The Exeter Pig Club were given an excellent talk by John Chambers on ventilation case studies he had solved and each unit presented thier buildings and John highlighted thier Pros and Cons. After a quick break the meeting went on to a general dicussion.
At the Exeter Pig Club producers
were asked what problems they had over the winter. The comments from around the
room included:
- Ongoing
Meningitis problems
- Vice
outbreaks due to poor ventilation.
- Ongoing
late stage deaths in finishers.
On a more positive note the group
was asked to comment on improvements seen in their units.
- PCV2
vaccine making a noticeable difference, an extra 10 days to finish.
- 3
farrowing houses are being converted. Work includes new crates, conversion to
fully slatted and new ceilings.
- Mortality
on one unit had reduced from 17 to 11% with the installation of two new
PortaPig farrowing houses.
- A
new finisher building had been erected.
New
Wet Fed system installed. P2 had increased when meal and whey were used so the
unit has moved to meal and water. Ongoing management challenges as it is in a
straw system