Pig farrowing and weaning apparatus

Abstract: Pig farrowing apparatus comprises a restraining crate (12) for a sow, a delivery chamber (13) having a grid floor (15) separated from the sow by a hinged door or flap (14), a piglet rearing c hamber (18) communicating with the delivery chamber (13) and joined thereto by a ramp (17), and piglet feeding apparatus (20, 21, 22) for delivering feed to piglets contained in the piglet rearing chamber (18) and comprising milk extracted from the mother or another sow and/or artificially produced feed product.

Description: The present invention relates to pig farrowing apparatus and to apparatus for use in weaning piglets and rearing piglets during the first few weeks of life. Pig farrowing apparatus is described in my earlier British Patent No 2,121,665 which describes apparatus for confining a sow during farrowing comprising a pen in the form of an elongate open framework of bars the spacing of which is such as to contain a sow and prevent her from turning around, and a piglet confinement chamber at one end of the framework, the said framework incorporating a frame panel on a major side thereof, which panel can be opened to allow the sow to turn around. Such pig farrowing apparatus is designed, in particular, to maintain separation between the piglets and the sow in order to ensure that the piglets are not injured by the sow as very often happens in more "natural" conditions, both due to accidental crushing and due to positive aggression by the sow during the farrowing period. The term "sow" as used in this specification will be understood to include all female pigs capable of producing a litter of piglets, and including the so-called "gilts" namely partly mature female pigs prior to the delivery of the first litter. It is also known that intensively bred pigs are very prone to disease which affects their growth rate and consequently the profits available from a pig-rearing establishment. One important factor in the propensity of piglets to suffer from disease is the stress factor. Immediately after birth piglets are highly stressed and lose temperature rapidly in traditional conditions. Consequently, piglets under shock are extremely prone to disorders of the bodily functions especially the lungs. This is particularly noticeable at birth since the animals' lungs are undergoing a major change at birth from being rudimentary organs fed from the blood supply in the placenta to independent organs constituting the primary oxygenation source for the blood. Lung infections such as pleurisy and pneumonia lead to a high mortality rate which matches that from crushing. It would therefore be desirable to enable the piglets to benefit from the warmth and proximity of the mother animal. Pig farrowing apparatus is known from GB2026832 which partially solves the above problems. It includes a farrowing crate for restraining the sow during delivery and a delivery chamber which can be separated from the farrowing crate. Moreover the delivery chamber is connected by a downwardly inclined rampway to a further chamber alongside the farrowing crate, which may be heated and where the piglets are kept until farrowing is complete and the danger of aggression from the sow has reduced: the piglets are then allowed to return to the sow to receive the benefits of natural milk, stimulation and warmth during the incubation period. As mentioned above, this known apparatus partly solves the problems of piglet rearing but piglets returned to the sow are still in danger of accidental crushing. The present invention seeks to provide an improvement over such known farrowing apparatus which separates the piglets from the mother sow for their own safety whilst nevertheless allowing them the benefit of the reassuring warmth and noise associated with the natural environment, and preferably also from the colostrum in the mother's milk. According to one aspect of the present invention, therefore, there is provided pig farrowing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 of the type having restraining means for restricting the orientation of a sow during delivery, a delivery chamber separated from the restraining means by a closable opening, and door means for the opening arranged to allow a piglet into the delivery chamber but to prevent its return to the restraining means, the delivery chamber having a grid floor serving to prevent excessive piglet movement upon entry therein to limit umbilical cord damage and provide drainage, wherein an incubation chamber is provided alongside but separated from the sow restraining apparatus, the incubation chamber being linked to the delivery chamber by a linkway including a ramp inclined downwardly to the incubation chamber, the linkway being adapted to allow a piglet to move from the delivery chamber to the incubation chamber but to prevent its return into the delivery chamber and feeder means being provided in the incubation chamber for making available feed to piglets therein. Piglets in the natural state instinctively move from the end of the sow from which they are delivered during parturition to the region between the sow's front and rear legs to suckle. The apparatus of the present invention makes use of this instinctive behaviour to encourage the piglets to move from the delivery chamber, maintained at a temperature matching that of the body heat of the sow, to a further, incubation chamber, maintained still at a superambient temperature, slightly lower than that in the delivery chamber, where amplified sounds from the sow may be reproduced and in which a supply of milk incorporating the sow's own colostrum may be delivered. The present invention also provides a method of farrowing a sow and rearing piglets, comprising the steps of separating the piglets from the sow physically at parturition and confining them in an incubation chamber alongside the sow where they can receive natural stimulation from the sow but are not physically endangered thereby, characterised in that the piglets are separated from their mother by being allowed to pass through a door means preventing their return and in that the method includes the further steps of delivering feed to piglet feeding apparatus in said chamber to feed the piglets therein, the method preferably further including the step of milking the sow at least during the period for which colostrum is produced, and delivering the colostrum-bearing milk to