NEW SOW RESEARCH UNIT
Opened June 2008

The Sow Research Unit houses a 300 sow herd. Opened in July 2008, The 126' x 203' barn includes breeding, gestation, farrowing, gilt development, lab facilities and a small office.

The new Sow Research Unit has five farrowing rooms to accommodate a shift to four week weaning. When the industry was surveyed prior to designing the new barn in Spring 2007 the suggestions to go to four week weaning came from many producers.

Specifications: pen 72" x 108", stall 64" to 76", 12" adjustement in rear crate width.

Farrowing room of 16 crates with semi-automated feeding. Extra wide 6' alley between rows of crates accommodates containers for experimental diets and feed carts as well as weighing, handling and processing activities.

Free access stalls allow sows the option to seek protection of a stall or choose to be part of the group. Two rows of 16 stalls (2 weeks breeding) share the 10' x 35' slatted area between the rows.

Specifications: 80" long x 26" wide