Tube light cleans soup for weaners

摘要

A mixing tank for the preparation of liquid feed on this German rearing unit incorporates an ultra-violet tube to sterilise the surfaces and contents by constant radiation. Liquid feeding of weaned piglets is being applied successfully at a farm in anarea of northern Germany that has the country's highest density of pigs and poultry. Known as the Silicon Valley of animal production in Germany, this area is rich in production sites, equipment manufacturers, feed-mills and meat processing plants. It is also home to a closed system with approximately 2500 sows near the city of Vechta, that has been wet-feeding all the sows and also the weaners for the last 5 years. Seven local farmers run the breeding herd and share the pigs between them for their owngrow-finish farms. To maintain a good level of health, the production units for the sows and weaners are at different locations. The nursery site has used liquid feeding since 1998 with outstanding results. Observed trials between March 1999 and August2001 showed a decrease of weaner losses to only about 1% and a growth rate improved to 430 grams per day in the liveweight period 6-25kg.