Keeping pigs on a deep bed is a very convenient and economical way. But Netto Plast invites all farmers to step further by using new technologies, namely permanent flooring. This is an innovative product of modern agriculture, which allows raising animals without removing manure. Yes, yes, you were not mistaken in reading this sentence. This is exactly the role of the pig litter disinfectant. Saving time, money, and many more advantages - let's talk about this just now.
Fermentation litter consists of lactic acid and photosynthetic safe bacteria that break down animal waste . In general, this principle of operation can be compared with the work of bio-toilets. All you need to do is cover the base layer and sprinkle it with beneficial bacteria. Voila - always a clean, odorless pigsty, dry, warm and comfortable for animals - a real find in pig breeding!
Of course, those who first hear about such material have more questions than answers. For example, how can bacteria break down manure? Does this affect the condition of the pigs? We will answer right away - the additive looks like ordinary sand or fine shavings. There is nothing else special about it. The fermentation process takes place in deep layers, not on the surface.
Operating principle
If you are worried about whether this bedding poses a threat to animals, then we can safely say no. Many farmers and owners of not only pigs, but also other domestic animals can already confirm this. Its principle of action is based on a constant organic reaction. Due to the active action of bacteria, the waste products of the animal instantly cause the fermentation process. As a result, there is no smell, no waste itself, as mentioned in the video.
The very process of fermentation, that is, the breakdown of biological waste from pigs, takes place inside such a nano bed. The surface remains clean and dry. Moreover, heat is generated due to the origin of the constant reaction. In the depths of the material, the temperature reaches about 40 degrees. However, on the surface it is about 20-30 degrees. This allows you to keep an acceptable temperature in the room for keeping, even in winter.
All pluses:
- one thick covering layer is enough for about 4-5 years;
- significant savings in time and effort for cleaning a large pigsty;
- manure dissolves completely in the litter in about a day;
- no smell, slurry, dirty areas;
- reduces the need for heating animals;
- allows to reduce the incidence and mortality of piglets;
- live microorganisms displace pathogenic flora;
- such bedding in a pigsty is a safe and absolutely pure natural material;
- reduction of the labor force several times;
- prevention of many viral diseases in pigs (dysentery, E. coli, etc.);
- reduction of emission of harmful ammonia into the atmosphere and pollution of groundwater from manure.
Bacteria and their types
Bed litter bacteria make the work of livestock farmers much easier . Moreover, they are absolutely safe for the pigs themselves. By breaking down waste products, they help to keep the bio-cake clean. These microscopic laborers were obtained in scientific laboratories. According to the principle of operation of these unicellular organisms, they can be compared with yeast, only the former absorb not sugar, but urea and manure.
A member of the GEOTECH TD channel will share her opinion on the domestic drug AgroBriz. Why she liked the warm fermentation bed - see below.
Rules for keeping pigs on a litter
The use of fermentation bedding has been driven by the use of the so-called deep bedding bed in the home and farm. But she had much less pluses. Everything also had to be cleaned from time to time, the smell did not go anywhere, and so on. Another thing is a new development, which is successfully implemented by a drug, for example, such as Netto Plast. However, it is worth knowing a few rules for its application.
So, first, the pigsty needs to be thoroughly cleaned of all old debris, disinfected and re-whitewashed. Then you need to lay the first layer: cover it with dry earth or sawdust mixed with straw. Only then can the fermentation material be laid down and the animals can be launched.
As a rule, bio-litter is poured onto the straw, but it can also be mixed with a sawdust base. It is best to apply it at a temperature of zero or two degrees.
If such bedding is safe for piglets, then there is nothing to be afraid of for adult animals. The drug will also not harm them. As for the consumption, as a rule, 1 kg of the product is enough to process 200 squares. On average, an adult pig is counted on 5 grams of the drug per 1 sq. m. So the consumption is not very high, considering how such a bedding can save time and effort.
