Clean and Disinfect pigsty
Cleaning and disinfecting the pigsty every time it is occupied is a considerable effort. However, it is worth using clean stable floors, walls and ceilings, feed systems and partitions - from the farrowing pen to the warming nests to the fattening pig compartments. With suitable equipment and cleaning agents as well as an efficient procedure, the labor costs for pig house cleaning and disinfection remain within limits. In addition, the owner can quickly occupy the stable with the next herd of pigs.
Why it pays off to thoroughly clean and disinfect the pigsty
In some countries, hygiene regulations for pig husbandry stipulate that the vacant stall must be cleaned and disinfected between moving out and restocking. However, the owner should not only clean and disinfect the pigsty because of the legal regulations before moving it in again.
In addition to measures as varied as a quarantine period for new animals and washing hands, cleaning and disinfecting the pigsty in particular makes a decisive contribution to biosecurity – i.e. creating an environment for the animals that reduces the likelihood of diseases. Therefore, a high standard of hygiene in the barn is part of an animal-friendly and economical piglet and pork production.
Tip - advantages of regular cleaning of the pigsty:
- Lower germ pressure leads to fewer diseases in the barnThis means less use of medication and lower veterinary costs - and thus an increase in the contribution margin
- A healthier livestock leads to an overall improvement in animal welfare and higher daily weight gain
- Thorough hygiene is an important part of preventing animal diseases such as African swine fever
How often should the pigsty be cleaned?
How often a barn (or barn area) is cleaned depends on whether it is a waiting, farrowing, rearing or fattening barn. A pigsty can be cleaned most efficiently if it is occupied according to the in-out system. Only when all the animals have been removed from the stall and the stall is empty can cleaning be carried out so thoroughly that chains of infection are broken.
This results in the following cleaning cycle:
The waiting area is cleaned approximately every 115 days, the farrowing area every 32 days, the rearing stall approximately every 50 days and the fattening stall approximately every 90 to 100 days.
Once the herd has left the barn, cleaning work should begin immediately. Waiting times increase the cleaning effort, because fresh, damp dirt can be removed more easily.
Prepare to clean and disinfect the pigsty
Main types of dirt: excrement and dust
In addition to the faeces, the dust mixture of skin, bristles, feed and particles from the litter and the air is the challenge when cleaning the pigsty. The dust covers all surfaces of the pigsty: floor and walls, partitions and gates, supply lines for water and feed, the feeding troughs themselves, ventilation systems and windows.
Like the faeces, this dust is also a breeding ground for fungi, germs and flies. In order to protect people and animals from diseases, especially respiratory diseases, the dust must be removed.
Degree of soiling and need for cleaning in the various areas: fattening and rearing stables as well as the farrowing area
In the fattening stalls, the pollution is at its strongest after a good three months of fattening. This does not mean, however, that the breeder should be less careful when cleaning the rearing stalls.
Even if the last cleaning and disinfection of the "kindergarten" was only a few weeks ago, hygiene and cleanliness are very important here: Piglets are particularly susceptible to diseases because they first have to build up their immune system after birth. In order to thrive, they therefore need a particularly meticulously cleaned environment that has been freed as much as possible of dirt and germs from the previous group of piglets. This is especially true for the farrowing area, where the newborn piglets spend their first few weeks with the sows.
With a well-planned approach and suitable equipment, the stables can be cleaned and disinfected without unnecessary work so that the new herd of pigs has a good start in a clean environment with a low level of germs.
Clean and disinfect pigsty - equipment and cleaning products
Brooms, shovels and wheelbarrows have always been part of cleaning the pigsty. However, the most important device for professional cleaning of pigsties is a modern high-pressure cleaner for efficient wet cleaning of the barn. Whether a mobile or stationary high-pressure cleaner is used depends on the size and general conditions of the business.
For larger barns, it is worth purchasing a stationary high-pressure cleaner. This is permanently installed in an adjoining room of the barn and connected to the individual compartments via lines. There are connection points in the compartments where the high-pressure hose with a lance is attached.
Stationary high-pressure cleaners have the advantage of short set-up times: there is no need to move the device from compartment to compartment. In addition, it does not get in the way when cleaning. In addition, the device cannot introduce any germs into the barn from outside. This danger exists with mobile cleaners that are also used outside the barn, as is still common in smaller farms in particular.
It's Faster with Hot water
In principle, cleaning with cold or hot water high-pressure cleaners is also possible in the pigsty. The hot water high-pressure cleaner has the advantage that the hot water dissolves greasy soiling in particular more quickly and also has a germ-reducing effect.
The hot water from a modern high-pressure cleaner shortens the cleaning time by up to 40 percent. In addition, surfaces cleaned with hot water dry much faster. Follow-up work such as disinfection and repairs can thus begin more quickly. The bottom line is that the hot water high-pressure cleaner saves a lot of time and thus costs due to wages and empty stables.
