/projects in poultry and laying hens.