Timely cleaning
It is very important to remove waste material on time in order to preserve the health and welfare of animals. It is easy to recognize its end of life. At this time, it becomes dark, almost black, poorly removes slurry and feces, does not absorb the smell of manure, that is, a smell appears. Another important point is temperature. At the end of the shelf life, the deep bedding becomes practically the same as the ambient temperature.
Can it be used as compost?
Since only organic compounds are used in the basis of the preparations and natural reactions occur, the layer of manure can be used as fertilizer. Of course, the quality of the compost depends on the feed and the dry matter content. Subject to all conditions for keeping pigs, the fertilizer is of high quality. At the same time, as practice shows, it can be stored much longer than ordinary manure.
Where can I buy?
Such non-replaceable beddingand at the moment it is sold mainly on the Internet. There are both overseas brands and locally produced drugs such as Nettoplast... And in Ukraine there is an alternative to it Biohlev. Domestic bacteria come out a little cheaper, and the result is promising no worse. See in the gallery what types of drugs of local and foreign production can now be found on the market.
You can buy here:
In order for the litter, namely the bacteria for the pigsty, to fully fulfill its functions, it is necessary to follow some rules. Based on the opinion of experts, the following nuances can be distinguished:
- The height of the layer of material should depend on the design of the barn and floor, as well as on the number of animals. On average, as they say in the reviews, this indicator should be in the region of 40-70 cm.
- In order to avoid heat loss in the pigsty and in particular in the pen, there must be a concrete insulated floor. If the floor is, for example, earthen, then the litter layer increases by 10-15 cm.
- The minimum area per pig on the fermentation bed should be 1 - 1.2 sq. meter, as in the video.
Video «Chinese fermentation bed»
From the following news story you can find out how our Russian farmers are introducing Chinese technology into practice, namely a special biomaterial for the decomposition of waste for pigs. The farmer himself will tell about this.
Traditional litter for pigs is a heap of natural materials (sawdust, shavings, wood chips or straw) and is used to warm animals and absorb their waste products. Alas, this bedding has to be changed often, and this is an additional cost and labor cost.
Fortunately, innovative technologies have progressed far ahead, offering such innovations as non-replaceable bacteria-laden pig bedding that allows livestock to be raised without dung. In addition, fermentation bedding for pigs, the price of which is about 4000-5000 rubles per 1 kg (per 20 sq. M.), Will significantly save on electricity and costs for animal maintenance.
In order to properly lay the bedding, you need to follow a series of steps:
- Initially, clean out old debris from the pigsty, disinfect it and re-whitewash the room.
- Cover the floor with a layer of earth or a mixture of sawdust and straw.
- Mix new, clean and dry bedding (sawdust, shavings or straw) with bacteria and cover the entire area with a thick layer. Only then can the animals be launched.
The bacterial pig floor will provide animals with a comfortable environment similar to their natural habitat. The principle of operation of the enzymatic bedding is similar in its action to the operation of a dry closet.
Lactic acid and photosynthetic bacteria are launched into a clean, dry layer of sawdust, which absorb animal waste, while generating heat.
Natural bio-litter for pigs, which is worth buying for every farmer, will allow you to keep the pigsty always warm, clean and dry, without insects and unpleasant odors.
To make litter, special pig enzymes are used, which are mixed with any litter material (straw, sawdust or shavings). The bacteria begin to absorb the waste products of the pigs (urine and manure), while releasing heat. So, for example, at an outside temperature of minus 20 degrees, the temperature on the litter surface will vary from +5 to + 15 ° C. Having decided to buy a litter disinfector for pigs, you can provide pigs with warmth when minimum costs for heating.
It should be noted that the maintenance of deep bedding requires certain conditions. Having decided to buy floors for pigs, it is necessary to fulfill the requirements for their maintenance, and the pigsty will be provided with a reliable and warm bedding that will last up to 5 years without replacement.
Features of the use of premises with enzyme bedding
To use the enzyme bedding you need:
- equip the pigsty with good ventilation to remove excess moisture;
- the premises for keeping animals must be sufficiently sealed, without gaping crevices and drafts;
- in winter, carefully monitor the drinkers, as the water in them can freeze;
- the feed base for pigs should consist of those with a high fiber content (this will improve fermentation and enhance heat exchange processes).