Advantages of Hot water High-pressure Cleaners
High-pressure cleaners clean even better with hot water at constant pressure. In addition to better results and faster cleaning and drying times, a measurable reduction in germs can be achieved when using hot water high-pressure cleaners. With the help of the steam setting, sensitive surfaces can even be gently cleaned at up to 155 °C. In addition, the devices enable a reduction in the working pressure, the time required and the amount of cleaning agents to be used. Cleaning with hot water offers a number of advantages and various options for optimizing the cleaning process.
Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner
Wet/dry vacuum cleaners are also increasingly being used as an efficient addition to the high-pressure cleaner. These are used to remove liquids or solids. For example, as a first step in cleaning, feed residues can be simply sucked out of the troughs - or cleaning water that has accumulated in the troughs after cleaning the stable can be removed.
The wet/dry vacuum cleaner can also be used to remove dust from the piglets' warm nests.
Sweepers
Sweepers are primarily used outside the stable and help to minimize the germ pressure in the stable. Since germs always penetrate from the outside, it is particularly important to sweep the outside areas - such as paths and courtyards around the barn - thoroughly and regularly. This deprives rodents of the basic feed and thus prevents the introduction of diseases into the stable.
Cleaning supplies
With special, biodegradable cleaning agents, the dirt can be removed not only faster, but also more thoroughly. The surfactants in alkaline cleaning agents or foam cleaning agents dissolve water-insoluble dirt and remove fatty and protein residues from feed and faeces. The cleaning agents can also be used in combination with soaking agents, which also have an alkaline effect.
Procedure for pigsty cleaning and disinfection
Not only the health of the pigs, but also that of the people on the farm should be actively protected. That is why, in addition to full body wash suits and gloves, employees should also wear protective goggles and a face mask when cleaning the pigsty. This allows them to carry out the following work steps with the least possible health impact.
1. Dry clean the pigsty and remove coarse dirt
If possible, all large amounts of loose dirt on the ground - such as faeces and uneaten food - and also light incrustations are mechanically removed with shovels and brooms. This makes subsequent wet cleaning easier: it is more efficient and uses less water.
If the loose dirt is not removed beforehand, the pressure from the high-pressure cleaner will spread it in all directions. This makes cleaning inefficient and unpleasant, since the dirt gets onto surfaces that are already clean and is also sprayed against the worker.
Dry feed residues in the troughs can be quickly removed with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner.
Farrowing pens: remove dust from warm nests
The warm nests of the piglets are vacuumed and freed from dust – also with the wet/dry vacuum cleaner. This is also possible when the nests are still occupied. By extracting the dust, the burden on the respiratory tract and the risk of infections from germs and fungi for the piglets are reduced.
After clearing the compartment, sensitive components such as piglet lamps are cleaned with the wet/dry vacuum before they are dismantled and taken out of the barn to protect them from damage from the high-pressure cleaner.
2. Soak Pigsty
In the next step, the stable is completely soaked in order to loosen heavy incrustations. This procedure has the advantage that the cleaning time is reduced. To ensure that the surfaces do not dry too quickly, the heating and ventilation system are switched off beforehand.
Some barns have sprinkler systems for soaking. Otherwise, the barn can also be moistened with a high-pressure cleaner.
The soaking water should be finely nebulized in the stable so that it can penetrate deep into the dirt. The water is applied at regular intervals for about a day. Too much water at once is to be avoided as large drops easily run off the surface of the dirt.
Soaking agents can also be used, which have an alkaline effect and dissolve faeces and fats more easily.
3. Clean Pigsty with High Pressure
Clean from Bottom to Top
After an appropriate soaking time, the high-pressure cleaner is used. In the pigsty, cleaning with the high-pressure cleaner is usually carried out from bottom to top. The floor comes first, then walls, pen partitions and all surfaces up to the ceiling.
After cleaning the slots of the slatted floors comes the cleaning of the slatted surfaces. In this way, the dirt can drain through the open slots. Then it continues with the walls and partitions up to the ceilings. Finally, everything is rinsed again from top to bottom. All other equipment in the barn is also cleaned at the same time. Feed and drinking water systems receive a special treatment (see below).
In the reverse order - from top to bottom - the dirt from the floor would be sprayed onto the freshly cleaned walls and surface by the water pressure from the high-pressure cleaner, causing additional work.
The use of a flat jet nozzle is recommended. The cleaning is most effective due to the wide jet and from a distance of about 20 to 40 centimetres. The cleaning staff should only use a rotary nozzle – also known as a dirt blaster – for very stubborn dirt and encrusted manure. However, care must be taken to ensure that sensitive surfaces are not damaged.
Use Two-Step Method
The additional use of cleaning agents speeds up cleaning, especially if only cold-water high-pressure cleaners are used.
