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We’ve got chickens!

This spring we added a few new items to our FARMSTEAD Equipment product selection that have been very popular with our customers who raise small groups of chickens and other poultry. We always strive to provide the highest quality products for our customers and decided we would purchase and raise a small flock of broiler chickens to show everyone first hand how well the equipment we sell works.

So, we headed to the local farm supply store and picked up a dozen broiler chicks. We lucked out and ended up with a baker’s dozen, 13 birds in all. Until the chickens have feathered out and can move outside, we’re brooding them indoors. Chicks need a supplemental source of heat until they begin to grow feathers. Generally, the birds need to be kept at around 90°-95°F for the first week of life.

Our “brooder” is made from a small children’s swimming pool, which can usually be purchased for around $10 from your local big box store. The inside is lined with clean pine shavings and we put the chicken feeder on the floor to start out so the birds are easily able to locate their feed.

Many people use a heat lamp and heat bulb to provide the supplemental heat their birds need during their first few weeks of life. Using a heat lamp and bulb works very well, but for this flock we are using one of the new products we offer, the Comfort Heating Plate for Chicks, which you can see in the left side of the photo above. The great part about the Comfort Heating Plate is that it only draws 22 watts compared to the much higher wattage, 100-250 watt, that a conventional heat lamp uses. In addition to the energy savings you’ll realize, the Comfort Heating Plate substantially decreases the chances of an accidental fire that can occur when using a heat lamp.

In addition to the energy saving and safety benefits the Comfort Heating Plate provides, the chicks absolutely love it! 

That is because the heating plate is designed to mimic mother nature. When a hen hatches her chicks, she keeps them nestled under her for heat and protection. The chicks can gather under the mother hen for warmth and then from time to time come out for water, a bite to eat or just to stretch.

As you can see in this photo, the chicks took right to the heating plate like they would a mother hen and have no problem dozing off for a quick nap!

You probably noticed that some of the chicks are actually touching the plate’s surface. The chicks can fine tune their comfort level by contacting the surface, laying down, and moving from the middle to the edges.

The Comfort Heating Plate provides enough heat to keep the shavings underneath warm and inviting. When we set the brooder up before moving the chicks in, we tested the plate’s surface temperature as well as the temperature of the shavings beneath with an infrared thermometer.

A perfect, consistent temperature for your birds, and peace of mind for you knowing that the Comfort Heating Plate for Chicks has dual safety features; a 0.5 Amp resistance fuse and 248°F temperature fuse.

If you’re planning on raising your own chickens this year, already have some chicks, or just want to take advantage of the Comfort Heating Plate’s safety features and energy savings, visit http://www.hogslat.com/comfort-heating-plate-for-chicks to purchase yours today!

Also, don’t forget to check back weekly as we’ll be documenting our experiences raising this flock as well as telling you more about the drinking bucket and hanging feeder you see in the pictures above!

As my family and I traveled through Iowa last weekend, I couldn’t help but take notice of several finishing buildings that had been sitting empty for the last year or so. The curtains were down and pit fans running…they were filled with pigs again. Even though pigs are hard on equipment, nothing is harder on buildings than just sitting empty. Motors seize up; bolts and latches rust in place and the gating needs some general repair. To help with gating repairs, Hog Slat manufacturers a DIY product called Cut and Weld panels. Cut and Weld panels allow producers to build gating “on-site” to the exact length needed.

Cut and Weld panels are available in two lengths; 6’-9’ and 9’- 12’ long. Cut and Weld panels are a standard 31 ½” high panel with one end upright tacked in place instead of welded solid.

You simply tap the upright loose and slide it along the horizontal rods until you reach the length desired.

You then weld the rods to the upright and top angle and cut off the excess.

Then, depending on the application, you can choose from a full range of tabs, pipes, latches, etc. to complete the gate. Finish the project off with a coating of Hog Slat blue spray paint to help prevent rust and you’re ready to install a gate fitted to the exact size you needed.

The DIY Cut and Weld panels and all the accessories are in stock at every Hog Slat store located in the Midwest.

By Virginie Buck,
Dosatron International

Everyone knows that water-powered medicators are the easiest way to administer a wide variety of medications, vaccinations and supplements. But after you buy a medicator, there are several things you can do to make sure you get the most bang for your buck from your equipment, and that it will last a long time.

