This helps to keep the bed surface clean and free of pathogens and sustain aerobic decomposition. A large round bale of straw is added every week. Two major manure emission sources are thus controlled. Composting also destroys pathogens. A conventional Swedish farrowing system includes individual pens that are about 7 by 10 feet including dunging and feeding areas and a creep area for piglets.
Some straw is required.
Pigs are weaned at four to five weeks by removing both sows and piglets to make room for the next group. Pigs are taken to the growing facility and sows are returned to the breeding area. Although the majority of Swedish swine producers still farrow conventionally, three innovations are of interest. In 1984 a new kind of lactation system got started. He continued to farrow in conventional pens, but when the pigs were a week old he moved sows and litters to a large room where they lived in a group for the rest of the lactation.