It is advisable to apply the cleaning agent before the actual cleaning, i.e. proceed in two steps - first apply cleaning agent, then clean with the high-pressure cleaner.
The high-pressure cleaner is also used to apply the cleaning agent: the cleaning agent is ideally applied from the bottom up with a cup foam lance. The cleaning foam is so stable that it sticks and works longer on surfaces. With the foam, the contact time is optimized in contrast to aqueous cleaning solutions and the cleaning effect is increased. Another advantage of cleaning foam: You can see where it was applied.
After the exposure time according to the instructions for use, the second step is thorough cleaning with water.
Special treatment for the feeding systems
The cleaning of the feeding systems and the drinking water supply requires a lot of care, because germs can easily settle here. We recommend cleaning the feeding tubes with a tube cleaning set that is connected to the high-pressure cleaner and effectively cleans the tubes from the inside.
Tip 1 - not too much pressure:
In order to efficiently clean the pigsty, a high flushing capacity is ideal. That means: lots of water and relatively little pressure. This washes away the dirt instead of spraying it in all directions with the waste water.
When purchasing a high-pressure cleaner, the pig farmer should therefore make sure that the pressure can be regulated - preferably not just on the device itself, but with an attachment on the lance. A real help can be high-pressure lances with a pistol, with which the water volume and pressure can be dosed steplessly. This allows the user to easily set the best water pressure in each case.
Tip 2 - do not stop cleaning too early:
A surface can be considered cleaned if the material of the surface is recognizable in terms of its color and structure and the waste water no longer contains any dirt particles.
4. Observe the Drying Time of the Pigsty
The surfaces must be completely dry to disinfect the pigsty. Depending on the season, this can take several days.
The doors of the pigsty are opened to allow the steam to escape. Alternatively, heating and ventilation can be switched on again. Cleaning with hot water shortens the drying time.
The wet/dry vacuum removes water that cannot drain away on its own, for example from drinking troughs and troughs.
Disinfect Pigsty
Cleanliness in the pig pen requires more than just loosening and flushing away dirt. Even if thorough cleaning with the hot water high-pressure cleaner alone makes a significant contribution to hygiene, disinfecting the stables is also recommended.
The first prerequisite for a thorough pigsty disinfection is that all surfaces are thoroughly cleaned. Second, all surfaces must be completely dry after cleaning. If the surfaces are still wet, the water present will lower the concentration of the disinfectant and thus its effectiveness.
What means to disinfect the pigsty?
The selection of the right disinfectant is also crucial. Disinfecting the pigsty with lime is only one (traditional) option. The aim of the disinfection is important: Which germs should be eliminated - fungi, viruses, bacteria? Or is it about eliminating parasites?
All of these goals are important - but no disinfectant can achieve all goals. For this reason and to prevent resistant germs from forming, the disinfectant must be changed regularly and in a targeted manner. Your veterinarian can help you choose the right disinfectant for your farm. It goes without saying that the disinfectant must be officially approved.
Protection of people and animals
Different disinfectants have to be applied one after the other and the surfaces have to dry completely in between. Under no circumstances may the disinfectants be mixed! This could negate their effectiveness or even lead to harmful chemical reactions.
Disinfectants may only be applied by personnel wearing suitable protective equipment. Chemical disinfectants kill living beings and can endanger people and animals if used improperly. For this reason, disinfection may only be carried out when the stable is empty or the agent is approved for use in occupied stables.
Pig barn disinfection: equipment, temperature and drying time
Depending on the equipment in the barn, the disinfectant is applied with a high-pressure cleaner or with a backpack sprayer. You always work from the back of the stall to the front, from the ceiling to the floor. Care must be taken to ensure that all surfaces are completely wetted.
Most agents work reliably at 20 °C (check the manufacturer's information to determine whether this is the case in individual cases). To ensure the right temperature, the heating system should be switched on again before the pigsty is disinfected. The ventilation, on the other hand, should not run during the exposure time.
The waiting time before restocking must be observed in order not to endanger the animals. How many days the waiting time is is stated in the information on the respective disinfectant.
Tip – don’t forget repairs:
In a cleaned barn, areas that need repairing are easy to spot. But even during cleaning, the staff should be on the lookout for it, and the pig farmer should plan repairs in good time.
Small cracks, crevices or holes are breeding grounds for germs and can become gateways for insects and rodents, which in turn can carry pathogens into the stables. In a clean barn, however, the risky areas are quickly repaired. In this way, the time until the next stabling is used optimally.
Suitable Products for your Area of Application
PressurePro foam cleaner, alkaline RM 91 Agri
PressurePro soaking agent, alkaline RM 92 Agri
PressurePro surface cleaner, acidic RM 93 Agri
Hot water high-pressure cleaner
Walk-behind sweeper
Wet/dry vacuum cleaner
Cold water high-pressure cleaner
Ride-on sweeper
Stationary high-pressure cleaner