When installing your medicator, be sure to plumb an 80 micron/200 mesh filter on the inlet side of the medicator. This will ensure that your medicator will be protected from poor water quality conditions that can potentially damage your unit. This will also protect any equipment you have downstream from the medicator, such as nipples, valves, and drinkers, from getting clogged and wearing out prematurely.

Also, make sure that your concentrate bucket is clean and free from debris that could get sucked up inside the medicator and jam the check valve. A good rule of thumb is to secure your hose at least 4” up from the bottom of the stock tank so that heavy debris is not sucked up into the medicator.

Always be sure that your maximum flow rate stays within the maximum capacity of your medicator. Be sure to check with your medicator’s manufacturer for specifications and for ways to determine flow rate. If you determine that your flow rate is higher than the maximum recommended, you may want to consider switching to a model with a higher maximum flow rate. Turning your water on slowly will gradually pressurize the system, helping to prevent a rush of water through the pipes that could be harmful to the equipment.

One of the most important things you can do to protect your medicator is to keep up the medicator’s maintenance schedule, which you should be able to get from your medicator’s manufacturer.

Flushing your medicator with clear water may be the single most important tip I can give.

Medicators are one of the most important weapons in your arsenal when it comes to keeping your animals as healthy as possible. By following these simple best practices, you’ll make sure that your medicator continues to work hard for you for years to come.

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.

As every chicken grower knows, hot weather takes its toll on performance. Feed consumption and daily gain are difficult to maintain when temperatures reach and remain in the high 90s and above. Tunnel ventilation increases bird comfort resulting in improved performance. So is any type of tunnel ventilation good enough? Is there a return on adding fans for increased air speeds above the industry 550 fpm standard? Mike Lucariello, a Tyson grower from Wheaton, MO has a unique perspective on the question. Several years ago Mike remodeled six) 40’x400’ broiler houses to company specs including insulating the north side of the houses and adding insulated curtains to the south side. Fan power was increased to create a system capable of generating wind speeds of 550 feet per minute. Performance was excellent and his farm’s closeouts routinely ranked at the top. Last year Mike built two new 55’ x 600’ drop-ceiling houses. These houses feature improved side and ceiling insulation, energy efficient 52” Windstorm fans, Gro40 brooders and Tego tunnel doors. The wind speed in the new houses was calculated at 700 fpm. The first group was placed in these houses in February and the performance and energy use was excellent. The real test came this summer. A flock was placed on June 22. For the next six weeks the area experienced very hot and humid weather with temperatures staying in the 90s and moving into the 100s on a few occasions - the kind of weather that hurts bird performance and causes mortality to increase. The flock was caught and processed on August 2. Mike is on a competitive contract with Tyson so his performance is compared with other farms for the same week. These were excellent results especially considering that was an averaged total, (with 141,000 of the birds coming from the old houses and only 96,800 caught out of the newer houses with improved ventilation). Birds from the new house averaged 4.08 lbs. vs. 3.81 lbs. from the older houses. We would expect similar differences in Feed Conversion and Average Daily Gain. Another thing to consider is these are small birds... big 8 lb.+ birds would benefit even more from increased air speeds in the 700 fpm range. This winter is the time to take a look at retro fitting your existing ventilation system, especially if you have or are switching to big birds. Put a call in now to your local Georgia Poultry sales rep. They’ll visit your farm and help you put the cost of the retro together... it will pay big dividends in the heat next summer and put money back in your pocket.

Last year the Midwest received an abnormal amount of snowfall and rain along with strong winds. The wind piled ice and snow in large drifts on the barns roofs that exceeded the rafters designed load.

Number 1 rule to protect your buildings during the upcoming winter season? PROMPTLY REMOVE THE SNOW AND ICE FROM YOUR BUILDINGS!

A rafter that has a 25 lb snow load is overloaded with only 15 inches of wet/heavy snow or 5 ½” of ice.   Even a snowfall of only a couple inches can cause problems because of drifting snow.  It cannot be stressed enough, remove all snow from roofs immediately to prevent an accumulation that may cause roofs to fail.

In addition to removing the snow and ice promptly you can also protect your building’s roofs by following the guidelines below before the winter season.

