Fall is here and winter is just around the corner– is your barn ready?
Prepare for fall and winter by utilizing our Fall Checklist.
Disease pressure will likely increase this winter, so please ask your SVC Veterinarian about auditing the biosecurity of your farm to keep disease out!
Pit pumping safety
Harvest is officially underway and ground is rapidly becoming available for nutrient application. With pit pumping season commencing, people and animal safety is top priority. According to the U of MN Extension, there are 4 key principles to focus on during pumping to keep you and your animals safe:
- Extinguish– Extinguish any pilot lights or ignition sources and ensure power is turned off to anything that is not controlling ventilation to reduce the risk of flash fires. It is also a best practice not to smoke around barns during pumping.
- Evacuate– All people must be removed from the barn prior to pumping and agitation of a deep pitted barn. Pumping and agitation releases gasses (Hydrogen Sulfide, Methane, Carbon Dioxide and Ammonia being the most common) that are toxic and deadly to both people and pigs at certain concentrations.
- Awareness/Signage– Communicate with those accessing the site and place signs in front of barn entrance points when agitation or manure removal is occurring.
- Ventilation– Ventilation will need to be managed properly to provide fresh air to the pigs and remove deadly gasses but also minimize chilling the pigs and causing health concerns.
Reminder: When pumping is complete, it is a great time to add Pit Crew to help break down solids. Please work with your SVC Veterinarian to fine tune these plans for your barn(s) this fall.
SVC Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM
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