Effect of Season and Pig Size on Swine Waste Production

Abstract

ABSTRACT SIX trials were conducted to measure swine waste pro-duction in a modern confinement housing unit. Pigs from 14 to 91 kg (31 to 200 lb) were raised in an en-vironmentally controlled totally slotted floor facility with nipple type waterers and self feeders. Daily total waste production was influenced by both season of the year and pig size. Solid waste production was influenced only by pig size. Total waste production ranged from 3.6 kg/pig/day (7.9 lb/pig/day) in a winter trial to 8.4 kg/pig/day (18.5 lb/pig/day) in a summer trial with a mean of 5.7 kg/pig/day (12.6 lb/pig/day) for the six trials. Express-ed as a percent of body weight, the range of waste pro-duction was 6.4 percent to 16.9 percent with a mean of 10.7 percent. Pigs weighing 14 to 27 kg (31 to 60 lb) pro-duced an average of 4.4 kg/pig/day (9.7 lb/pig/day) waste while pigs weighing 68 to 91 kg (150 to 200 lb) had a daily waste production of 5.9 kg/pig/day (13 lb/pig/ day). Solid waste production ranged from 0.31 kg/pig/day (0.68 lb/pig/day) for a summer trial to 0.48 kg/pig/day (1.06 lb/pig/day) for a spring trial with a mean of 0.38 kg/pig/day (0.84 lb/pig/day). Pigs weighing 14 to 27 kg (30 to 60) produced 0.24 kg (0.53 lb) of solid waste per day and pigs weighing 68 to 91 kg (150 to 200 lb) produc-ed 0.43 kg (0.95 lb) of solid waste per day.