Hog Slat will be exhibiting at this year’s World Pork Expo with many new and further developed swine equipment products, highlighting Hog Slat’s GrowerSELECT product line.
At the show, Hog Slat will have a large variety of equipment on display in both the exhibition hall (Booth V165 VIB) and at the Hog Slat hospitality tent (Tent G234). Equipment that will be on display includes Hog Slat’s Grow-Flex Feed System, Grow-Disk Feed System, Slats, and an introduction to Hog Slat’s AirStorm fans. We invite you to stop by the Hog Slat booth to see what’s new at the show.
Enjoy FREE ADMISSION to the 2015 World Pork Expo, courtesy of Hog Slat. You may redeem your admission voucher by registering online at www.worldpork.org by May 28th and use voucher code HogSlat2015. Or, present a hard copy of our voucher (available through the Hog Biz, local Hog Slat retail stores, or your local sales contact) during on-site registration the day of the expo. Expo registration is located in the Animal Learning Center inside Gate 15.
Craving some good BBQ? Stop by the Hog Slat hospitality tent anytime during expo to enjoy Vinny’s BBQ, located in Dakota City, IA. Vinny’s will be serving lunch and dinner both Wednesday and Thursday of the expo.
The World Pork Expo is held June 3rd-5th in Des Moines, IA at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Visit us at the show in booth V165 in the Varied Industries Building and Hospitality Tent G234. We hope to see you at the show!
While speaking with Perry Hartman, a sales rep for Hog Slat in Minnesota, I was brought up to speed on a topic that is quietly gaining some momentum in the industry…air filtration. Southern Minnesota is an area that has seen rapid growth in pig numbers in the past several decades. This high hog density has made herds there very susceptible to PRRS outbreaks. To combat this, area producers have turned to air filtering to prevent herd infections. Perry has been involved with 6 different projects and is currently working on the 7th. These projects have ranged from a boar stud to a complete 5,000 head sow complex. Perry credits a close working relationship with Dr. Darwin Riecks of the Swine Vet Center in St. Peters, MN in making these projects a success.
Some of the leading technical information has come from an U of M test farm in Morris, MN. There are three different buildings that have been outfitted with three different brands of filters and are tested for effectiveness against the PRRS virus. From this initial research, it was determined the PRRS virus can be transmitted over 5 miles in distance and the greatest risk comes at temperatures between 40°-60° with a light 3-7 mph wind.
Using this information, a basic strategy has evolved around filtering the minimum air flow coming into the building. A typical farrowing room has ceiling inlets for winter/transition air flow. Minimum winter air flow can be effectively filtered by placing filtering boxes in the attic over the inlets.
To permit installation and future service to the attic filtering system, an access is built in the end of the building gable with a stairway and locked door.
A catwalk is built inside to allow access to inlet filter boxes.
Galvanized boxes are installed between the rafters to mount the filters in. A pre-filter is installed to protect the filter from dust. The building structure needs to be examined for cracks that must be sealed and caulked to prevent unfiltered air from short circuiting the ventilation inlets. By filtering the incoming air during the periods of highest disease threat (40-60°) some producers feel that temperatures above this will kill the virus effectively.
A complete filtration system goes past the basics and includes filtering the maximum air flow coming through the cool cell system. Every situation requires careful calculation but a rough rule of thumb is to provide twice as much air filtering area as existing air inlets.
Retrofits for farrowing buildings have involved extending the roof line and adding a hallway to mount the filters in. The filtering pads are installed in the new exterior wall and are protected by an outside curtain.
Pre-filters are installed over the filters to prevent clogging of the system by dust and debris.
A tunnel ventilation system, as used in many gestation and GDU buildings, require adding an extension on the gable end and creating an area that is large enough to mount the filter system. An “accordion” style arrangement of filter mounting is used in many cases to achieve the desired amount of filtering area.
This is brief overview of the basics for air filtering as it has evolved to date. Again there is no “canned” solution as they are retrofits to existing ventilation systems. Each must be examined carefully and correctly sized to prevent excessively high static pressures that could damage fan motors and the filters themselves. Perry has invaluable knowledge of filtration systems gained through field experience over the last couple of years.
Tunnel Ventilation systems along with evaporative pad systems are effective at reducing summer temperatures in swine and poultry buildings. Here are some tips to keep your houses running at peak efficiency.
