25 years of Innov'Space

Discover the selection of the most memorable innovations of the pigs sector from 2005 to 2009.

DELTAVIT - MORTALITY DIAGNOSTIC OF PIGLETS STILL BIRTH (2005) - 2 stars

VETERINARY DIAGNOSIS

The tool 'Deltavit diagnostic of piglets stillbirth' results from the fact that the analysis of some dead piglets is more often disappointing and insufficient.

This tool is destinated to breedings with high mortality rate (more than 18% of total birth) in two days following farrowing.

The objective is to identify real causes of piglets mortality and to organize them into a hierarchy in function of their frequency, in the purpose to have a personal action plan per breedings. The breeder collect dead piglets at birth and during the first two days, on 20 farrowings. Deltavit laboratory gives him a sampling kit which contain: a notice, a registration form, sterile bags, piglets conservation equipment. Once they moved to the laboratory, all the piglets are the subject of a necropsy and a diagnostic. They are classified in ten categories, depending of the characteristics of the lesions observed.

To each category correspond a specific ameliorating action which can be recommended: stillbirth and mummies (preparturient and parturient death), acute disease, overlay (primary), deshydratation / enteritis, wasting, small weak piglets, savaging, deformities, arthropathy / abscess, anaemia, splayleg. Principal causes of mortality revealed, a complete audit report integrating recommendations is sent to the breeder.

So he can make use of actions which will permit him to reduce his piglets looses.

Award-winner's testimony:  Since its Innov'Space prize in 2005, thediagnosis of piglets stillbirthhas involved more than 13,000 autopsies carried out in 230 farms. The results enabled identifying the main causes of stillbirth in each farm in comparison with the laboratory's statistics on the 15 causes listed, on a time scale covering gestation and peripartum.
In collaboration with the University of Newcastle within the framework of the European project Prohealth, the use of these data made it possible to determine 3 categories of farms with high stillbirth rates. In the first category, crushing and wasting disease dominate, with an increased incidence of septicaemia and enteritis. In the second category, asphyxia during parturition and in utero infections are associated. And in the 3rd category, an excessive proportion of non-viable piglets (weight < 800g) and a high prolificity in the summer season are observed.
Thanks to this tool, farmers, with the support of their veterinarian or technician, have been able to target effectively preventive measures to improve the viability of newborn piglets.

I-TEK - EXA + (2005) - 3 stars

Concept of farm building

The concept EXA+ is a concept where everything is thought around ventilation. 

The independant inlets air room by room are directly made outside and at the base of the building. Consequently, there's no useless drop in pressure and no air flow competition between rooms. This good control of air entering offers also the possibility to have fresh air in summer time (4 to 5°C less compared to a traditionnal system with roof ventilation) and in winter time it is easier to keep temperatures. Then the air is distributed homogeneously in the rooms thanks to the ventilation posts Exatop automatically regulated as regards to the air flow. The advantages of the system are: keeping the same level of depressure in rooms, the homogeneous air renewing from on side to the other side of the room, constant air speed at the outlet of Exatop. The extraction of the vitiated air can be done at the end of the inlet air corridor (post-weaning, finishing pigs) or under full floor (pregnant sows...). Therefore there's no ventilation box in rooms. Everything happen under the slats. It is only necessary to make openings in the concrete bass walls. Thus all outlets air are centralized under the central corridor, it is then easy to make an air treatment system to reduce odor emissions and eventually to get back calories for preheating the air. Last detail which perfect the EXA+ concept is the SECURILIS' system.

ASSERVA - SELFI-FEEDER (2009) - 1 star

Feeder

ASSERVA invented Selfi-feeder. The animals are identified by a microchip. The sows are in loose housing, they have access to a self-service with a large number of troughs. Each trough is equipped with an antenna to recognize each individual animal. Access to self-service is enabled by an automatic sorting if the animal has not consumed its ration. Selfi-feeder controls the number of inbound and outbound sows in the self-service, not to exceed the number of troughs in order to avoid competition. The animal is identified and feed individually. It can eat at its own pace the right type and amount of food planned for him. Selfi-feeder is able to identify and quantify all the troughs at the same time. The removal of animals is controlled and can be used to colour-mark them or other custom actions. Selfi-feeder spares a significant investment of DAC stations and major maintenance. Selfi-feeder reduces the waiting time for the animals feeded. They are more calm. Selfi-feeder runs both dry feed or soup.

MAISON BLEUE - SYSTEME PROLAP (2009) - 3 stars

MANURE SEPARATION

The Systeme Prolap® divides liquid and solid phases underneath the animals with no energy demand, thereby stopping slurry from forming. It is a scraper system which is set in motion 3 to 5 times a day to clear solid waste. It is in the form of a V-shaped slab of pre-cast concrete, which is equipped with a 3 mm drainage slot overhanging a liquid collection channel.

In pig production, it means that solids can be obtained which are 30 % dry matter, as well as a liquid containing 3 % organic material at most. This represents a clear improvement to the farm environment, thanks to a 54 % decrease in the amount of ammonia produced. This helps to create a good parasitic situation, helps pigs to grow better until fattened, and also improves the working conditions of employees (NH3 and odours).

A 2 to 5 % mixture of a structuring component with the solid waste makes composting possible, thereby obtaining a hygienised, standardised, saleable product for soil enrichment or organic fertiliser.

Point of view of the jury: a solution to the environmental issue

Award-winner testimony : Since 2009, several dozens of pig farms have been equipped with this system. Thanks to the Innov’Space award, the sustem have been the subjet of numerous press articles.
In 2019, the PROLAP system has evolved as a two-way scraper: the 2S Scraper. It also received an Innov’Space award at SPACE 2019. Find out more on our website