Tips on Hospital Pen Management
UK - The purpose of a hospital pen on the pig farm, as its name implies, is to provide a comfortable environment in which to treat ill pigs and give them a good chance of recovery, says ACMC veterinary consultant, Paul Thompson.
3 April 2014
2 minute read
Pigs with no hope of recovery should not enter the pen but instead be euthanased humanely.
He says the commonest concerns seen on the farm are:
- Pens which contain too many recovered pigs. These animals should be moved on into recovery pens to give fresh cases adequate feed, water and space.
- Pens where there is no system of tracking the time pigs have spent in the pen —they need regular reassessment, or euthanasia, if not making progress.
- Continued occupancy without cleaning and disinfection. These are the most contaminated pens on the farm so need regular cleaning!
