The Pelletier's 300-sow pig unit in western France.

The family's success story has been widely acknowledged in the local and french farming press - which proved good news for German-based equipment manufacturer Big Dutchman, too.

Paul Pelletier and his sons Vincent and David, own and manage the business - known as Gaec l’Ercault.

It is an innovative enterprise that uses well-proven equipment for their production systems - a factor recognised when the trio were awarded several prizes at the French agricultural trade fair SPACE last year.

Technically Led

The newly restored and refurbished pig business is equipped with technology from the German housing equipment supplier. The entire barn is equipped with Big Dutchman feeding systems and is controlled by the easy-to-use and highly functional Big Dutchman-liquid feeding computer MC 99 NT2.

Big Dutchman's liquid feeding systems are helping to improve efficiency at the Gaec l’Ercault enterprise.

The weaned pigs are fed using the Hydrojet, an accurate and hygienic liquid feeding system.

“If the piglets get used to the liquid feeding system already during the rearing phase, there is almost no additional work to be expected during the finishing phase and a changed eating habit can be compensated without any problems” say the Pelletiers.

The gestating and farrowing houses and the finishing pens are also liquid fed. The rations are mixed and distributed by BD's Hydromix, a sensor-controlled liquid feeding which is fully automatic can prepares a range of diets from a selection of ingredients. The diets are formulated to meet specific requirements of the different classes of pigs to be fed.

They incorporate low-cost by-products to help to reduce feed costs and are prepared according to individual nutrient requirements depending on age, weight or for sows the stage of the breeding cycle.

Environment Control with Foresight

The central exhaust air system is also supplied by Big Dutchman. The sophisticated technology sucks the exhaust air from all compartments into a central channel beneath the floor.

“This technology, already well used in Germany, is the first one to be installed in France.

The first of BD's hi-tech ventilation systems to be installed in France.

"It is very accurate but simple to use. The interior house temperature can be determined within one degree Celsius“, says Martin Grund from Big Dutchman. He says that the advantages of this system impressed the Pelletiers, who also planned their new farm system to accommodate the installation of an exhaust air washer - if required, he adds.

The entire exhaust air system is controlled by the two climate computers MC 135 and MC 235. Both are well-proven technologies: The MC 135 controls the exhaust air removal in each compartment while the MC 235 controls the complete air in the central channel by means of a negative pressure sensor.