If a farmer hears about enzyme bedding for the first time, and he logically has a number of questions, do not worry: deep bedding for pigs is absolutely harmless. Such a litter looks like ordinary (shavings or sawdust), only bacteria live inside it. All processes of waste splitting take place in the lower layers of the litter material, without causing any harm to animals, and in no way affecting their vital activity and functions.
Additional advantages of the system
Enzyme litter for pigs has a number of positive aspects:
Obviously, litter for pigs with bacteria, which every farmer can afford, will significantly reduce the cost of keeping animals and increase profits several times.
Methods for keeping pigs on an enzyme bed
There are two ways of keeping pigs on an enzyme bed:
- pasture or walking;
- walk-free or stall-free.
Both options for keeping animals have their own subtleties and nuances, observing which, you can minimize costs and provide the pigs with comfortable conditions.
Pasture method
The pasture method of keeping pigs is well suited for summer time. It is worth noting that for walking, it is necessary to form pigs into a herd, and the animals must be of the same sex and age. Otherwise, the adults will trample the young.
This method is considered one of the most popular and widely practiced, which can be applied at any stage of growing. In large subsidiary farms, free-range pigs are put on automation, using dry compound feed. Also, animals should have free access to clean water.
Vacation-free method
The passless method of keeping pigs is most often practiced in winter.
The air for keeping pigs should be dry and well ventilated - this is good for animal reproduction and maintains a good litter microclimate. Natural deep bedding for pigs, which is necessary for every subsidiary farm, will provide the pigsty with a comfortable thermal regime. But it is also necessary to equip the room with good ventilation, otherwise the accumulated moisture can provoke diseases in animals and reduce their performance.
A pig hangar can be built from a lightweight frame and covered with a tarpaulin - that's enough.
The warmth from the litter will keep the pigs comfortable and prevent them from freezing.
Another good thing about this design is that it can be easily reduced or expanded, depending on the number of animals. As you can see, a high-quality enzymatic bedding for pigs, which will not be expensive to buy, will significantly save money on equipment for the premises.
Features of caring for piglets
Newly born piglets require special care. The temperature for optimal maintenance of the sow should be within 15-20 ° С, piglets in the first days - 27-30 ° С and piglets before weaning - 22-24 ° С. How to provide a comfortable temperature regime for all inhabitants in one room? This function is perfectly handled by a litter for piglets, equipped with a special heating mat.
Special heated piglet mats will create comfortable temperature conditions for all animals of different ages within the same pigsty.
Pig keeping technologies are improving every year, new techniques appear that can simplify and minimize costs and physical work. One of these is the keeping of pigs on deep bedding. What this technology is, how to apply it, what pros and cons it has, you can learn from this article.
Features of technology on deep litter
For the formation of the litter, special bacteria are used, for example, "Vodogray". The bacteria are mixed with straw and sawdust. Dung, urine and this mixture are processed by bacteria, which in turn generate heat. So inside the litter, the temperature can reach +40 degrees. In winter, in an unheated pigsty, the temperature of the lower litter layer reaches + 5 - +15 degrees. It turns out that an unheated pigsty, but with a good ventilation system, will be suitable for comfortable keeping pigs. Ventilation is necessary to extract excess moisture from the room.
Considerations when using deep bedding
The pigsty room should not have cracks, so drafts can be avoided. Carefully monitor the drinking bowls, the water in them may freeze. The fodder base consists of a dry mixture, which is used during normal feeding, but the fiber should be 40-50% more. A compound feed with a high fiber content enhances the fermentation process in the large intestine, and is responsible for the heat exchange process.
System advantages
The main advantages of keeping pigs on deep litter include:
- Profitability. Heating costs will decrease, heat is obtained as a result of the vital activity of bacteria.
- Simplicity of design. Even ventilation can be made of the most primitive design.
- Availability of use for keeping, both large livestock, and several pigs in a private farm.
- You can assemble a pigsty from light and improvised material or an arched type, covered with an awning.