the piglet feeding apparatus. It is important that the piglets must not make contact with the sow in order to encourage them to learn to feed from the incubator feeder. However, a piglet's instinctive reaction is to commence suckling when they receive stimuli from the sow herself and consequently the close proximity of the sow in an adjacent chamber and the sounds produced by her act to stimulate the piglets to drink. Sows, like cattle, release milk consciously to the teats from the mammary glands and in doing so emit a characteristic series of grunts which are recognised by the piglets as a signal indicating that milk is available. Any attempt at suckling at other times results in rejection by the sow and failure to satisfy the piglet's hunger and such behaviour is quickly "unlearned". In this way the sow naturally regulates the intake of feed and the apparatus of the present invention seeks to stimulate this natural cyclic arrival of food at milk feeders within the incubation chamber, which becomes available to the piglets at periodic intervals. It is expected that the piglets will be confined in the incubation chamber for a period of up to three weeks until they naturally start taking solid food which can be made available in a creep feeder to which they have access and from which the mother sow is barred. Preferably the delivery chamber is removable to allow the sow to leave the farrowing crate after farrowing has been completed. Alternatively a farrowing crate having a laterally displaceable side panel may be used as described in UK Patent 2,121,665. After the production of colostrum has ceased the milk may be delivered to the piglet feeding apparatus as a milk solution made from dehydrated milk powder. Any surplus colostrum-bearing milk may be stored at low temperature for emergency use if any sow in the establishment fails to produce colostrum. One embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pig-farrowing unit incorporating a delivery chamber and a lateral incubator; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a piglet holding chamber to which the piglets may be subsequently moved after leaving the incubator; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a part of a piglet feeder; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of a floor unit for a piglet delivery chamber. Referring first to Figure 1 the apparatus shown comprises a farrowing crate generally indicated 11 which may be a conventional end-loading crate or a side loading crate as described in UK Patent 2,121,665. The farrowing crate is shown only schematically in outline in Figure 1. At one end 12 of the farrowing crate 11 is located a delivery chamber 13 through which access is gained via a flap 14 which acts as a unidirectional barrier allowing piglets to be delivered from a sow in the farrowing crate 11 (with head to the right-hand end as seen in Figure 1) through the door 14, which door will remain closed against the escape of piglets from the delivery chamber 13. Adjacent the door 14 is a grid floor 15 which allows for drainage of any residual body fluids on the piglets and also serves to prevent them from sliding too rapidly beyond the door 14 so as to avoid damage to the umbilical cord which is naturally severed after a short time. The delivery chamber 13 has an exit opening 16 leading by a ramp 17 to a pre-weaning or incubation chamber 18 which extends along the whole of the side of the farrowing crate 11. At the end of the incubation chamber 18 remote from the inlet end there is located feeding apparatus 20 which will be described in more detail below, delivering milk through an outlet 21 to a trough 22. In other embodiments the trough 22 may be replaced by an array of teats from which the milk delivered from the feeding apparatus 20 may be drawn by suckling. The apparatus of the present invention thus constitutes a farrowing/incubator unit having a movement restrictor grid at the inlet to the piglet delivery chamber to prevent excessive movement upon arrival through a first opening from a farrowing crate, a second unidirectional door with an associated second ramp leading to an incubator area separate from the farrowing chamber. The opening 16 is thus preferably provided with a unidirectional flap or door which prevents the return movement of any piglet from the incubation chamber 18 back to the delivery chamber 13. This door may be dispensed with if it is found that the ramp 17 is too steep to be climbed by a piglet, or may be replaced with a sliding door which can be left open whilst farrowing is actually taking place and can be closed by the operator after all the piglets have left the delivery chamber 13 to hold them in the incubation chamber 18. The incubation chamber 18, the farrowing crate 12, and the delivery chamber 13 may all have a grid floor. After the initial incubation period during which the piglets are fed on milk, usually lasting about three weeks, they are transferred to the weaning apparatus illustrated in Figure 2, comprising a raised bed 19, which may also be a grid floor, defining open enclosures having sets of houses 23 along the outer sides, creep feed containers 24 at each end and separating barriers 25 by which different litters may be divided. In addition to separating different litters the barriers 25 may be used to define enclosures for piglets making different rates of progress. Timed feeding apparatus 26 on the side wall of the houses may provide additional milk or other nutrients at timed intervals which can be determined by operating the controls 27. The integrated feeding system for delivering milk to the feed trough 22 in the incubation chamber is illustrated in more detail in Figure 3. The feeder 20 has a cyclone drum 28 tangentially into which can be fed liquid from a pump 29 to generate a vortex for thorough mixing of milk powder or other powdered nutrients which can be introduced through the top. A delivery pump 30 leads to a hopper 31 from which the mixed feed is dispensed. The whole feed unit is controlled by a dedicated microprocessor 32 and includes a twenty-four hour clock 33, a duration timer 34 by which the intervals between feeds and the length of time for which feed is dispensed, and therefore metered, can be controlled. In addition, an audio-stimulator 35 which acts to reproduce or generate sounds corresponding to the stimulating grunts which a sow emits when releasing milk to the teats