pig-production | The pig equipment supplier for modern pig production | Big Dutchman

In the course of succession of generations, Ursula and Hubert Lamping from Essen/Oldenburg in Germany recently decided to invest in a new house for pig rearing. The couple has 500 sows and in the long run wants to produce piglets in a closed system. The new house for 2,100 animals was equipped with a pig feeding system, pig equipment and pig house ventilation by Big Dutchman. At the recommendation of another farmer, the Lamping family decided in favor of the HydroAir liquid feeding system equipped with innovative compressed air technology.

„We have planned the farm extension together with our junior. He will get in the farm after his agricultural training“, explained Hubert Lamping his decision to build a new pig rearing house. Before, part of the produced piglets was sold while the rest was reared and finished directly on the farm. After the expansion, the baby piglets will move to the new house of a size of 32 x 36 meters. It has three compartments of 700 animal places each and is ideally suited for the piglet batches produced on this farm.

HydroAir liquid feeding for pig rearing 

The advantages of a Big Dutchman sensor feeding system especially designed for pig rearing are obvious: Since HydroAir is operating with compressed air, the feed is transported to the trough and metered out without residues, and the feed lines remain free. As a result this means optimum hygienic rearing conditions and healthy piglets.

The HydroAir liquid feeding system allows mixing and metering out very small quantities of feed. In the beginning of rearing, piglets are fed six to eight times a day; in the end, frequency is raised up to twelve times. During the first three to four weeks, warm liquid feed is supplied to the piglets allowing high feed intake right from the start. Other advantages of HydroAir are that the feed mix can be adjusted accurately to the piglets’ nutrient requirements as well as providing a gradual change of the feed mix (phase feeding).  Besides pig rearing, Big Dutchman liquid feeding can be ideally applied when feeding sows.

For more details about pig rearing with Big Dutchman equipment please click here.

Information about the liquid feeding system Hydro Air can be found here!

In the long run, the Lamping family wants to produce pigs in a closed system. The new house for pig rearing was their first step into this direction.

The HydroAir liquid feeding system is equally suited for small and large animal numbers – starting from 500 and through to 4,500 piglets.

With six stands, 104 innovations and a stand area of about 3,000 m², Big Dutchman showed what they are made of at this year's EuroTier. It was the greatest show presence in the history of the group based in Calveslage.

Apart from the representative stands for the main business units poultry and pig equipment, the innovative Big Dutchman subsidiaries BD BlueSystems (treatment of slurry and digestate), BD PowerSystems (energy from biomass) and BDW Feedmill Systems (technology for mixed feed production) were also part of the largest international trade fair for animal production. 

Before the start of the show, the German Agricultural Society (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft, DLG) international expert committee had awarded four Big Dutchman innovations with silver innovation medals. 

Four silver medals 

One medal was granted for the first automatic manure belt control for layer management and the FarmPowerManager for livestock production. The FarmPowerManager is the very first energy management system for livestock farmers and was jointly developed by the Big Dutchman business units Poultry and Pig. Big Dutchman Pig Equipment GmbH received two more silver medals: The new heat detection system SowCheck as well as a new software tool for health monitoring of sows in group housing with electronic sow feeding system convinced the renowned jury.

The concept study "Pig Production 2030" proved to be especially popular with the visitors: On an area of 500 m² Big Dutchman presented a real-life housing concept for the future. The pig house provided a practical basis for discussion and encouraged the viewers to get actively involved in the further development of livestock farming – even after the show. 

Image barometer: Big Dutchman on top 

In the run-up of the show, leading farmers in all parts of Germany again confirmed the world market leader's innovative capacity as was illustrated by the recently published DLG image barometer 2012: According to the barometer, Big Dutchman is leading in livestock farming technology for the sixth time in a row and has further strengthened its top position. Pig and poultry farmers perceive the group as an excellent and especially innovative company.  Big Dutchman also secured the first place for its on-line communication.