1) Bleed off water to control mineral content
As water is circulated and evaporated in a pad system the concentration of minerals is increased. This is especially true in areas that have hard water with its higher levels of dissolved minerals. It is suggested that 5% to 10% of the circulated water should be continuously bled out of the system. Alternatively you can also dump and replace the sump tank water weekly. Products such as Scale-Stop or Cool-N-Kleen Cool Cell Descaler can be effective in controlling scale buildup for farms with very hard water when coupled with bleed off.
2) Check pH
Desired pH level of the water should be between 6 and 9. The pH levels outside of the this range shorten pad life by leaching out the stiffening agents in the pad. You can alter the pH of the water by adding one of the descaler agents listed above or Grower Select’s Kool-Cell Kleen.
3) Eliminate dry spots on the pad
Dry areas on the pads allow uncooled air to enter the building. Simply put, if the pad’s not wet it’s not cooling. Dry streaked areas on the pad are a clear sign that you have clogged holes in the distribution system. Remove the cover and unstop the clogged holes in the header system. It is a good practice to clean the distribution system by opening the ball valves and flushing water through at least once a month.
4) It’s a pain…but you have to clean the filters
Install a spin down water filter with a clear housing and 60 mesh screen on the system and keep it clean. It will prevent clogged distribution pipes and dirty pads. The poorer the water quality the more often the filters need to be cleaned. Installing a filter with a ball valve will simplify the chore.
5) Prevent algae growth
Although H2PADs are treated with an fungicide and come with ProTech edging to prevent algae from adhering to the pad surface, this does not completely eliminate the problem. Treat the system water with a good preventive product like Bio-Stop or Grower Select’s Kool-Cell Kleen to keep algae under control. In addition, the pads should be allowed to dry out once every 24 hours to improve the longevity of the pad. Program your ventilation system to allow the fans to continue to run awhile after the pad system is turned off at night. This will pull air through the system, drying the pads out and killing any algae spores.
Just saw some interesting info from Billy Farmer. Billy is the store supervisor in Georgia, and had just attended the 2012 Poultry Tunnel Ventilation Workshop at the University of Georgia. They always put out great technical informational at their workshops and this piece caught my eye. We all know that we should change v-belts on belt drive fans when they get worn but….why?
V-belts don’t actually stretch as is commonly referred. They get thinner as they wear. Because they get thinner, the belts will start to ride lower in the pulley groove. When this happens it’s just like the pulley becoming smaller. As the fan spins slower it moves less air. CFM delivery is directly proportional to the fan speed. Spin the fan 10% slower and it moves 10% less air. Reducing the CFM capacity of a building by 10% can spell disaster in terms of pig and broiler performance during the heat of the summer.
How do you know when to replace a V-belt?
A quick visual check will determine if a V-belt is worn and needs to be replaced. If the belt is riding above the pulley groove, it is doing its job. If the belt is bottomed out in the groove and/or riding below the top of the groove, it’s time to replace the V-belt.
While you have the V-belt off, you should take time to inspect to the pulley itself. A new pulley has a sharp V-shaped groove. A pulley that is more U-shaped is worn and needs to be replaced before you put on the new V-belt.
To make the job of replacing V-belts less expensive, Hog Slat developed our own line of V-belts called GroBelts. They are constructed of compressed rubber embedded with low stretch nylon cords. Hog Slat and Georgia Poultry stores carry a complete selection of the most popular sizes in stock. If you can’t make it to a local store, you can also order on line at http://www.hogslat.com/v-belts-grobelt-drive-belts and we’ll ship them directly to your door.
The old saying, “ You can’t improve what you can’t measure,” applies to measuring wind speed in a hog or poultry house. Gauging wind speed of tunnel ventilation or velocity out of an inlet without an anemometer (wind meter) is like trying to regulate building temperature without a thermostat.
The WeatherFlow wind meter is a great new product that allows you to use your smartphone as an anemometer. At only $35, it is so affordable that every producer should add it to their ventilation “toolkit.” View our setup and use demonstration below to see just how easy the WeatherFlow wind meter is to use.
First download the FREE app at either the Apple store or Google play store.
Then open the app and click on
the small green box in the upper left-hand corner.
