Higher Price Housing for Pigs in Holland
NETHERLANDS - A higher-welfare and more sustainable pig house was officially opened by Dutch farming minister Henk Bleker yesterday. It is expensive but pigs grow well in it and their meat should attract a higher-welfare premium.
Think Trowbridge mated with modern BQP finisher.
The new pig house has an extraordinary name — "Starplus *** 4 PPP". The three stars are said to represent the high welfare standards of the barn and the four Ps stand for "People, Planet, Profit and Pigs".
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The house is said to have a good atmosphere and low emissions of ammonia, smell and methane.
It has indoor and outdoor areas, inlets for daylight and a natural ventilation system. The latter two features are designed to reduce energy cost associated with mechanical ventilation and artificial lighting.
Manure is removed continuously to maintain a fresh indoor environment. Most of the manure, together with left-over rooting material, can be used for on-farm energy production.
The house has been developed by a consortium of companies together with Wageningen University Livestock Research. Over the next two years, it will be tested under experimental conditions by Wageningen University, also under practical circumstances at a conventional pig farm.
