Republic of the Philippines

Albay Veterinary Office

AFBV, Cabangan, Camalig, Albay
Tel. No. (052) 736-0318

Pi g H ous i ng B

MARY GRACE P. GOROBAO

Agriculturist
veterinaryalbay@gmail.com / animalhealthrd.avo@gmail.com
TOPICS:

• Site and building planning

• Building orientation and ventilation
• Pen for Boars
• Housing System for Gilts, Dry and Pregnant Sows
• Pens for Lactating Sows
• Pens for Weaners
• Quarantine and Isolation Pens
• Drinking System
• Roofing
• Other tools and equipment
• Calculation
CHAPTER 1 : SITE AND BUILDING PLANNING

Aiming at:

 Protection against theft

 Better management

 Creating a specific environment which can be easily controlled and adjusted

 1.1 Factors to Consider in Planning a Building for your Farm.
Some general requirements to be considered in planning a pig house:

a. Environmental Control f. Safety

b. Proper Ventilation g. Rodent and Bird Control

c. Minimum Labor Requirements h. Durability of Building Materials

d. Dryness i. Future Expansion

e. Sanitation
Factors to Consider in Constructing a PIG FARM
Constructing a Pig Farm is not an easy task and also requires a large amount of investments. The following factors should be
considered in putting a farm.

1. SITE SELECTION
 Essential Services
 Feed
 Water and Electricity
 Accessibility

 Suitable Surroundings
 Drainage and manure disposal
 Distance from neighbors and other farms
 Compliance with local policies like zoning and environmental considerations
 Possibility of expansion
Water Tank
2. ZONING AND PERMITS

 Check out Local Zoning Laws and Regulation for a Proposed Location.

 If it is zoned other than agriculture, study the situation carefully before building a house.

 Secure first all required permits such as building, environmental and other permits required
by the government.
3. ACCESSIBILITY

 Check the availability and cost of feeds, water and electricity.

 An all-weather road for trucks is essential to connect your farm to the public road system.

4. DISTANCE FROM OTHER FARMS

 The best location for your farm is as far away as possible (about 1 Km.) from other farms
and neighbors.
- this will serve as a natural screen in the prevention of diseases
- prevent complaints regarding pig odors, flies, noise and pollution.
 Some Points to Consider PIG HOUSING

Central points that one producer should consider when building a farrowing pen or weaner’s pen.

A. Protection of Piglets against crushing

- Modern pig houses ensure maximum protection for piglets. Protection include:
guard rails, farrowing crates or hurdles in the farrowing pen.

B. A good view on the sow and piglets

- Modern pig houses ensure maximum protection for piglets. Protection include:
guard rails, farrowing crates or hurdles in the farrowing pen.
C. Reachability of the Piglets
- Should be readily accessible to hasten activities.
- Should be easily caught for treatment, assistance and other activities.
- Should be able to suckle properly

D. Adjustability of the Pen

- Should be easily adjusted especially before, during and after forrowing to give enough space for the
sow and piglets.
- The sow should farrow inside the crates and should not able to turn around.
- The possibilities of adjustment to accommodate bigger or smaller animals at different production cycle
should also be think of.
E. Removal of Dung and Urine
- The following should be noted: Proper slope of flooring to avoid pooling of water and urine which
could be a breeding ground not for harmful microorganisms but also insects ( mosquito, fly);
Slatted Floors are most hygienic but more expensive ( in terms of initial investments) compared to
a solid concrete floors.

F. Cost and Labor

- It is possible to use cheap and simple and locally available materials.
However, least cost should not mean in convenience for worker and the animals.
CHAPTER 2 : BUILDING ORIENTATION AND VENTILATION
BUILDING ORIENTATION

REMEMBER
PIG HOUSE PIG HOUSE
The building should be in the
EAST- WEST orientation!
PIG HOUSE PIG HOUSE
 N

W E

GOOD
POOR
S
 This would prevent the animals from too much exposure to the sunlight, thus
there is equal distribution of sunlight throughout the day.

ientation by the SUN and a STICK
etermining the EAST and WEST direction) and where the stick can be placed vertically.
Steps:
1. Choose a Location: Select an open area with a clear view of the sky
2. Set Up the Stick: Stand the stick upright on the ground or place it
vertically on a flat surface. Make sure it's stable and won't fall over.
3. Mark the Tip of the Shadow: At a specific time of day, mark the tip of
the shadow cast by the stick. You can use a small rock, a piece of
tape, or any marker to do this.
4. Wait for a While: Allow some time to pass, around 15-30 minutes, so
that the shadow moves. The shadow will change position as the
sun moves across the sky.
5. Mark the New Tip of the Shadow: After some time has passed,
mark the new tip of the shadow with another marker.
6. Draw a Line: Draw a straight line connecting the two marks on the
ground. This line represents the west-east direction.
7. Determine Orientation: The first mark (the initial shadow tip)
indicates the west direction, and the second mark (the later
shadow tip) indicates the east direction. The line connecting the
two points shows the east-west orientation.
2. VENTILATION

 Is simply the air flow inside the building. VENTILATION is

 the purpose of ventilation is the replacement of foul air with fresh air. important for the
 Poor ventilation may affect the health of the animals (Diarrhea and removal or foul odors,
Respiratory cases) moisture, and excess
heat caused by some
gasses such as ammonia
and in hot weather
Why is there need for VENTILATION?

 to control air temperature

 to control relative humidity
 to meet satisfactory environmental conditions of pigs and the caretakers.
 to quantify the air speed which passes through the pigs.
 TYPES OF VENTILATION

1. NATURAL VENTILATION

 depends on the Wind Effect and Convection Effect.

Wind Effect is that simply the wind is blowing against one side of the building and create suction pressure.
Convection Effect is where the air is still or moving slowly, the heat of the pig will rise.

 One of the example is the Monitor-type Building.

CHAPTER 3 : PEN FOR BOARS
 Boars should be individually penned
To eliminate :
• fighting
• riding
• competition for feed

X Rearing boars in isolation may severely hamper

the libido (sex drive) of the boars.

Therefore,
• Boar pens should be located near dry sows and the gilt pens
There are two possibilities of constructing of BOAR PEN according to its use:

1. HOLDING PEN
is a designated area where boars (male pigs) are temporarily kept or
held

2. MATING PEN
is a specially designed enclosure where controlled mating and
breeding activities between a boar and a sow / gilt take place. These
pens are essential in swine breeding operations to manage the mating
process and ensure successful reproduction.
A. HOLDING PEN
Dimension should atleast 2.0 x 2.0 meters (inside measurements)

Holding Pen Holding Pen

(solid floor) (semi –slatted floor)