A well-made, clean pig shed is one of the main conditions for the healthy and productive keeping of these animals. Such a structure must be properly planned, have sufficient space, provide for efficient heating and proper ventilation. This will not only ensure the rapid growth of the livestock on the farm, but also greatly simplify the care of the owner. So how to build a barn correctly?
Pigs in a barn
Prepare
All forthcoming work will be much easier and more efficient if, even before they begin, due time is devoted to preparation. At this stage, the main calculations are carried out, the layout of the future building, the amount of material needed, and the clearing of the selected territory. Moreover, work on the project should begin with the calculation of the optimal area for the barn.
Scale
It should be noted right away that the size of the pigsty will directly depend on the number of animals in the herd and on their intended purpose. So, for example, if it is planned to purchase several young pigs for fattening, there will be one area. If the farmer bought a sow with several piglets, then the allocated area will have to be expanded.
Also, when calculating the required scale of development, several nuances should be taken into account:
- several fattening pigs can be kept in one pen. In this case, the area per individual should not be less than 0,9 square meters. m;
- boar and sow is desirable to breed in different sections. Here the minimum size is already 4 square meters. m;
- with constant maintenance, the barn must be equipped with an open corral. When planning it, it is taken into account that for each individual that was purchased for fattening, 1,5 square meters are needed. m.
- the distance between the rows of machines, or machines and the wall, should be at least 1,5 m. This will provide the owner with free movement around the barn and simplify cleaning.
Many developers naively believe that by acquiring the Vietnamese bellied pig breed that is popular today, they will be able to save on space in the barn. But, due to their high activity, they require no less space than larger species for healthy growth and development.
Vietnamese bellied pig breed
Place
After the dimensions of the pigsty have been determined, on their basis the choice of the location of the structure is carried out. To do this, first of all, you should pay attention to the remoteness from other objects. According to the law, the barn must be located at least 4 m from the border with neighbors. The distance from such a building to a residential building must be at least 15 m.
It is also important to take into account the peculiarities of the climate of the region and the relief on the site. The most suitable place for construction is a dry and level hill. Depressions and places where groundwater or sedimentary water constantly accumulate should be avoided. You also need to pay attention to the prevailing wind direction. Even the smallest drafts can make young piglets sick, which will affect their weight and appetite. It is better if the development will be carried out near the forest belt or planting, which will close from cold winds.
Materials
The choice of suitable materials depends on the dimensions of the designed barn and on the financial capabilities of its owner. As a basis for the walls, you can take hardwoods, foam blocks, bricks, natural stone, clay. If it is planned to build stone or brick walls, they can be supplemented from the inside with a layer of board. This will enhance the insulation. Otherwise, you need to buy other heaters, in the role of which foam plastic or mineral wool acts.
For the roof, ordinary slate is suitable. For the floor, it is best to use the usual pouring of cement and sand or brick. The machines inside the barn are constructed from boards, timber. But if available, they can be replaced with a metal grill. Be sure to take care of moisture insulation, which can be provided with the help of roofing material. You also need to pre-assemble or purchase wooden door and window frames.
Wooden door frames
The specific amount of material is strictly individual and is dictated by the previously developed project.
The process of building a shed
If the calculations are over, and all the necessary material is already available, it’s time to move on to the construction of the barn. In this process, it is important to take into account the fact that pigs are by nature dirty tricks. They constantly strive to gnaw, undermine, break something. Therefore, all structural elements must be done conscientiously with a minimum number of seams and weak points.
Foundation
As with the construction of any other building, the construction of a pigsty begins with the formation of a solid foundation. Most often, concrete is used for this purpose, reinforced with reinforcement made of metal wire or reinforcement. Sometimes ready-made reinforced concrete blocks or stone are also used.
During the construction of the foundation part, the following rules should be followed:
- In solid ground, the foundation should go to a depth of at least 0,5 m. For clay or predominantly moist soil, this indicator should correspond to the level of soil freezing in the region.
- The plinth (above-ground part of the base) should rise 20-60 cm above the ground.
- From the top of the basement with a slight slope of concrete, a blind area is poured. Its width should be at least 0,7 m.
- Before pouring the floor and erecting walls, the foundation is covered with a layer of roofing material or roofing felt, which will provide high-quality waterproofing.
Ruberoid
Walls
When choosing a material for walls, special attention is paid to their thermal conductivity. The higher this indicator, the thicker the wall of the building should be. So, masonry made of brick and stone should be two or even three times thicker than wooden structures. To enhance thermal insulation, the inner part of the walls is sheathed with wooden boards. In this case, it is better to take a solid tree, otherwise the pigs will quickly gnaw through it. From above, the wooden surface is additionally plastered and whitewashed with lime.
The outer part of the walls is also subject to insulation. For this purpose, sheets of expanded polystyrene, polystyrene or mineral wool are used. If the insulation is implemented correctly, then even without heating, the temperature in an empty barn will not fall below 0 degrees.
The height of the wall should be at least 2 m. This will facilitate the cleaning and maintenance of animals. In addition, you should not make too large window openings, even in a high barn. Pigs don’t like too much light. It is necessary to place windows at a height of 1,5-1,6 m. At the same time, the box should fit as tightly as possible to the brick or board to avoid drafts.