- It is not necessary to remove manure all the time, since it is completely processed by bacteria.
- The weight gain of pigs kept according to this technology is 70-85 g / day. At the same time, the meat share increases by 3%.
- Due to the high temperature that forms inside the litter, mice and rats do not live in it.
- The automatic feed hopper is easily installed. You can set the feed for 1 time in 7 days and the savings in compound feed at the growing stage reaches 300 g / 1 kg of growth.
- You do not need to think about how to cleanse the air from ammonia vapors that naturally appear after bowel movements. The bacteria inside the litter will work for the manure and urine.
- You need to change the litter every 5 years and can be used as an organic fertilizer in a finished form. Since simple manure depletes the earth, and on the contrary saturates it with humus.
- The air in the pigsty is always fresh and the pigs do not get dirty with manure.
The specialist tells in more detail about the advantages in the video:
There are only two drawbacks to this content: the first is the litter sooner or later will have to be changed, and this will take a lot of time. The second is water in drinking bowls, which quickly freezes in the pigsty at sub-zero temperatures.
- pasture keeping of pigs.
- free-range pig keeping.
Each has its own characteristics and subtleties of content. Let's consider them in more detail.
Pasture way
The free-range method of keeping pigs on deep bedding is considered one of the main and often used. The free-range method is used at any stage of growing. But for such a walk, it is necessary to form herds of the same sex and the same age from pigs. Otherwise, adults can damage the young.
In large subsidiary farms, the feeding of pigs kept in a free-range form on a deep bed is automated and mechanized. So the process will be economical if you use dry combined mixtures. Care must be taken to ensure that the pigs have free access to water at all times. Pig grazing is preferable in the summer.
This method is preferred in winter. The straw for the bedding of the stall method is taken from various cereals. Sawdust, dried with the addition of bacteria - utilizers for poultry and animal droppings.
Stable microclimate must be adequate to maintain good reproductive performance and development. It means dry and ventilated. The accumulation of moisture in the air provokes diseases in pigs, and also increases the chance of their catching cold.
A hangar for keeping pigs can be assembled from a light arched frame, covered with a tarpaulin top. Such designs are also convenient in that you can easily disassemble and move the pigsty without the involvement of specialists. Lightweight pigsties tolerate any low and high temperatures well and are mounted on any kind of soil. There is such a hangar, depending on the area, from 30,000 rubles. The prefabricated structure is easily supplemented with sections and the pigsty, depending on the livestock, can be expanded or reduced.
The equipment in the pigsty should be located optimally conveniently for raising pigs of any production cycle.
Arched hangar for pigs
The method of Canadian content is also called cold. Whether it is suitable for the Russian winter, the disputes of agrarians still do not stop.
Features of Canadian technology:
- Use only tent hangars.
- The bedding is made from straw sawdust and other organic compounds.
- Drinking bowls are installed with special heating, internal with an area of \u200b\u200bfree access to food and water at any time.
- Pigs are divided into small groups according to age and sex.
The litter is initially lined with a thickness of 20 cm, depending on its wetness, a dry layer is poured. Litter at outside temperature in winter -25 degrees, it warms up on the surface up to +15 degrees. The main thing is to avoid drafts.
Canadian pig keeping allows growing more than 100 pigs in a small area. pigs. For example, in a hangar 10X33 m, 150-250 animals can be raised. But at the same time, the animals feel free, walking around the hangar. So the inert and muscular system develops without delay, you increase immunity and fertility. Since the body is hardened upon contact from +15 to -15 degrees.
Canadian technology gives an increase in meat by 500 g / day. The taste characteristics of the meat are not inferior to the village pork.
Canadian technology is used for boars, sows and fattening animals. At the end of fattening, the pigs are cleaned, disinfected and slaughtered. In their place, the next livestock is placed.
Deep bedding price
As we have already said, it is economical to implement the technology in question. Sawdust can be taken free of charge at any woodworking enterprise. The only thing that will be needed is to deliver them to your farm. The straw also needs to be stocked in advance. If this is not possible, then you can buy a bale from 100 rubles, depending on the size.