Check List and Winter Inspection for Swine Facilities

(A)   Check to see that all trusses are in plane (sitting vertical and not leaning or out of square to the connected walls and lateral braces) and that there are no bowed or broken trusses.

(B)   Check to see that all metal plates are intact and that they do not show any signs of stress (cracks, twisting, or pulling away from the lumber).

(C)   Check to see that all web members are not bowed or broken.

(D)   Make sure that all lateral braces are intact and are not loose and that nails have not pulled away.

(E)    Select areas in the building and rake the insulation back and check the bottom cord lateral braces and make sure that they are intact.

(F)    Look for areas in the barn and attic that may show moisture (inspect ceiling insulation for evidence of roof leaks).

(G)  Check ridge caps and eave inlets for missing closure strips (it is crucial that buildings do not accumulate any snow in the attic).  Close any summer air inlet doors.

(H)  Keep snow from drifting up against the sidewalls of the buildings.

(I)     Remove snow promptly from roofs.

(J)     Do not pile snow under or by eave.

(K)   Check gable end where fans are hung for pulled or broken boards.

As the swine industry searches for alternatives to stall gestation, another option has emerged and is in the process of being refined.  Stanchion Housing refers to short stall-like dividers that are added to open pen gestation to separate and protect the animals as they are fed.  It is a refinement over traditional open pens where sow are fed on the floor and group size must be limited to reduce fighting.

To date all the systems have been designed with standard gestation stalls in which the sows are weaned and remain until they are bred and preg checked.  Typically this would be about a 45 day inventory of the total sow numbers.

Looking at the total number of animals in a breeding group, a decision can be made on total numbers of sows per pen.  Current stanchion systems range from 10 head per pen all the way up to over a hundred.  Many producers choose to break a farrowing group into two or three different pens as this allows for grading and sorting weaned animals by body score.  Placing sows in similar groups reduces fighting and allows for uniform feeding.

After total number of sows per pen is determined, the next design consideration is the amount of square footage per animal.  Current EU welfare regulations require 24 sq ft. and some producers have chosen to follow that guideline, but systems exist that range from this level all the way down to 17 sq ft./sow.

Two critical design elements have proved themselves in the existing layouts.  First, long narrow pens are preferred as this prevents a boss sow from blocking feed stanchions.  The second design feature is placing the stanchions head to head in the center of the pen rather than placing them along the alleys.  Because the stanchions are not in the alleys, the sows can be viewed from the rear during feeding for problems.  It also allows for easier animal movement in and out of the pens as the gates are not part of the stanchions.  In addition, the number of feed lines needed is reduced.

The first stanchion systems featured trickle feed equipment where the feed slowly dribbled in front of the sows at meal time, the idea being a slow placement of feed in front of the sows would hold them in the stalls and prevent boss sows from “wolfing down” their feed and moving up and down the line stealing feed.    In practice, the additional cost and upkeep of a trickle system did not justify its use and has been omitted on new installations.   Current systems use standard feed drops that dump the entire ration into stainless steel troughs or on a solid concrete floor.

Equipment used in a head-to-head layout consists of stanchions that are 40” tall and 19” long.  These dimensions protect the face and ears of the individual sow from aggressive pen mates.  Ideal width has been determined to be 20” as this prevents other sows from crowding in to steal feed.   Early systems used solid dividers; as we gained more experience with head-to-head systems,  the use of open dividers was adopted.   The Hog Slat equipment used to configure this layout is an adaption of our standard gestation stall which has been used throughout the industry for over 30 years.  The stanchions are constructed of solid horizontal rods with angle top and bottom rails, the entire unit bolts together with galvanized floor spacers and double top spacers for added stability. This style of stanchion fits completely with the standard 40” gestation penning used in the rest of the pen layout.   The result is a well-designed system that goes together without a great deal of “field fabrication”. AquaChief cup waterers are added at the rate of one per 11 animals to provide fresh water.

Many of the stanchion systems are remodels, the layout of which has to be adapted to existing slat /solid configurations. If building new projects most producers opt for using total slats as this allows for more flexibility in the event of changes in the welfare regulations.

Stanchion systems require a high degree of stockmanship to operate successfully.  Boss sows must be culled ruthlessly and individual care of animals is more difficult than standard stall systems.  However, for many production systems, stanchions are a better alternative than Electronic Sow Feeding. Stanchions allow group housings of animals without the costs and high maintenance associated with ESF stations.