Потолок
The need for a barn ceiling arises depending on the conditions in which the barn is being built. If in winter the temperature drops only slightly below 0 degrees, you can do without a ceiling. If the temperature drops to -20 and below, it is built without fail.
Mineral wool
The best option would be to organize a ceiling made of wooden boards, on top of which a thick layer of mineral wool is laid. You can also use more expensive concrete slabs. At the same time, the lower part of the ceiling must be whitened with lime, and on the ceiling, in addition to the insulation layer, roofing material is also laid out in sheets.
The roof of the building is formed from slate or any other available roofing material. As for the form, the simplest and most reliable option in this regard will be a shed floor. Above the ceiling, you can organize an attic where feed will be stored. In the ceilings, it is necessary to arrange a hole in advance for the ventilation pipe.
Gender
The construction of the floor in the pigsty should be approached as responsibly as possible. It should have high thermal insulation qualities, but at the same time, be convenient for cleaning. Depending on the material, there are three options for flooring:
- Brick execution. Assumes the most optimal ratio of strength and thermal conductivity. But such an option is quite difficult to build, and at the same time it is not cheap.
- Concrete floor. In terms of durability, it occupies a leading position. But, it keeps heat extremely poorly, which negatively affects the condition of the pigs.
- Wooden construction. The entire plane is lined with thick wooden boards, which are placed end to end. At the same time, for additional insulation, a layer of clay is laid between the lags. This option is quite simple to organize, but its service life is limited.
In the case of concrete designs, a slight slope is made from under the machines to special gutters. They are mounted along the machines to the recesses in which manure will be collected. This will make cleaning much easier.
Arrangement of a pigsty
If the barn is very small, then sometimes a simplified and economical version of the floor is used. The earth in the barn is strongly compacted, and a thick layer of straw or hay is laid on it. Straw can also be replaced with thick wooden pallets. But, it should be remembered that under the action of urea, this flooring quickly becomes unusable, which means that it will constantly need to be changed. In addition, the specific smell will be absorbed into the ground and it is not a fact that ventilation can handle it.
Finishing work
The interior decoration consists of wood paneling, plastering and whitewashing of the walls. The ceiling is easy enough to whitewash. The outer part after insulation can also be plastered and whitewashed. There are no such serious requirements for external structural elements as for internal ones, because pigs will not be able to damage the sheathing or the wall itself here. Therefore, if available, they can be freely sheathed with plasterboard, painted with water-based or any other paint.
Also at this stage, you should take care of the construction of machines in accordance with the layout. Their height must be at least 1,6 m. At the same time, they are made of durable wooden boards or iron bars. The material is fixed on a wooden beam or pipes, which, even at the time of laying the floor, are mounted at the corners of the future section.
Carrying out ventilation
Not only the condition of the animals, but also the health of their owner directly depends on the quality of ventilation in the barn. Large amounts of ammonia are released from pig manure, which at high concentrations can damage the eyes and respiratory tract. Therefore, he must immediately go outside.
Ventilation system
The choice of ventilation system will depend on the size of the barn itself. For a small room for several heads, there will be enough air that enters through the doors and windows. In this case, the roof is equipped with a special pipe that removes the exhaust air masses.
In larger pigsties, especially in the heat of summer, such a scheme will no longer be enough. In this case, supply valves (or small windows) are made along the walls through which air enters. At the same time, fans are installed on opposite walls in the same windows or in the exhaust pipe. They are responsible for the forced extraction of air saturated with ammonia.
In a large barn, holes can be placed along both longitudinal walls of the building. At the same time, a large fan is mounted in the selected transverse wall, which draws air from the entire room. It is much easier to organize such a circuit than to mount a number of small devices.
Lighting
Lighting in a pigsty depends on the purpose for which the animals are raised. For fattening individuals, 8-hour lighting will be sufficient, which is created naturally through window openings. If it is planned to breed a sow with offspring, it is necessary to increase daylight hours to 14-18 hours. And this means that the room will need to be supplemented with lighting fixtures. For small piglets, the brightness of such lamps should be at least 50-100 lux.
But, nevertheless, the main emphasis should be placed on natural lighting. It significantly increases the growth rate of animals, enhances metabolic processes, and promotes more intensive reproduction.
Отопление
As for heating in the barn, it depends on the quality of the wall insulation. If there is enough insulation, and the ventilation is arranged correctly, heating can not be carried out at all. Pigs themselves produce enough heat, and in winter, with moderate frosts, the temperature in the barn will not fall below 20-22 degrees.
Pigs generate enough heat themselves
If there is not enough insulation, a stove should be placed in the pigsty, which is heated by coal or wood. If there are small piglets in the barn at the time of the onset of cold weather, an additional heater lamp should also be installed above their machine. It will provide them with the right temperature during sleep. For especially large structures in regions with long, harsh winters, one furnace will no longer be enough. In this case, you should take care of full gas heating.
Conclusion
A well-made barn in compliance with all these nuances will ensure excellent animal health and a rapid increase in their numbers. In addition, the more thoughtful the structure is, the less worries the owner of the farm has in terms of maintaining the pigs, repairing the building, and cleaning the premises.
