The College is proud to have a purpose-built pig unit. The unit is a member of RSPCA Freedom Food and Farm Assured British Pigs, a scheme that involves routine monitoring by veterinary surgeons in order to maintain high standards of animal health and welfare. The unit was carefully designed to give the pigs as much comfort and freedom as possible, within the confines of a commercial enterprise.
Recently we have teamed up with The Royal Veterinary College to film 360 shots of our pig unit. The footage will be used for a range of educational purposes including teaching Jordanian Veterinary School students husbandry techniques.
The pigs are housed in social groups wherever possible on straw bedding. The piglets have an area where they can sleep under a heat lamp.
Piglets are weaned from the sow and enter the weaner house when they are 28 days old. They are fed ad lib using an automated feeding system. They start on the weaner pellets and have two different diets during their time in the weaner house.
Pigs enter the finishing house when they weigh about 40kg and leave about 100kg. They are fed ad lib using an automated feeding system and the pens are cleaned out on a regular basis.