PHOTO REPORT: HoCoTec Farm, Villavicencio, Colombia

Almost an aerial view of HoCoTec – taken from the top of the farm’s water tank. Late in 2017, the farm will expand to triple in size, to eventually cover all steps of a vertical integration, including meat processing. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

Edgar Villamizar, age 52, is general director of HoCoTec. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

One of the farm’s major functions is knowledge transfer. Swine industry professionals from all over Latin America can gather here to learn about novel insights into swine production in the industry. Photo: HoCoTec

The atmosphere is informal for the ‘students’ who will combine sessions in on-site classrooms… Photo: Vincent ter Beek

…and discussion sessions in the barn, like here in the gilt facility with teacher Ángelo Morales. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

In order to be exemplary, the farm site applies very high biosecurity. Not surprisingly, every detail has been thought through. Take for instance this hedge row surrounding the farm buildings. It looks nice and decorative… Photo: Vincent ter Beek

… But when zooming in, the needles make clear it also serves a purpose to keep larger animals out. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

The trees around the pig houses have all been planted with a special reason: they usually have a strong, pleasant fragrance and provide shade in the tropical climate. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

A walk through the farm starts in the boar section. By doing collection and AI on-site, the risk of bringing in diseases from outside is limited. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

Modern technology and philosophy is applied: gestating sows are kept in group housing. The farm is currently in the process of expanding to house 700 sows on-site. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

The replacement gilt facility has some additional light balls on the ceiling to ensure plenty of light. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

When the PIC sows are transported from the gestation barn to the lactation barn, the road is clearly marked: sows cannot run off. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

The lactation facility has been equipped with modern techniques like e.g. snout ventilation, to cool down the sows in the tropical climate. The piglets also enjoy a breeze. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

Colour code of the lactation facility by the way is ‘green’. This goes from curtains to coveralls… Photo: Vincent ter Beek

… even to pencils. Each department has its own colour code; staff are obliged to change into different attire in every section of the farm. This way internal biosecurity is optimised. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

One section further, the colour code has turned to yellow: this is the grower facility. The weaners are kept in groups of 150 and will stay there from weaning at day 28 until they weigh about 32 kg at day 70. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

The grower section consists of 7 rooms for 150 weaned pigs. In Colombia, immunovaccination is relatively common, hence the male piglets are entire at this stage. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

The last section is the finisher section. In the near future, the farm will have a capacity for 7,000 finishers. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

Biosecurity also plays a role in feed delivery. Feed is trucked in on a different road and delivered in this ‘bodega’: an on-site feed storage. Photo: Vincent ter Beek

The feed, made at local feed manufacturer CIPA is delivered in bags and handed over through this window. Photo: Vincent ter Beek