Harper Adams University

Behaviour & Welfare

Animal Health

Breeding & Genetics

Carcass & Meat Quality

Environment Impact

Field Experiments

Feed & Feed Tehnologies

Housing & System Trials

Performance Trials

Physiological Studies

We operate a three-week batch system, with space for 32 sows/batch farrowing in crates and weaning at 27 days old. There are 16 Nooyen balance crates and 48 conventional crates. We have highly productive sows, with >16 born alive and 14.5-15 weaned/sow, weighing >8 kg on average. Dry sows are housed in four groups of up to eight per batch in straw pens with free-access stalls for feeding once per day. There are two separate feed lines so we can easily feed two different gestation diets, or the dispensers can be filled manually for up to four different diets. All sows are artificially inseminated, so we can use any sireline, and multiple sirelines per batch. We use supplementary milk pre-weaning and have two different delivery systems, both ad libitum. We use EID on all piglets, and have an antenna system to record visits to the milk bowl and/or creep feeder. We can weigh and measure backfat of sows, and weigh piglets individually at all stages. In the farrowing room, sow feed intake is individually recorded. Sows are fed manually so different diets can be used. Creep is recorded on a litter basis or individual basis, and we can feed any number of creep diets. We can observe suckling by direct observation or video-recording. We can take colostrum samples from sows. We have space for 400 piglets/batch in fully-slatted weaner accommodation, with 36 pens of five pigs for replicated studies, and big pens of 25 pigs that can be used for behaviour work. All feed can be recorded at the pen level, and pigs are weighed individually. We have space for 350 pigs/batch in fully-slatted finisher accommodation, in 14 pens of 25 pigs. Feed is recorded per pen and pigs weighed individually. We have a Roxell Multifast system that can feed a different diet to each pen if we wanted to, and record the amount delivered. Pigs are weighed individually, and we can put up cameras for behaviour work. We also have seven Nedap Pig performance Testing stations that record individual feed intake and weight at each visit for pigs from 20-130 kg. Weaner trials can be performed selecting piglets closest to the batch mean weight, or by having weight bands/groups to represent the variation in the batch. Faecal scores can be recorded on a pen basis and lesion scores on an individual basis. We can take faecal samples and saliva samples passively, and blood samples under ASPA. We can record individual lesion scores for finishing pigs In all buildings we can add environmental monitoring, if equipment is supplied. This can be left in situ for constant recording, or be performed at set times. The unit is licenced under ASPA, so we can currently take blood samples from weaners. We have WATOK-certified staff so we can sacrifice pigs. We are able to visit local abattoirs to take samples, and have meat quality testing facilities on campus. On campus we have laboratories where we can perform some analysis, and we also use external laboratories.