Aiming for more milk and heavier pigs

摘要

There is considerable interest in Northern Ireland at the moment in ad limb feeding of dry sows. The idea is to feed a cheaper, bulkier ration, so the sow gets used to taking in large amounts, and produces more milk when suckling. Last month we looked at the new grower container from Portapig in Northern Ireland. The first pigs are now well on their way through without any problems and growing like mad. Visiting the farm of Ian Heatherington at Omagh showed again how the farmers here are personallyinvolved on their unit. Ian has 350 sows progeny to 75 dead and only has his wife and another lady to help. Anything that makes life easier or the unit more efficient to manage is looked at seriously and money spent where necessary. Apart from the problem of not being able to find labour, Ian is having to pay 92 pound for wheat and 84 pound a tonne for barley... and here we are struggling to get 60 pound for barley.