Bacteria, depending on the manufacturer, cost from 150 rubles / 0.5 liters. This bubble is enough to saturate 3 cubes of sawdust.
It is too early to say whether the technology is good or bad on deep bedding. Time will tell, but this experience should not be neglected.
It has always been considered one of the most expensive branches of agriculture. Building, heating, lighting and maintaining pigsties is expensive, and if you add the cost of preparing feed to this list, it is not surprising that many owners of small farms immediately refuse to breed these animals.
Nevertheless, one cannot fail to note the fact that new, modern technologies for raising pigs are improving every year, and the emergence of new techniques can significantly reduce the necessary material and physical costs. One of these modernized options is the use of bacterial deep bedding for pigs, which has a number of undeniable advantages. We will talk further about what this technology is and what you should pay attention to when setting up a pigsty.
Features of keeping pigs on a deep litter
The content of pigs on straw bed - relatively new technologywhich came to us from Canada, Europe and Asia. At different times it was called differently (for example, "Canadian technology for raising pigs" or "fermentation bedding"), but its essence is the same: the animals are on straw bedding and, to improve the overall performance, special bacteria are added to the materials (biological products) for processing.
Did you know? The most common variant of the mentioned dietary supplements is "Vodograi + clean barn", under the influence of which manure is utilized and does not need to be removed, even the smell disappears.
The use of deep bedding contributes to an increase in the profitability of pig breeding and a decrease in the material base. Thanks to bacteria in the litter for pigs, you not only can not clean the pigsty, but also provide your animals with good warming material, since the processing of urine and manure releases quite a lot of heat (inside the litter the temperature reaches +40 ° C).
It is very beneficial to use such a bedding during the winter, especially if the pigsty is not heated.The temperature of the bottom layer of the flooring calmly reaches + 5-15 ° C even in frosts, which means that even in an unheated room with a good ventilation system, you can create all conditions for a comfortable keeping for pigs.
The heat generated by the bacteria for the pigsty prevents the spread of insects, rodents and disease-causing bacteria. In short, the savings are visible to the naked eye: labor costs for cleaning and removing manure are significantly reduced, and there is no need to heat the premises in the cold season or spend money on treating pigs, which would otherwise be sick much more often. But this is not the whole list of the benefits of keeping pigs on deep litter, so we will discuss this issue in more detail below.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of keeping on deep litter
In addition to the aforementioned economy, the technology of raising pigs using deep litter has other advantages, which include:
- simplicity of design (in particular, no complex ventilation system is required);
- availability of use both in conditions of keeping a large number of pigs on farms, and in their breeding in a private farm;
- ease of installation of the structure: the pigsty is assembled from light improvised material, giving it an arched shape and covering it with an awning;
- the weight gain of pigs kept using this technology is 70-85 g / day, and the meat share increases by 3%;
- the possibility of easy installation of the automatic feeding hopper (for example, you can set up the device for feeding once a week, as a result of which the savings in compound feed during the growing process often reaches 300 g / 1 kg of growth);
- no need to clean the air from ammonia vapors that appear along with manure and urine (the bacteria present in the litter themselves do an excellent job with this task);
- versatility and durability of the litter: it is changed every five years, using the old flooring as a fully prepared organic fertilizer (recall that simple manure depletes the soil too much, while, on the contrary, saturates it with humus);
- high level of cleanliness in the pigsty: the air is always fresh, and the pigs do not get dirty with manure.
As for the disadvantages of using deep bedding, and there are disadvantages in any technology, there are very few of them. Firstly, sooner or later the litter will have to be changed, and this process will take a lot of time, and secondly, the cost of bacteria is too expensive for many, which becomes the main reason for looking for alternative options for keeping pigs.
Did you know? The average lifespan of a pig is 15 years.
