HOUSING
PIH-32
pork industry handbook
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE • PURDUE UNIVERSITY • WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
Building Materials and Equipment for Swine Facilities
Authors
Vernon M. Meyer, Iowa State University
Gerald R. Bodman, Pennsylvania State University
William H. Friday, Purdue University
Reviewers
John Froseth, Washington State University
Robert M. Butler, Austin, Minnesota
L. Neil Burcham, New Mexico State University
Producers who have invested in new swine facilities are often disappointed by the severe deterioration of their facilities after just a few years of use. Much of the deterioration could have been prevented if the producer had taken into account—during planning and selection of materials for the new facility—the corrosiveness of the environment within the facility and the pigs’ destructive nature. These problems are generally more pronounced when pigs are crowded in confinement facilities but can occur in all types of units. The greatest and most rapid deterioration takes place near the floor because of wetness, chemical corrosion and physical destruction, but the effects of a corrosive environment can also be observed elsewhere within the building, especially on unprotected metal. The latter point is particularly characteristic of facilities with a poorly designed ventilation system (See Pork Industry Handbook Fact Sheets on ventilation.)

When planning your building, select materials that are corrosion-resistant and durable enough to withstand the rugged pushing, rubbing and chewing activities of the pigs. Materials within the building but outside the pens are not as vulnerable to physical deterioration, such as caused by chewing, but can have a relatively short life because of corrosion. If alleys are to be used for hog movement, the materials along the alleys will be subjected to some physical abuse from the pigs besides that resulting from moving equipment along the alleyways. Consequently, care is necessary in selecting equipment and materials regardless of their intended use or location.

Floors
Manure acids corrode concrete. Thus, a good, high-quality concrete mix is necessary. As a minimum, solid floors should be made from a mix which will yield a 3,500-psi concrete (maximum of 5 gal. of water per bag of cement). It is also recommended that air entrained concrete be used for all installations where the concrete will be subjected to freezing temperatures. For further protection, the concrete can be coated with a more corrosion-
resistant material such as Agri-500® or Duratroff®. Another alternative is to place a lower strength, less expensive concrete as a base and then add a higher strength concrete over the top as a wear surface. This approach can work quite satisfactorily where a layer of concrete is placed and rough graded, then a steel reinforcement mesh is placed, and, finally, a finish layer of concrete. The savings in material cost should be evaluated in light of possible inconvenience during placement of the concrete and/or higher labor costs.
If other floor finishes such as slats are to be used, they should be designed for corrosion resistance as well as strength. Where rubber mats are used, as in a farrowing facility, it is generally best to select a style with rubber lugs on the back. The mats should be placed in the fresh concrete and worked enough to assure full contact on the back. Additional flooring design details can be found in Pork Industry Handbook Fact Sheet 10, entitled “Swine Farrowing Units.”

Walls
Concrete and wood-frame are both satisfactory for exterior walls. A choice should be made after considering both first cost and maintenance costs when exposed to normal conditions expected within the facility. Consider also the work required to provide openings in the wall, such as for ventilation.

Concrete is one of the most durable materials for use in walls that are subjected to animal and equipment contact. However, concrete has little thermal insulating value. Where warm interior temperatures are to be maintained, as for a farrowing or nursery facility, additional insulation is recommended. In cold climates additional insulation is desirable also in growing/finishing buildings to retain animal heat. In milder climates, concrete walls without insulation are satisfactory for some phases of a hog production installation.

Sandwich panel construction has been found to be an effective means of providing a durable interior and exterior