44 8. The presence of showers in the slurry channel which the pigs can use whenever they like for temperature regulation and other purposes. 9. Communal lying and foraging areas where the pigs can consume natural (and partly medicinal) plant materials according to their own taste and need. The floor is designed to replicate the natural habitat of pigs as closely as possible. Good design, choice of materials and climate should promote optimal hygiene and maximum room for natural behaviour. 10.A pig rearing system where a group of sows give birth to piglets who are reared together throughout their lives as they progress to meat pigs through the various sections of the stalll. The Pig Court in the market The Pig Court concept responds to the market developments and expectations for the Dutch pig sector: 1. Growing attention – also from the government – for careful spatial planning. 2. The desire to shift the focus away from cost price reductions and increases in scale towards opportunities for creating added value within mainstream pig farming by adopting new production methods. 3. The need for many pig farmers to invest in animal welfare and ammonia emission reduction. 4. Growing attention from politicians, society and consumers for animal welfare & health and food security. 5. Need for cost price control. The Pig Court provides an opportunity to blend the farm into the regional environment through the use of specific planting and building frontages that are typical for specific regions in the Netherlands. Due to the modular design, increasing the scale is relatively easy. The Pig Court provides an opportunity for a positioning between mainstream and organic pig farming. Social recognition and appreciation. With the Pig Court the pig farmer opts for an accessible and open farming operation. The Pig Court is inviting and welcoming to visitors. The Pig Court reinstates the pig farmer as a visible link in the production chain. This opens up interesting new opportunities in terms of e.g. marketing of pork, information and education, and revenue-generating spin-offs on the pig farm. The Pig Court can be assimilated into the limited open space in the Netherlands, even in the case of large-scale pig farms. All this promotes a better social recognition and appreciation for the sector. Working conditions. The Pig Court offers healthier and more pleasant working conditions for the pig farmer and his staff due to: a superstructure with natural daylighting, the presence of plants in the stall, the stall design with health & safety-friendly piglet nurseries, the pig showers, the slurry channel with separate manure and urine collection, and the system where the pigs are reared together throughout their lives as they progress through the various sections of the stall. Pagina 48
Pagina 50Heeft u een reisgids, noviafacts of e-onderzoeksrapporten? Gebruik Online Touch: vakblad naar een digitale publicatie omzetten.
519 Lees publicatie 195Home