The Big Dutchman group is proud of four innovation medals

One silver medal was awarded to the first system for automatic manure belt monitoring and controlling in layer houses. The innovative manure removal is very animal-friendly, requires little time and effort and greatly reduces wear of the conveyor belts. Sensors attached to the sides of the manure belt can now identify deflections of the belt and ensure that the belt is straightened out in time. The system is put into a safe mode if the deflections are extreme. The new system can be used for all housing systems.

Save money by recognising saving potentials: The user-friendly FarmPowerManager collects all relevant information about energy consumption centrally, analyses tariff-dependent costs in real time and predicts the future consumption. This system received another silver innovation medal!

Visitors were also very interested in a new heat detection system specifically developed for sows in group housing with ESF stations and for outdoor systems. The special feature of this Big Dutchman innovation, also awarded a silver medal by the DLG jury: The new SowCheck system analyses and recognises when the sows are in heat by taking a look at what their senses perceive - automatically, without causing them stress and with a very high success rate. The animals are analysed and automatically selected nearly incidentally by technical and natural measures while the sows are staying inside the feeding station.

Pig producers using feeding-on-demand systems know: Health checks for sows housed in groups are of great importance and require a lot of time and effort. A software extension developed by Big Dutchman now provides unique support for these tasks: The new tool registers the sequence of the sows' visits to the ESF stations and can thus directly point to problem sows. This innovation was also honored with a silver medal. The Big Dutchman solution is backed by current scientific research results which show that strong deviations from the daily feeding times and therefore of the visiting sequence often indicate health problems or that the sow returns to heat.

"Free movement for pigs - through all stages of their life" was the basic idea of the Big Dutchman concept study "Pig Production 2030". The ambitious goal is a professional and profitable pig management without restriction of the pigs except for situations which call for the special protection of individual pigs. Furthermore, the ideas aim effectively to strengthen groups of young pigs.

BD BlueSystems presented an innovative membrane filtration system called MemFis for livestock farming at the EuroTier 2012. In a three-stage process, MemFis transforms manure and digestate into clear water, valuable fertiliser or useful input material for biogas plants. Outstanding: Big Dutchman has successfully eliminated the weak points of existing, technically elaborate systems, which consume large amounts of energy and also involve high costs. This was possible thanks to the use of innovative technologies which have already proven themselves in two years of practical use. Of importance is the second filter stage which features a special “oscillating” membrane and thus clears up clogged membranes, a very common problem in existing plants.

MT-Energie GmbH, one of the leading producers of biogas plants in Europe in the future-oriented biogas branch, collaborates with Big Dutchman AG in the branch of biogas plants. The core of the collaboration is the sales cooperation between the two companies, both of which are leaders in their respective market segments. 

Big Dutchman is the world’s largest equipment supplier for modern pig production and poultry production and has an excellent reputation with farmers worldwide. It is this environment which offers an excellent prerequisite for the construction of biogas plants. In the collaboration Big Dutchman customers will be advised by qualified MT-Energie professionals with respect to the construction of biogas plants. For MT-Energie the company from Vechta is the ideal partner to tap into new non-EU markets without having to invest in their own sales infrastructure in each market. This enables MT-Energie more cost-effective and faster market entries. Big Dutchman, on the other hand, profits from the high technical and commercial expertise of MT-Energie, which will of-course look after the prospective customers acquired through Big Dutchman independently as well as plan and design all biogas orders single-handedly. 

Big Dutchman will not be dealing with the construction of biogas plants from now on. The subsidiary BD AgroRenewables GmbH & Co KG (BD AGRO) will be taken over by a company of the previous manager Uwe Heider, who will continue running the company, which is well positioned in Germany, under a new name. “We will be dealing with the planning and construction of biogas plants and the repowering of plants in Germany as well as in the neighbouring countries („near abroad“) on our own in the future”, confirmed Uwe Heider. 

With a shareholding of 5% of MT-Energie, Big Dutchman underpins the high significance and long-term basis of the cooperation. 

