In this professional guide, we will break down the key points to focus on when buying farrowing crates.
1. Key Concerns for Buyers
Before diving into the selection process, you need to understand the critical components of a complete farrowing crate. This is like knowing the engine, transmission, and chassis before buying a car—only by understanding the structure can you interpret the specifications.
🔧 Anti-Corrosion Treatment: Zinc Coating Thickness Is Critical
Farrowing crates operate in a constantly damp, ammonia-rich environment, so anti-corrosion performance directly determines their service life. Hot-dip galvanizing is the most mainstream anti-corrosion process, with a recommended average zinc coating thickness of no less than 80μm. A thin zinc layer will start to rust in just one to two years, while a compliant coating can last 8 to 10 years.
📐 Size Specifications: Adequate Space & Easy Access
The overall size of a farrowing crate is typically around 2.4m × 1.8m. This dimension is not arbitrary—it provides enough lying space for sows while ensuring smooth operation for farmworkers.
🛡️ Safety Protection: Anti-Crushing Bars Are a Lifesaving Design
The first week after birth is the most dangerous period for newborn piglets. Sows can easily crush piglets when lying down without warning. Flip-type anti-crushing bars are a mandatory feature; they create an escape space for piglets when sows stand up or lie down.
🔲 Space Partitioning: Separator Bars or Limit Rods Reduce Competition
Separator or limit rods are designed to properly partition the piglets’ activity area, reducing fighting and competition among piglets so every piglet can feed and rest properly.
2. Types of Farrowing Crates
This is the first choice you’ll face when purchasing. The two designs have their own pros and cons, and the right pick depends on your farming model.
🔄 Adjustable Farrowing Crates
Core Advantage: Flexible AdaptabilityThe biggest feature of adjustable crates is that the length and width of the sow stall are adjustable—the rear door can be installed forward or reverse to adjust length, and multiple gears with feet allow width adjustment. This means suitable space is available for both small first-parity sows and large multiparous sows.
From an animal welfare perspective, adjustable crates offer sows greater comfort; from a management perspective, they enable higher precision, with customized settings for each sow.
Ideal For: Medium-scale farms, farms with sows of varying parities, and farms prioritizing animal welfare.
🔒 Fixed Farrowing Crates
Core Advantage: Simple & DurableFixed crates are all about ease of use. The front and rear doors feature touch switches with small gaps, enabling simple, direct operation and greatly reducing the workload for breeders. The rear stop has two adjustable gears; while not as precise as adjustable models, they boast a simple structure and low failure rate.
Ideal For: Large-scale farms, farms pursuing standardized unified management, and farms with high staff turnover.
3. Farrowing Crate Structure
Many buyers only focus on the crate panels but overlook the flooring system. In reality, flooring directly impacts sow comfort, piglet warmth retention, and overall crate hygiene.
1. Sow Stall Flooring: Load-Bearing Is Priority
Sows weigh hundreds of kilograms, so flooring must be extremely sturdy. Two mainstream options are available:
Triangular Steel Flooring: Made of extruded round steel with an inverted triangular cross-section, non-slip textures on the top, and non-slip indentations at the sow’s hoof positions. Hot-dip galvanized for corrosion resistance and durability, with a flip-type manure removal opening at the rear.
Cast Iron Flooring: Shot-blasted surface with rounded non-slip edges, a single rib load-bearing capacity of no less than 500kg—the longest-lasting option. Also equipped with a flip-type manure removal opening for easy daily cleaning.
2. Piglet Stall Flooring: Warm & Safe
Piglets are sensitive to cold, so plastic flooring is the top choice. High-quality plastic flooring must meet these standards: smooth, burr-free surface (to prevent scratches), made of pure raw materials (odorless and non-irritating), and a single rib load-bearing capacity of no less than 200kg (sturdy and durable).
3. Support System: Beams & Legs
Beams are recommended to be made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP), offering high strength, corrosion resistance, and light weight. Legs are best made of high-strength engineering plastic, providing stability and insulation.
4. Essential Accessories
🍼 Feeding Trough System
Sow Trough: Recommended 304 stainless steel with a 1.2mm wall thickness, one-piece stretched large arc design for easy cleaning. A flip-out design is preferred for convenient residue removal.
Piglet Creep Feeder: Round shape with a diameter of 250-280mm is most common, available in stainless steel or PP material.
Free Feeder: For ad-libitum feeding, pair with a 304 stainless steel free feeder, paired with a hopper and three-way dosing cylinder.
🔥 Insulation System
Newborn piglets are extremely temperature-sensitive, so insulation equipment is a must:
FRP Insulation Cover: Flip-type design, approximately 1275mm × 415mm, creating a warm microenvironment for piglets.
Heat Lamp Shade: Aluminum material, around 200mm in diameter, with a lamp holder and power cord, two temperature settings for seasonal adjustment.
Rubber Mat: Non-slip turtle-back texture, about 8mm thick, placed in the piglet resting area to block cold air from the ground.
🔩 Small Details of Fasteners
Don’t underestimate bolts and nuts. It is recommended to use M8 nylon nuts with flat round-head bolts, installed from top to bottom—the round bolt heads on the flooring will not injure piglets’ hooves. Bolts with anti-loosening glue ensure firmer fixation.
Warm Tip: Regularly inspect bolt fastenings to nip problems in the bud and extend equipment life.
5. Purchase Checklist
Finally, here is a concise purchase checklist:
Zinc Coating Thickness: Average no less than 80μm, 5-star importance
Size Specifications: Standard 2.4×1.8m approx., 4-star importance
Safety Design: Complete anti-crushing bars and separators, 5-star importance
Flooring Material: Triangular steel/cast iron for sows, plastic for piglets, 4-star importance
Farrowing crates are not about being the most expensive or having the most features. The golden rule for purchasing is suitability for your farming model, compliance with industry quality standards, and thoughtful detail design. We hope this guide helps you avoid purchase pitfalls and build a safe, comfortable home for mother sows and their piglets.