Click on Settings
Click on Speed Units and set it to Linear Feet per Minute
Next click on Maximum Sample Period and Set it to 30s
Now just plug the WeatherFlow into your smartphone’s earphone jack, and you are ready to take your first measurement. Click on Take a Reading
Hold the wind meter away from your body and about five feet off the floor.
Take the measurements at least 40’ from the tunnel fans. Measurements should be taken on a calm day as windy days can influence readings inside the house. For the most-accurate results, take a reading 30 seconds long and repeat with a pause of one minute in between.
In our blog post highlighting Hog Slat’s engineering department (see Engineering Grower Select) Frank remarked, “In almost every case we can look at existing products and make improvements.”
The GrowerSELECT® Curtain Machine is a great example of making changes to existing products to improve performance and reduce maintenance.
If you have ever “hung” a curtain machine, you will appreciate this feature. After placing a lag bolt in the wall about ½” short of flush, you simply hang the machine from a single keyhole slot in the back of the cabinet. It is much easier to level and add the four mounting lag bolts because the unit remains supported.
The Curtain Machine includes three sealed ball bearing head pulleys instead of two. The extra pulley is added to increase the choices for installing the main cables. Use the two outside pulleys to cable the machine on both sides of the building. Single-sided installations have the off side cable routed through the top pulley.
One of the highest mortality items on a screw type machine is the load block. Other curtain machines use bronze, brass or nylon. However, the GrowerSELECT machine utilizes a self-lubricating, low friction acetal plastic for both the insert nut and load block slides. For a more in-depth comparison see our blog post, “More Than You Ever Wanted to Know about Curtain Machine Load Blocks.”
The Curtain Machine features dual limit switches. The primary limit switches set the travel length, with secondary or redundant switches backing these up. If the first switch fails and engages the secondary switch, the machine shuts down and must be serviced before operating again. Also included is an auxiliary switch, used to activate a fan after the curtain closes. Other brands charge extra for this feature.
Another feature you will appreciate is the local control switches, standard with the GrowerSELECT Curtain Machine. A toggle switch sets the machine in manual and overrides the ventilation control. This is a great safety feature that prevents anyone from activating the unit while it is being serviced. In addition, it certainly makes it easier to set the limit switches compared to performing this task from a remote controller.
Eventually, any curtain machine will have to be serviced, and this is where the GrowerSELECT Curtain Machine shines. Note the cutouts in the galvanized housing. You can slip the entire motor assembly out of these slots after loosening three mounting bolts. It is much easier to service the motor outside of the cabinet.
The entire screw assembly will also come out through these cabinet slots. It’s still a big job, but it’s possible to slide the entire assembly out for servicing rather than dismantling the screw inside the cabinet.
Although not groundbreaking, the GrowerSELECT Curtain Machine is an example of Hog Slat’s commitment to engineering better products. Click on Curtain Machine for pricing and ordering information.
Nearly all of Hog Slat’s competitors try to dismiss the GrowerSELECT® product line as “just a cheap copy.” However, every time I work with Hog Slat’s engineering department I realize how misguided this perception is. Nothing is ever “just copied.”
I was quizzing Hog Slat engineer, Tim King, about the features and benefits of GrowerSELECT’s Curtain Machine. He explained to me that one of the highest replacement items on a screw type machine is the load nut. As the load block moves up and down the Acme screw, the friction generated causes the insert to fail. If friction is reduced, wear and maintenance of the insert is reduced.
For the GrowerSELECT Curtain Machine, Tim selected acetal plastic to be used for the insert and cabinet slides. Acetal is one of the strongest non-reinforced plastic available to replace metal bushings. It is able to reduce friction within the curtain machine because of its low friction coefficient. So why is this plastic a better choice than the brass or nylon inserts shown in the pictures?
To get a better understanding of Coefficients of Friction, consider these ratings of various materials used for bearings.
Steel on steel dry contact is .80, if you apply grease it becomes .16
Brass on steel dry contact is .35, grease it and it is now .19
Nylon on steel dry contact is .25 and with lubrication moves to .15
These ratings aren’t telling anyone anything they didn’t already know. Keep a bearing greased, and it will last a long time. What is interesting though is the rating for an acetal load nut without grease is the same as any of other insert materials with grease.
As a matter of fact, the acetal load nut does not even have a grease zerk. However, we still recommend greasing the Acme shaft with general purpose Lithium grease, primarily to prevent surface rust on the shaft.