How to properly equip a pig room
No matter how ideal the new technologies in pig breeding are, it all starts with arranging a dwelling for pigs - a pigsty. It is in this room that the main physiological and production processes of animals take place: preparation for mating and the very mating of sows and boars, preparation and birth of piglets, the entire livestock, fattening of young animals, etc. Therefore, before you start building a pigsty on your site, you should:
- study in detail the possible types of pigsties projects, depending on the expected livestock;
- choose a suitable place for construction;
- develop a construction plan;
- to provide for the rationality of the device of such a room at home.
Important! Pigs are very sensitive to dampness, temperature extremes and drafts, so any room for keeping them should be warm, light and spacious. This result can only be achieved with the help of dense, impenetrable walls, an airtight roof (a warm attic covering is also important), good ventilation and comfortable floors that will provide good drainage of liquid.
Wood is rightfully considered the best material for building a pigsty, because it is a wooden structure that can provide a sufficient amount of heat, dryness and the required air environment. However, if you are going to use modern technology for keeping pigs on deep bedding, you do not need to build any monumental structures. A room made of a metal frame and covered with an awning covering (tarpaulin) will suffice.
Such lightweight structures are very convenient in operation, since they can be installed on any soil and are easily disassembled without the involvement of specialists. In addition, the prefabricated house can be easily supplemented with the required number of sections, which allows expanding the territory depending on the number of heads. However, in this case, the ventilation system of the pigsty and soil drainage play an essential role (concrete floors are completely contraindicated).
Also do not forget about the possibility of water freezing in the drinkers, which must be controlled.It is good if the installed drinkers have a heating system, and the feeders are made in the form of automatically filled bins, to which the pigs can have constant access.
Straw, sawdust, wood chips and other organic materials are perfect for the role of bedding material. Initially, the litter is laid out in a layer of 0.2 m, and as it becomes wet, new material is gradually added.
Important! When using this technology, first of all, the possibility of drafts should be completely excluded, otherwise the pigs will often get sick.
After finishing the feeding period and sending the pigs to the meat processing plant, the hangars are cleaned, disinfected and new bedding is laid, preparing the place for new animals.
It should be noted that, grown in such conditions, it has a high taste, which is very useful for a successful business.
Methods for keeping pigs on deep bedding
There are two main ways of keeping pigs on deep litter: free-range and free-range, which is used slightly less frequently. Many experts believe that it is possible to achieve the most effective results only with the help of the first option of keeping, since, being in a constantly closed space, pigs grow worse and do not gain weight so well. Let's look at each of the methods in more detail.
The free-range method of keeping pigs is used much more often than the free-range method of raising animals, including on deep litter. It is used at any stage of the development of the livestock, but in this case, it will be necessary to form same-sex herds of approximately the same age from pigs. Otherwise, there is a fairly high probability of damage to young animals by older individuals.
For the purpose of walking the animals, open pens or special areas are attached to the premises where they are kept most of the time. Walking is carried out either strictly according to the schedule, or at any convenient time, without limiting this process in any way.
On large farms, where bacteria are used to litter pigs, and the animals themselves are raised in free-range form, their feeding is fully automated and mechanized. This makes the process of keeping livestock very economical, especially when using dry mix mixes.
Important! Be sure to ensure that the pigs have free access to water wherever they are.
The pasture option for keeping animals is more relevant in the summer, although in any case it:- provides environmentally friendly production;
- does not require large financial costs for the purchase of materials (frame-tent structures are relatively inexpensive);
- allows you to get a full-fledged pig farm in a short time (from three to five days);
- will pay for itself in 1-1.5 years;
- provides an average daily weight gain of 750-850 grams;
- does not require large labor and material costs for lighting and heating;
- will allow the pigs to be in a comfortable environment.
The free-range way of keeping pigs is not so attractive for them and is more suitable for the winter season. However, most pig farms, designed for a large number of animals, use this particular option. In pens insulated with straw or sawdust, pigs can stay until the very moment of delivery for meat, without ever having been in the fresh air.
Therefore, in order to maintain good reproductive ability and proper development of individuals in the room, it is necessary to provide an appropriate microclimate: dry and well ventilated. Excessive accumulation of moisture in the air will provoke various diseases in pigs, and also increase the likelihood of colds in animals.
