General Information about Pig Farms

Pig farming is a vital part of the global agricultural industry, providing a significant source of protein for human consumption. These farms range from small family-owned operations to large-scale industrial complexes. Modern pig farms are sophisticated facilities that require meticulous management to ensure the health and productivity of the animals. Proper care includes regular feeding, breeding management, and maintaining a clean and disease-free environment. As consumer demand for pork continues to grow, pig farms are increasingly adopting advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and sustainability.


Pig Breeding and Distribution

Pig breeding is a specialized field focusing on the selective reproduction of pigs to improve traits such as growth rate, feed efficiency, and disease resistance. Europe is one of the world's leading regions in pig production, with countries like Spain, Germany, and Denmark being major producers. The European Union has strict regulations governing animal welfare, environmental impact, and food safety, influencing how pig farms operate.

In Europe, the number of pigs varies widely by country. For instance, Spain, the largest producer, has around 30 million pigs, while smaller countries may have significantly fewer. The distribution of pig farms also varies, with some regions specializing in intensive pig farming and others focusing on more extensive, pasture-based systems.

In Romania, pig farming is a crucial sector of agriculture, contributing significantly to the national economy. Romania has seen fluctuations in its pig population over the years, but it remains a vital player in the European pig farming industry. As of recent estimates, Romania has more than 3 million pigs across various farms. These farms range from small family-run operations to larger industrial farms. The country has been working towards modernizing its pig farming practices to meet EU standards, which include stringent requirements for animal welfare, environmental protection, and food safety.

Romania's pig farming industry faces several challenges, including disease outbreaks like African Swine Fever (ASF), which has impacted pig populations and farm operations. Despite these challenges, the sector continues to adapt and evolve, incorporating advanced technologies and better management practices to improve productivity and sustainability.


Problems faced by pig farms related to disinfection and washing

One of the significant challenges pig farms faces is maintaining hygiene and controlling diseases. Pig farms are prone to various infections and diseases that can spread rapidly if proper sanitation is not maintained. The presence of slurry, urine, and other waste products creates an environment where pathogens can thrive, posing severe health risks to both animals and farm workers. Regular washing and disinfection are crucial to prevent disease outbreaks, but these tasks are labor-intensive and require substantial time and effort. Traditional cleaning methods often involve manual labor, which can be inconsistent and inefficient, leading to areas being inadequately cleaned and posing ongoing health risks.


Advantages of Pressure Washing

Pressure washing is a highly effective method for cleaning pig farms. It uses high-pressure water jets to remove dirt, manure, and other debris from surfaces. The advantages of pressure washing include:

  1. Efficiency: It can clean large areas quickly, reducing the time needed for manual scrubbing.
  2. Thoroughness: The high pressure ensures that even hard-to-reach areas are cleaned effectively.
  3. Reduced Labor: It reduces the need for manual labor, lowering labor costs and minimizing worker exposure to harmful substances.
  4. Versatility: Pressure washing can be used on various surfaces, including floors, walls, and equipment.

Disinfection

Disinfecting barns but also vehicles and personnel when they enter and exit a pig farm is crucial for several reasons related to biosecurity, animal health, and overall farm management. Here are the key reasons:

  1. Disease prevention:
    • Biosecurity: Preventing the introduction and spread of infectious diseases is paramount. Diseases such as African Swine Fever (ASF), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), and swine influenza can devastate pig populations.
    • Pathogen control: Vehicles and personnel can carry pathogens, bacteria, viruses, and parasites on their surfaces, clothes, or equipment. Disinfection helps eliminate these potential carriers before they reach the pigs.
  2. Health and welfare of animals:
    • Minimizing stress and mortality: Healthy pigs are less stressed and have lower mortality rates. By preventing disease outbreaks, farms can ensure the well-being of their animals.
    • Improved growth and productivity: Healthy pigs grow better and are more productive, leading to better overall farm performance and profitability.
  3. Economic Impact:
    • Avoiding outbreak costs: Disease outbreaks can lead to massive financial losses due to the cost of treatment, culling of infected animals, and loss of productivity.
    • Market access: Maintaining a disease-free status is essential for market access, especially in international trade, where strict health standards are enforced.
  4. Compliance with regulations:
    • Adherence to standards: Many regions have strict biosecurity regulations that require disinfection protocols for vehicles and personnel. Compliance is necessary to avoid legal repercussions and maintain farm operations.
    • Certification and audits: Farms often need to pass health inspections and audits to obtain certifications that prove they meet industry standards for biosecurity and animal health.