I wish you could put your hands on the four inserts in the picture. The acetal has a slippery, almost oily feel to it; different than the nylon insert. It is a denser, heavier plastic that is less brittle compared to nylon.
The real advantage is in the day-to-day maintenance on your farm. The best intentions (like greasing a curtain machine) get lost in the bustle of all the work. Why not choose a curtain machine with features that reduce maintenance? Click on Curtain Machine for more information.
Take a quick video tour of a recently completed swine gestation building located near Hardy, IA. This 41′ X 133′ gestation building houses 260 animals.
The building features a GrowerSELECT® Evap system, GrowerSELECT flag feed system with individual Sow Drops, Hog Slat dry cast slats, Hog Slat gestation stalls and a tunnel ventilation system.
I have been around Hog Slat for some 22 years now. In my opinion, one of Hog Slat’s biggest strengths comes from the company’s ability to take its proven equipment designs and adapt to local production methods.
Hog Slat introduced the concept of total slatted, curtain-sided finishing barns to the Midwest during the late 80’s. Hog Slat quickly changed the ventilation, manure handling and building materials to match local conditions, but the basic concept remained the same. This style of finishing building changed the way pigs were finished in the Midwest resulting in improved pig performance and increased profitability.
A similar situation is developing in Europe with Hog Slat.
Hog Slat’s display at EuroTier showcased a new line of steel equipment tailored to the European swine market. It’s a different type of equipment than you would see Hog Slat display at the World Pork Expo.
The first thing that comes to eye is the hot-dipped galvanized finish vs. the painted finish most common in the U.S. market. Interior space is more confined, and the building layouts reflect in equipment design. And of course EU regulations are followed regarding square footage allowed, penning and flooring design.
Breeding Stall
The Breeding stall features a split “saloon-style” back door. The split gate allows the operator to enter the stall while the closed section prevents the sow from backing out.
The gate is designed to operated with only one hand allowing the technician to carry a preg-checker or AI equipment in the other.
Watch a short Video of the saloon doors
European concrete slats tend to have less open area than slats in the U.S. due to welfare regulations. Stainless steel legs rotate to allow placement of an anchor in a slat opening. A set bolt is tightened to secure the leg to the stall side. Three top and four front bars attached to the stall sides with clamps, making it easier to get a straight installation without drilling or welding.
The stainless steel feed trough will outlast composite or concrete troughs. Because sows can lie with their heads under the raised trough, the overall length can be reduced to 1.8 meters and still meet EU regulations requiring a stall to be 2 meters long.
International Crate
A typical pen layout will have farrowing stalls facing out against the room walls with only a center alleyway.
The combination feed and water trough is raised to allow the sow more effective stall length. Many producers choose to install the SowMAX (read more…..) and fill with an automatic auger or chain disk system as hand feeding is difficult without a front feeding alley.
To load the crates the rear creep panel is opened, the rear gate unfastened and the movable side panel is slid to its open position. After the sow moves into stall, the operator adjusts the movable side to the size of the sow and selects one of the holes in the rear gate to hold it in place. The operator then adjusts the bottom bow bar for large or small sows. The bow bars also include anti-crushing bars to reduce pig mortality.
Hog Slat displayed its plastic flooring and with interlocking cast center sections for farrowing. Optional types of flooring sections, including red heating sections, allow producers to design a custom floor. Creep areas are larger than typically used in the U.S. The EuroTier floor measured 1.8 meters (5.9′) wide by 2.4 meters (7.87′) long.
Hog Slat also featured traditional style European penning with PVC planking on the bottom and galvanized pipes fastened to formed stainless steel posts. Notice the plastic fasteners at the end of the pipes, after the pipes are cut to length the plastic ends are forced onto the pipe and bolted into place. U.S. style horizontal penning is also finding some favor with some European producers as it is more cost effective and allows for better ventilation.
Going forward, you will see a constant blend of American and European concepts reflected in the equipment Hog Slat builds for Europe. Hog Slat’s manufacturing, sourcing and distribution expertise will lower the final cost to the producers without sacrificing quality.
U.S. concepts in ventilation (tunnel), feeding (SowMAX), and finishing equipment (open horizontal penning) will gain acceptance with European producers looking for maximum efficiencies in producing pork.
Canada
中国
Polska
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Méjico
the descaler agents listed above or Grower Select’s Kool-Cell Kleen.