Do not forget about the camp and pasture system, because, despite the fact that this is the most expensive option, in the summer it helps to get more meat without significant material investments. With this type of rearing, piglets are kept in three ways:
- stall-pasture (in winter animals are in semi-open premises, and in summer - in pasture);
- the actual camp and pasture (pigs are housed in mobile camps and as they eat up the grass in one place, the complex moves to another);
- camp-free (animals live in summer camps, but food is brought to them from the fields).
Bacteria That Turn Manure Into Litter: Pros and Cons
When using deep bedding for pigs, you will most likely come across a definition like "net bacterium". First of all, you need to understand that Net Plast is the name of one of the companies that produces biologically active organisms that are capable of processing manure. However, it is worth recognizing the fact that it currently occupies a leading place in this area, and you will be convinced of this when buying such bacteria.
The used flooring is in the form of ordinary fine shavings or sand, and the fermentation process takes place deep in the layers of the litter. The basis of the fermentation mat, recommended for the correct keeping of pigs, consists of photosynthetic and lactic acid bacteria, which are absolutely safe for animals and humans. They are the ones who quickly and efficiently break down waste from pigs.
Globally, deep bedding bacteria, which is often used to comfort pigs and other domestic animals, can be compared to work. The farmer only needs to cover the required layer of cover, and he will always receive a clean room.
Due to the constant passage of appropriate reactions in the deep fermentation bed, heat is generated, which, as we have already said, will help to avoid wasting on heating the room.
To date, there are a number of drugs that are added to pig litter (usually consisting of a mixture of straw, sawdust). At the initial stage, when you have just laid the material on the floor, a large amount of bacteria is added to it, and then a maintenance dose of biologically active organisms is added monthly.
Important! The release of heat that occurs as a result of natural fermentation processes contributes to the less appetite of animals, although they grow much faster, while being distinguished by good health.
Experts advise novice pig breeders to buy a ready-made deep fermentation bed for pigs, since its use has a number of indisputable advantages:
- with proper use, one layer of material with good thickness should be enough for 4-5 years;
- you save time and effort that could be spent on cleaning the pigsty;
- complete breakdown of the waste products of pigs falling on the litter occurs in just a day;
- costs for additional heating of the room are significantly reduced or completely absent;
- the use of bacteria will save you not only from unpleasant odors, but will significantly reduce the number of dirty areas;
- the morbidity and mortality of the livestock is also reduced, which means it can be said with confidence that the litter with bacteria is an excellent preventive measure in terms of preventing the incidence of pigs, including viral diseases;
- the used flooring is a completely natural material, absolutely safe for animal health;
- the level of emission of harmful ammonia into the environment is reduced, and the possibility of contamination of groundwater by means of manure is prevented;
- pigs will not loosen the flooring as they usually do with traditional flooring before the onset of winter cold;
- with such a content, the feed recipe will not differ from the traditional one, except that in the cold months, animals especially need a large amount of retina.
- and finally, the described technology is perfect for both large livestock farms and small pig farms.
Pig breeding refers to high-cost branches of agriculture - electricity, heating, construction of capital pig farms, service personnel, preparation of feed, all this requires significant financial investments, which discourages owners of small farms from breeding pigs.
Permanent litter method in pig production
The essence of the method is mixing litter consisting of straw of various types of cereals with the possible addition of wood shavings, sawdust and other organic materials with special biological products containing coprophagous bacteria.
Coprophagous bacteria utilize feces, urine, due to which there is no very unpleasant odor of secretions in the pigsty, and due to the formation of a microbiological environment during fermentation, heat is released, of the order of plus 40 ° C, which allows you to keep animals in rooms without heating, even in winter. Raising pigs with this method compares favorably with conventional, long-known methods.
Features of the technology of cold keeping on deep non-replaceable bedding in pig breeding
The essence of the method is in mixing organic materials with special biological products
The main features include.
- Pig farming does not require solid buildings. An easily erected, inexpensive room made of a metal frame and an awning covering, with mandatory ventilation, but without drafts, is enough.
