Kraiburg Porca mats for dry sow housing

Why rubber?

Claw and limb damage and diseases, as well as lameness, are a significant cause of culling sows in group housing. For high performance animals to function, agility and freedom of movement, together with joint and claw health, are the paramount factors. The beneficial impact of rubber surfaces in lying and walking areas is now well established in dairy farming, and Porca represents the first serious development for the pig farming industry, with parallel improvements in animal welfare leading to enhanced performance and profitability.

 

What about bite damage?

With Porca, Kraiburg has addressed the issues that emerged from previous experiments with rubber flooring for pigs. Porca matting is the first alternative surface for dry sow housing that is genuinely bite resistant; the finely textured low abrasion surface combined with a rigid edge is highly effective at deterring damage. It is also soft, comfortable and slip resistant, giving sows the confidence to lie down, stand and move around freely and display natural behavioural characteristics.

Where should it be used?

The immediate opportunity is for sows housed on concrete. However, in the longer term, as in the dairy industry (and also the equestrian marketplace) Kraiburg believes that high quality rubber flooring systems will represent a viable alternative to other types of bedding too, with less waste, reduced labour requirements, lower demand on slurry systems yet no compromise on animal welfare.

Proven benefits - already

This is a brand new product still undergoing extensive farm trials, both in Europe and the UK, but results to date are highly encouraging. Participating farmers are already seeing the following benefits:

  • improved ease of movement for the unrestricted fulfilment of basic needs

  • improved claw and limb health, including reduction in bruising, ulcers and abrasions

  • fewer incidences of lameness

  • increased feed and water intake

  • better fertility with fewer early abortions

  • reduced culling.

 

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