Save money by managing water supply for your pigs
Water is one of nature's most precious resources, yet its importance in pig systems can often be undervalued, writes Angela Cliff . Careful management of water supply is essential to operate an efficient pig unit.
Working with my colleagues in AHDB Pork's environment and buildings team, we're keen to highlight this and work with producers to improve not only the quality but also the quantity of water provided to each pig – ensuring that it's getting to the right place, at the right time.
We're well aware that the cost of pig production presents challenges for many producers. That's why it's particularly important that producers are aware of the impacts that an ineffective water system can have on their business operations.
Key areas of water management that producers should be paying particular attention to are minimisation of wasted water and checking the suitability of drinkers, including their height, type, pressure and flow rate.
Ensuring that the right type of drinker is fitted at the right height and that the flow rates remain correct at periods of high demand is essential on all units to ensure all pigs are taking on board enough water, otherwise their feed intakes and growth rates can be reduced.
Ideally, producers should be looking at flow rates of 0.3 litres per minute for newly weaned pigs of 7 to 8kg, for example; ONE to 1.5 litres per minute for pigs above 20kg; and two to four litres per minute for lactating sows. And if they're unsure of how to measure their own flow rates, we've got a simple solution that they can carry out on farm themselves.
Producers should select a drinker that's located well away from the header tank or inlet source. A jug should then be placed under the drinker and the volume of water produced within one minute should be measured. This should be done at a time when other drinkers are in use, otherwise it will not provide a result representative of the pig's experience.
Our environment and buildings team manager, Nigel Penlington, has also emphasised the need to reduce the amount of water wasted because the cost of disposing of waste water is high. This is because wasted water ends up diluting the slurry so farmers have to fund the cost of providing storage and then spreading.
There's also the added consideration of reduced nutrient value. So, if waste water can be minimised, overheads in terms of slurry storage and spreading will additionally reduce.
There is a video demonstrating how to check water flow rates on the AHDB Practical Pig App available at: practicalpig.ahdb.org.uk/wean-to-finish/feed-and-water/checking-water-flow-rates
Angela Cliff is AHDB Pork 's knowledge transfer manager for central England.