to provide an indication to the piglet. In an alternative, fully automatic system, a feed hopper for dry powder capable of holding up to one week's supply of powder may also be provided with means for automatically mixing this at the appropriate times for dispensing to the piglets. In addition to the feed supply, of course, the feed system 20 may also introduce prophylactic drugs, growth hormones or other drugs for stimulating growth and maintaining health in the piglets. This allows very high rate multiple births to be raised to maturity successfully without any need for inductions at birth due to the safe controlled conditions for delivery to the delivery chamber 13, the maintenance of piglet temperature both in the delivery chamber 13 and the incubation chamber 18, and the safe way in which the colostrum is fed to the piglets simultaneously with the sow noises and, at the early stages, also the sow's physical presence. Figure 4 illustrates a novel smoothly rounded inclined surface forming the rear section of the sow's farrowing crate leading to the exit door 14. The ramp is generally indicated with the reference numeral 36 and has an upper entrance end 37 and an exit end 38. The sides of the exit ramp are defined by upper shoulders 39, 40 smoothly joined, for example by plastics moulding, to the main inclined surface 41 leading from the entrance end 37 to the exit end 38. At the exit end 38 the surface 41 has a projecting lip 42 which can extend through the opening closed by the exit door 14. A bracket 43 is provided for securing the exit ramp to the floor of the farrowing crate 11. In use of the apparatus of the present invention a sow to be farrowed is introduced into the farrowing crate 11 with her rear end at the end 12 adjacent the delivery chamber 13. When farrowing the sow has a natural tendency to push her rear towards a secure surface such as a wall and in doing this will raise her rump onto the entrance end 37 of the exit ramp 36. Piglets when delivered will then tend to slide down the ramp 41 through the unidirectional flap or door 14 across the grid 15 into the delivery chamber 13. As mentioned above the grid 15 slows the progress of a new born piglet to avoid damage to the umbilical cord, allow for drainage of excess body fluid and generally slow the piglet's movements so that it remains in the delivery chamber for a short while before its natural movements, nosing instinctively around the sow towards the teats, will cause it to pass through the opening 16 and down the ramp 17 into the incubation chamber where ultimately it will start feeding from the trough 22 or teats which may be provided in its place.

Claims: Pig farrowing apparatus of the type having restraining means (11) for restricting the orientation of a sow during delivery, a delivery chamber (13) separated from the restraining means, and an incubation chamber (18) provided alongside but separated from the sow restraining apparatus, the incubation chamber being linked to the delivery chamber by a linkway (16, 17) including a ramp (17) inclined downwardly to the incubation chamber, the linkway being adapted to allow a piglet to move from the delivery chamber to the incubation chamber but to prevent its return into the delivery chamber, characterised in that the delivery chamber is separated from the restraining means by a closable opening, and in that there are door means (14) for the opening arranged to allow a piglet into the delivery chamber but to prevent its return to the restraining means, the delivery chamber having a grid floor serving to prevent excessive piglet movement upon entry therein to limit umbilical cord damage and provide drainage, and in that feeder means (20, 21, 22) are provided in the incubation chamber for making available feed to piglets therein. Pig farrowing apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the grid floor (5) of the delivery chamber is substantially horizontal. Pig farrowing apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that there are further provided means (35) for reproducing or generating the noises made by a sow during suckling. Pig farrowing apparatus according to Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterised in that it further includes means for drawing milk from the or a sow and for transferring it to liquid feed dispensing means in the incubation chamber. Pig farrowing apparatus according to Claim 3, characterised in that the said feeder means (20) include a milk powder dispenser, means (28, 29) for mixing the powder with a liquid, and means (30, 31) for delivering the mixed feed to a feed outlet. Pig farrowing apparatus according to Claim 4, characterised in that the said feed outlet comprises one or a plurality of teats. Pig farrowing apparatus according to Claim 6, characterised in that the feeder means include a nozzle (21) for delivery of prepared animal feed to a trough (22). Pig farrowing apparatus according to any preceding Claim, characterised in that the floor of the incubation chamber and/or the floor of the restraining means has or have a plurality of apertures therein to permit drainage. A method of farrowing a sow and rearing piglets, comprising the steps of separating the piglets from the sow physically at parturition and confining them in a incubation chamber alongside the sow where they can receive natural stimulation from the sow but are not physically endangered thereby, characterised in that the piglets are separated from their mother by being allowed to pass through a door means preventing their return and in that the method includes the further step of delivering feed to piglet feeding apparatus in said incubation chamber to feed the piglets therein. A method of farrowing a sow and rearing piglets according to Claim 9, characterised in that it includes the further step of milking the sow at least during a preliminary period during which colostrum is produced and delivering the colostrum-bearing milk to the piglet feeding apparatus. A method of farrowing a sow and rearing piglets according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, characterised in that it further includes producing noises reproducing or simulating the sound made by a sow during suckling.

Inventors: LOADER CHARLES SIDNEY, LOADER, CHARLES, SIDNEY
Applicants: LOADER CHARLES SIDNEY, LOADER, CHARLES, SIDNEY
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A01K1
IPC codes: A01K1, A01K19, A01K9