“For MT-Energie the cooperation is proof of the success of our business model”, declares Torben Brunckhorst, managing director of MT-Energie GmbH and adds: ”Of special interest to us are the markets Russia, Brazil, North America and Asia. In addition we also expect synergy effects in EU-markets like France, UK or Italy“

Also the Big Dutchman member of the Board of Management Kai Wehmeyer is looking forward to the cooperation: „Our customers in the biogas plant branch will profit worldwide from the cooperation. We know that they are in good hands with MT-Energie“. 

About MT-Energie 

With an annual turnover of approx. 200 million euros (2011), MT-Energie GmbH is one of the leading producers of plants in the future-oriented biogas branch. MT-Energie offers the whole portfolio of the biogas technology. MT-employees stand for high competence in the design of plant construction. In addition all biogas plants are offered, irrespective of manufacturer, technical and process biology services. In addition, through the subsidiary MT-Biomethan GmbH, MT-Energie is the leading provider of biogas process technology. MT-Biomethan specialises in gas purification (upgrading) and injection technology to feed purified gas into the public natural gas grid. Various opportunities for the use of this type of energy arise through this. 

More information about MT-Energie: www.mt-energie.com 

MT-Energie and Big Dutchman cooperate in the branch of biogas plants. The picture shows the headquarters of MT-Energie

Come and meet the Big Dutchman Group and experience the top global event for livestock farming in Hanover at the world‘s biggest exhibition grounds. On six different stands our experts will present and explain our new products, systems and solutions.

We are especially proud of the four new products which were awarded silver medals by the German Agricultural Society (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft, DLG) expert committee:

Automatic manure belt control
Stand 9-C24a

Farm Power Manager
Energy management system
Stand 11-D21 and Stand 9-C24a

Sow Check
Automatic oestrus analysis system
Stand 11-D21

BigFarmNet health monitoring
Software tool for health checks of sows in group management
Stand 11-D21

Do not miss our special highlight!

On an area of 500 m² Big Dutchman presents the "Concept Study Pig Production 2030". The basic idea of our concept is to allow free movement for pigs - through all stages of their life. The amibitous goal is a professional and profitable pig management without restriction of the pigs except for situations which call for the special protection of individual pigs. The Pig House of the Future provides a practical basis for discussion and encourages the viewer to get actively involved in the further development of livestock farming.

We look forward to welcoming you:

Big Dutchman International
Poultry equipment
www.bigdutchman.de
Stand 9-C24a

Big Dutchman Pig Equipment
Pig equipment
Pig Production 2030: Big Dutchman concept study on 500 m²
www.bigdutchman.de
Stand 11-D21

BD BlueSystems
Treatment of slurry and digestate
www.bd-bluesystems.com
Stand 25-H23

BDW Feedmill Systems
Mixed feed production
www.bdw-feedmill.com
Stand 11-G22

BD PowerSystems
Energy from biomass
www.bd-powersystems.com
Stand 9-C24a

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Big Dutchman is the world’s largest poultry equipment supplier for modern poultry production. A new field of business is residue treatment. The complete product portfolio of the German family enterprise from Vechta-Calveslage includes all kinds of poultry feeding systems and poultry housing systems. Be it barn, free range and organic egg production or egg production in enriched colony systems and poultry cages, be it systems for optimal poultry climate control or poultry growing, turkey production and breeder management: Big Dutchman offers the best poultry systems imaginable for every type of farm imaginable.

FarmPowerManager: the first energy management system for livestock producers helps to save money

On an area of 500 m² Big Dutchman presents the "Concept Study Pig Production 2030". The basic idea of our conept is to allow free movement for pigs - through all stages of their life. The amibious goal is a professional and profitable pig management without restriction of the pigs except for situations which call for the special protection of individual pigs. The Pig House of the Future proved a practical basis for discussion and encourages the viewer to get actively involved in the further development of livestock farming.

Silver: Big Dutchman is awarded four innovation medals