For more information please contact your local Hog Slat rep or contact us by email at frichards@hogslat.com.

Every now and then we stumble across a product or idea from another industry that we can adapt for use in the swine and poultry business.  Chorelite boots are one such product.

Designed for use as a deck boot in the off-shore fishing industry, it’s a unique product with features that will benefit swine producers and poultry growers as a chore boot for use inside of confinement buildings.

The first thing you will notice about the Chorelite is how extremely lightweight it is.  The Chorelite boot is constructed of EVA expanded rubber (similar to the material used in Crocs™ sandals) to create a lightweight but durable boot.

To give you an idea of how lightweight the Chorelite boot is; a typical rubber chore -type boot weights about 2 ½ lbs.  Contrast that to the Chorelite that weighs in at only 10 ozs.!! Less weight equals less fatigue at the end of the day.

The Chorelite boot’s one-piece, molded construction means there are no seams to separate and leak.   The bottom tread is designed to be non-slip (remember the off-shore deck boot?) without being too deep preventing large amounts of muck from accumulating.

You will also notice the Chorelite boot is unlined making them easy to clean and disinfect.  You can wash them up, dunk them in a bucket of disinfectant and hang them upside down to dry.  They will be ready next time you walk back in the barn

When we first received the boots we were skeptical about their durability because they were so lightweight.   We put 10 pairs on the personnel of a local sow farm last July.   In six months of daily use they reported no tears or punctures in the boots…no leaks…..and the tread wear was excellent.

Now don’t get us wrong, even though we introduced this product during the winter, this boot wasn’t designed to keep anybody’s feet warm.  This is un-insulated boot for use inside of a confinement hog barn or chicken house. It is water-proof, lightweight and easy to keep clean.

To order click on http://hogslat.com/chorelite-boot or stop in at your local Hog Slat or Georgia Poultry store and try a pair on for yourself.

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.

I have sold or been involved with swine concrete slats for over 30 years.  For the last 18 of those years I have represented Hog Slat products.  I believe that our slats are the best in the industry and have the most consistent quality. But new slats all look good when they are getting unloaded off the delivery truck. What about when they are 5 years or 10 years or even older?

Last week I was at  Hog Slat’s production plant in Humboldt, Iowa taking pictures of slats.  The plant manager, Dave Shiflett said “You want to see some old slats that we pulled out of a barn recently?”

“Sure”

So we go out behind the plant and he explained that we were called in to replace some slats from local production site.  This particular site was built in 1994. One barn has slats produced by Hog Slat and the other barn has slats from a competitor.

Comparing slats

He said “The slat on the left is a Hog Slat slat and the one on the right is from the competitor.  Notice the difference in surface wear on each slat.  The competitor’s slat has rock showing because the top surface has been eaten or worn away.  I grabbed our slat out of the other building that they were not replacing for comparison.”

“Interesting, but they’re not from the same building”

“No but same site which means same water, same feed and same management.  Pretty good comparison of 17 years old slats I would say”

So we started talking about the reasons for the better wear on the Hog Slat product.

Dave said “It’s the denser concrete we use in our mix.  Everybody that has ever poured any concrete knows the less water you use in mixing concrete, the harder, stronger concrete you get.  The standard mix is a 4” slump, which you have to use to be able to place and screed the concrete in the form.  We use a ZERO SLUMP mix in our slats. Let me show you what I mean inside.”

So we go inside and Dave has slump cone in which he places some of our concrete mix and pulls the cone. He adds water to an additional batch to represent a standard 4” concrete mix.

concrete slump

“Note how the concrete mix on the right has sagged down 4” vs. the zero slump concrete on the right? All the rest of the slat manufacturers have to use a wetter mixture because they don’t have equipment that allows them to work a drier mix. Like I said earlier less water means a stronger, denser concrete that wears better and holds up longer in the barns.”

As the industry’s production buildings get older this comparison bears keeping in mind.  Most new slats look the same when they are placed in the barn and you really can’t tell the difference from the outside. Buying slats for a new building or replacements in an existing structure is an important decision that producers should take under careful consideration.  Looking at 17 year old slats is a chance to get some valuable insight that may help with that decision.