Title:  More profit, through innovative farm equipment

In pig breeding industry profitability gain is only possible provided productivity increases. Along with other indexes critical are the following: fertility and sows insemination efficiency, neonatal and natal piglets mortality. Based on calculations made for two identical pig complexes (for example, both have 1000 sows) the influence of above indexes on farm profit is following: difference in conception rate 0,65 and 0,87 results in 81,000 USD extra profit per year, average fertility 10 and 12 piglets gives extra 212 000 USD, losses of piglets within first 2 months 22% and 15% give additional 123 000 USD.

Thus, a total difference makes more than 400 000 USD per year. All these figures first of all depend on housing technology and proper feeding of sows. Traditional housing technologies do not provide individual approach to every animal. Group and small group housing has some disadvantages, like aggression among sows, poor control of consumed feed quantity, personnel mistakes, while traumas of iliac and inguinal area made by extremities of nearby sows, physical inactivity of animal with leg problems, personnel mistakes in determining correct feed portions, frequent overcooling because of East Europe climate, high cost of equipment are typical features of housing sows in individual crates.

Since 2001 Nedap technology of group housing and individual feeding of gestating sows has being successfully implemented in Ukraine. Every sow has its own ear tag identified by the reader that enables individual approach. The feeding station provides every sow with optimum amount of feed, the separation unit carefully separates those sows in need of vaccination, pregnancy check, extra insemination etc, the heat detector automatically determines empty sows. All above equipment is combined in one system operated by the software with user friendly interface. Thereby modern technologies ensure efficient housing of gestating sows 24 hours a day.

The awarding ceremony on the most efficient and profitable business project was held by Privatbank in the national press-centre UNIAN (Kiev) on October 4, 2006. Our project of implementing NEDAP VELOS technology with 1year pay-off period won first place among 350 loan projects granted during a year in different industries.

All new large pig complexes in Ukraine started its operation in 2007 use VELOS technology for housing gestating sows.

First results are impressive. For example, Agroindustrial company (Melitopol', Zaporozhskaya region) has about 7000 sows in 12 sections. Average feed consumption is 3,5-3,7 kg per sow per day. About 1000 sows are housed due to VELOS technology with average feed consumption 2,7-2,8 kg per sow per day. If 1 kg of feed costs 0,3 USD, non-productive feed expenses in those sections without VELOS technology make 0,9kg*0,3USD*6000sows*365days= 591 300 USD per year.

VELOS technology is consistent with internet-technologies and allows the authorized user to get current information on farm at any time from every spot on the globe. Service and start-up technical support can be carried out on-line as well that gives Nedap specialists in the Netherlands or dealer’s specialists in Russia or Ukraine the opportunity to fix technical issues immediately.