WEDA Dammann & Westerkamp have released a new self-catching pig pen SF3. The self-catching pig housing pens were designed to fulfill the requirements set down in the EU Directive 88/2001 as well as in the ordinance on animal welfare.
Based on a new lever technology, the ergonomic construction principle of this maintenance and wear-free opening and closing system ensures easy release by humans and by animals. For sows, the pen's opening and adjustment of the desired function can accommodate up to 20 sows.
The springless SF System is designed to prevent problems with corrosive part, and the barrier-free locking system is advantageous for animals that can take up their feed in a considerably more relaxed way. After a sow has entered the pen, the mechanism installed inside the trough immediately releases the locking device.
For the animals which follow, the entry into the pen is now barred. The sow inside the pen can release the locking mechanism on her own and then leave the pen. In particular lower ranking sows are considerably less exposed to stress during feed.
The pig pen does not require mechanical suspension and can be employed as a retrofit system for SF1.
