Can sows use a fermentation bed? Key points for use and farrowing precautions

Can sows use a fermentation bed, and what should be noted? What should be noted during farrowing?

Answer: Sows can use a fermentation bed, but it is best to ferment the bedding until mature before introducing the sows. Because sows are heavy, and especially after pregnancy their bellies are large, contact with the bedding is too tight and too dense, which may trigger dermatitis and allergic reactions. Therefore, the bedding must be fermented until mature before the sows are introduced. At the same time, because a single sow pen has too small an area, it is not easy to form a stable bedding micro-ecological balance, so it is best to connect several sow pens into one unit, with the bottoms of the fermentation beds connected, so that the function of the fermentation bed is relatively stable. At the same time, attention must also be paid to dispersing the sows' manure, which cannot be decomposed in too concentrated a manner. For the farrowing room, it is best to still use farrowing crates. First, because sows need to be confined; lying on their sides in contact with the bedding for long periods is not conducive to heat dissipation. Second, because after piglets are born they have umbilical cord wounds, and their skin is also delicate, while sawdust is hard and can easily cause new wounds and lead to infection. Even if a fermentation bed is used in the farrowing pen, it is best to use the limited-pen method to separate the sows from the piglets. The biggest taboo in contact between piglets and sows is the sow's manure. It must be absolutely ensured that piglets do not come into contact with the sow's manure. The manager must, just as in traditional sow raising, promptly clean up the sow's excrement and take care not to let the piglets come into too-close contact with the sow's manure. As for the piglets, it is best to spread an additional thin layer of soft bedding such as rice straw, replacing it once a day; this must be done for the first seven days. After one week they can completely live on the fermentation bed, only the piglets need a fixed warming box made on the fermentation bed, with bedding still underneath the warming box. Practice has proved that this model has many advantages.