Dutch pig equipment supplier MS Schippers is to launch what it claims is the logical solution to ever-increasing litter size with the modern high-performance sow.

“Forget the stress of fostering and the expense of providing milk replacement to keep surplus piglets alive,” advises Schippers marketing manager Sven Kurzinski. “Modern sows have plenty of milk for big litters – there are just not enough teats. Splitting the litters in the same pen is a solution we are launching at EuroTier.” The Schippers system – already on trial in the leading Dutch swine research station at Sterksel – features a divided creep, each section having its own access flap to the sow.

“Dimensions have not been decided on so far. But we’ve already developed an automatic flap system which ensures only one of the two groups have access to the sow at any particular time.” First results from trials indicate regulation of creep temperatures is sufficient to attract each litter half back into the creep after suckling, so allowing the other group out.