In summary, disinfecting farms, vehicles with the help of disinfection gates and disinfection trolleys is a critical biosecurity measure that protects the health and productivity of the pig farm, ensures compliance with regulations, safeguards economic interests, and maintains the farm’s reputation and operational efficiency. FLEXTIM INDUSTRY offers a lot of equipment specialized in disinfection


Health Risks for Humans and Animals

The waste in pig farms, including slurry, urine, and uneaten feed, creates a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and viruses. Pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) are common in poorly managed environments. Thesepathogens can cause severe illness in pigs, leading to reduced productivity and increased mortality rates.

For humans, exposure to these pathogens can result in serious health issues, including respiratory problems and infections. Farm workers are particularly at risk due to their close contact with animals and their environment. Therefore, maintaining high standards of cleanliness and sanitation is paramount to protecting both animal and human health.


Why Robots are used more nowadays

The adoption of robotics in agriculture is growing rapidly, driven by the need for increased efficiency, labor shortages, and the desire to improve overall farm management. Robots offer numerous benefits:

  1. Consistency: Robots perform tasks with high precision and consistency, ensuring thorough cleaning and sanitation.
  2. Efficiency: They can operate continuously without breaks, significantly increasing productivity.
  3. Safety: Robots reduce human exposure to hazardous conditions, minimizing health risks.
  4. Cost-Effective: Over time, robots can reduce labor costs and improve operational efficiency, providing a good return on investment.

Why Robots are used in particular for Farm Washing

In pig farms, the need for regular and thorough cleaning makes robots particularly valuable. Automated washing robots can handle the labor-intensive task of cleaning and disinfecting pig pens more efficiently and consistently than manual labor. They ensure that all areas are cleaned to the required standards, reducing the risk of disease outbreaks.


EVO Cleaner – impressive Advantages

EVO Cleaner – impressive Advantages Flextim Industry from Timisoara, offers the EVO Cleaner - the advanced autonomous robot designed specifically for cleaning pig farms. The EVO Cleaner provides several advantages:

  1. Autonomous Operation: It can navigate the farm autonomously, avoiding obstacles and ensuring comprehensive coverage.
  2. High Pressure: directs high-pressure water jets in such a way that effectively removes stubborn waste and dirt.
  3. Consistent Performance: delivers consistent, precise cleaning results, ensuring all areas are thoroughly cleaned every time.
  4. Reduced Labor Costs: By automating the cleaning process, it reduces the need for manual labor, leading to significant cost savings.
  5. Enhanced Safety: It minimizes human exposure to potentially harmful pathogens and hazardous cleaning conditions.
  6. Maximum mobility: Accurately washes the floor, walls and ceiling due to its special designed articulations including the “crane” type tower, the telescopic arm, the possible movements in all 3 planes, the nozzle that rotates 360 degrees and 6 degrees of mobility which allows imitating the movements of the human arm.
  7. High autonomy: 30 hours, from rechargeable batteries.
  8. High memory: store up to 500 unique washing programs.
  9. High connectivity: The programs are automatically stored on 3 different storage media: Cloud, internal memory and memory stick and it is equipped with Internet modem (4G).
  10. Degree of protection: IP 67 (waterproof and dustproof). Being battery-operated there is zero risk of electric hazards!

The Need for Disinfection After Washing

While the initial washing with the EVO Cleaner removes visible dirt and manure, it is crucial to follow up with thorough disinfection. Disinfection ensures that any remaining pathogens are eliminated, creating a safe and healthy environment for the pigs. This step is essential to prevent disease outbreaks and ensure the overall health and productivity of the farm.

Effective manure management is integral to maintaining hygiene in pig farms. After washing, it is essential to manage the manure properly to prevent recontamination and prepare for the next cycle of pig rearing.

Flextim Industry specializes in the efficient removal and treatment of manure from pig farms. Our systems can pump manure from the shelter after washing, ensuring that all manure is removed and treated appropriately. Manure agitators breaks up the crusts, mixing the solid with the liquid and so preventing the liquid from creating channels inside the slatted floor and thus evacuating before the solid. Manure separators are used to make a complete slurry treatment plant approved by the European Union, with the capacity to use both the solid fraction (sanitization - compost) and the liquid fraction (drop-drop ferti-irrigation, spray ferti-irrigation) and are designed for maximum exploitation of both solid and liquid separated fractions. This comprehensive approach to waste management, combined with the cleaning capabilities of robots like the EVO Cleaner, ensures a clean and safe environment for pig farming.


Conclusion

The integration of autonomous robots like the EVO Cleaner in pig farms represents a significant advancement in agricultural technology. These robots address the critical need for efficient, consistent, and thorough cleaning, which is essential for maintaining animal health and productivity. With the added benefits of reducing labor costs and enhancing safety, robots are becoming an indispensable tool in modern pig farming.

By adopting these advanced technologies, pig farms can ensure higher standards of hygiene, better disease control, and overall improved farm management.

Flextim Industry’s EVO Cleaner, combined with effective waste and manure management solutions, provides a comprehensive approach to maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in pig farms, setting new standards for the industry.