Patent ID: 7165509

Claim:
A method of farrowing hogs in cold environments within a building utilizing a plurality of heated and insulated farrowing boxes which permit unrestricted female hog movement and promote natural mothering instincts by the female hog, the method comprising: providing a pregnant female hog for said farrowing boxes approximately 24 hours before the female hog gives birth to piglets; providing an alley outside said farrowing box for the female hog to defecate, urinate, and move; providing feed and water stations outside the farrowing boxes; providing bedding inside of the farrowing box to promote the female hog to root in said bedding and to build a centrally located nest in the farrowing box as opposed to an alley of the building; promoting the female hog to give birth to piglets close to a heat source; protecting the piglets from crushing by use of a creep area, anti-crush boards, and anti-crush rods; permitting unrestricted piglet movement after approximately fourteen days such that the mothering female hog may teach the piglets to defecate, urinate, eat, and drink outside the farrowing box; and weaning the piglets at approximately six weeks by removing the female hogs.