- The soil at the site of the pigsty should be well drained, otherwise the thickness of the litter should be increased. Concrete floors are excluded.
- The formation of the litter begins with laying out straw, sawdust on the floor approximately 20 cm thick, a biological product with bacteria is scattered on top. You cannot start laying out in the cold, because to start the fermentation process, you need warmth, at least from 5-10 degrees. As it is moistened and trampled down, the litter is turned up, a fresh layer is added and again sprinkled with a biological product with bacteria. Fermented old bedding is tilted deeply, completely, for drying and ventilation. Optimally increase the thickness of the litter from 50 centimeters to one meter.
- Irreplaceable fermentation litter, even in frosts below minus 30 0 C, is capable of generating heat to the surface from plus 5 degrees, because the fermentation process is accompanied by an active release of heat into the environment. The temperature in the deep layers can reach plus 40 degrees. Complete change of litter before settling a new batch of animals in the barn. With a small number of livestock, it is possible not to change the litter up to a maximum of five years, refreshing and stirring it up, but not desirable for veterinary reasons. In the litter, with excessively prolonged use, shallow tedding, pathogenic bacteria can settle.
- Rodents do not live in an irreplaceable bedding, which is important, because the list of diseases carried by these animals is large.
- Animals in such barns are kept in a free-range way. This method allows the animals to move more, especially on frosty days. For small farms, where it is difficult to form a homogeneous group for fattening, stall or combined housing can be used.
- Groups are formed according to the age and sex principle of selection. It is possible to grow pregnant sows, boars, and single individuals on an irreplaceable bedding. This technology is not suitable for raising newborn piglets and farrowing sows.
Rodents do not live in an irreplaceable bedding, which is important
- Feeding animals only using dry, friable, granular feed. Feed mixtures with a high fiber content, preferably given to animals on frosty days, due to the fermentation that occurs in the large intestine, enhance heat exchange. Bunker-type feeders for auto-drinkers heated for the cold season are located on one of the end sides. This arrangement teaches animals to subdivide feeding, resting and defecation areas.
- At the end of fattening, the entire group of pigs is sent to the meat processing plant.
Technology pros
The biggest advantages include the low cost of construction, the absence of heating costs and a reduction in energy costs. Awning of an arched structure plan is installed and disassembled quickly, with little effort. One employee calmly copes with servicing a livestock of 300 to 1.5 thousand animals. Lack of smell, cleanliness of the premises have a positive effect on the quality of meat, taste, smell of meat.
Straw, sawdust, shavings and other bedding organics are inexpensive. A bale of straw from 100 rubles, sawdust and shavings by agreement with the timber processing enterprise, in practice, they are given free of charge with the condition of collection and self-pickup. Biological product with bacteria - the cost varies, depending on the plant and the country of origin, from about 150 rubles per 0.5 liter. This volume of the preparation is enough for 3-4 cubic meters of primary processing sawdust. Subsequent treatments with bacteria on the litter require a much smaller volume.
One pig per day will require approximately one kilogram of bedding. Old bedding is an excellent fertilizer. Feeding dry food and free access to water also has a number of advantages; there is no need to waste time preparing the food. According to the observations of farmers who use this technology in their farms, dry feed with this content is consumed more economically, and the weight gain is from 100 to 500 grams per individual per day.
Free-range keeping allows animals to move freely, thereby contributing to the development of the skeleton, muscular system, increases fertility and immunity of animals.
The biggest benefits include reduced heating costs
The technology is fully applicable in the southern and central regions of Russia, in the northern regions, additional heating of the pigsty using heating is required, optimally - infrared heating systems, they warm the air well near the floor. There is no need for the removal and disposal of manure, which in its pure form, when applied to the soil, depletes its upper layer, and manure processed by bacteria with other organic matter enriches the soil and serves as an excellent fertilizer.
This technology is perfect for both owners of subsidiary farms, farmers who are taking the first steps in the development of pig breeding, pig farms of small and medium sizes, and for large agricultural complexes. The technology is applicable for breeding cattle and small ruminants, in rabbit breeding, sheep breeding and poultry breeding.