Recommended Stocking Rates

In various parts of the world there are recommendations regarding the stocking rates of pigs. This pages illustrates some of these recommendations.

Part or fully slatted houses:  EU recommendations

LIVE WEIGHT	MINIMUM SPACE REQUIRED
kg	m2	sq feet
<10	0.15	1.6
<20	0.20	2.2
<30	0.30	3.2
<50	0.40	4.3
<85	0.55	5.9
<110	0.65	7.0
<110	1.00	1.08

Recommendations AU and US

1. Straw finishing systems recommendations are one 95 kg live-weight to each 1.4 meters square (15 sq foot).
2. A 100 kg pig requires 0.93 meters square (10 sq feet ) to ensure that it does not touch another pig ? a requirement when it is too hot.
3. Finishing pens should not be narrower than 2.5 m width.
4. Ensure pens are not too long and narrow or increases in lameness will occur.
5. More than 60 pigs in a big pen is required to create a tolerant social structure.
6. Area occupied by the pig (meters square) = kW0.67 with k ideally = 0.05.
7. For every 0.1 meters square, reduction of ideal space results in a 5% reduction in feed intake.

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• Individual living accommodation for an adult boar should have a floor area of not less than 7.5 meters square (81 sq ft) EU 6 meters square (64.4 sq ft).
• Pens used for living and service should not be less than 10 meters square (108 sq ft) with the shortest side not less than 2.4 m (8 ft).
• Boar pen divisions should not be less than 1.5 m (4ft 11 in) high.

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1. Total unobstructed floor area after breeding for each gilt to be at least 1.64 meters square.
2. Total unobstructed floor for each sow and gilt in groups to be 2.25 meters square.
3. If gilts or sows are kept in a group of less than 6 space needs to be increased by 10%.
4. If gilts or sows are kept in groups of more than 40 then the space may be decreased by 10%.
5. Total slatted areas are banned with at least 0.95 meters square for gilts and 1.3 meters square for sows to be solid with no more than 15% of the solid area reserved for drainage openings. ? Jan 2003.
6. To maximize estrus detection a floor space of 2.8 meters square (30 sq ft) is recommended.
7. Internal area of a stall or pen not less than the square of the length of the pig (sow 2m long) ? 4 meters square.
8. The internal sides of the pen should measure a minimum of 2.8m in length unless the group is less than 6 individuals when the minimum length will be 2.4m. (However, the free access stall, feeding trough or other intrusions must not be included.)
9. If free access stalls back onto a solid wall: space between back of stall and wall at least length of pig.
10. Free access stalls and back to back with central pen minimum distance between of 3 x length of pig from front of stalls with a 1.5 gap between the ends of the stall.

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• The escape area around a farrowing crate should be 300 mm wide (12 in).
• Heat mat minimum 0.6 meters square (4ftx1.5ft).
• Farrowing arc should have a floor area of 4.5 meters square.

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• 15-25 sows per hectare (6 to 10 per acre).
• 33 Service area, 27 Dry sow, 19 Farrowing per hectare

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• 235 kg/meters square for transport. (This is the EU 95/29 limit for 100 kg pig requirements.)
• 281 kg/meters square is the MLC guideline. A slope of < 20? suggested for loading ramp.

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