REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF THE SWINE OPERATION

 

Steven Matthis

Livestock and Poultry Department

Sampson Community College

Clinton, NC  28329-0318

Tel:  (910) 592-8081  Fax:  (910) 592-8048

email:  smatthis@sampson.cc.nc.us

 

Introduction

 

            Most of the time farm maintenance is approached with the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality.  Yet we know that preventative maintenance is the key to a smoothly running swine operation.  Obviously, maintenance of swine operations should be in a proactive mode.    It should be as much a part of the daily farm routine as feeding animals.  But many times preventive maintenance takes a back seat to production issues.  In most cases, there are not enough company maintenance personnel to complete the tasks effectively leading to costly down-time.  Production and maintenance should go hand in hand to maximize performance.

The age of a farm greatly affects the overall farm budget.  As farms age, more emphasis should be focused on necessary repairs.  What do you do if important problem areas are being overlooked and pig production declines because the maintenance department cannot keep up with the increased workload?

 

            Question:  Do you hire more maintenance personnel to handle the load?

 

            This method involves more trucks, tools, insurance and training.  This solution addresses the immediate problem. It does not solve the continuing problem of increased maintenance due to facility age and neglect.

 

            Question:  Should farm managers take time out of their busy production schedule to do necessary maintenance on the farm?

 

            This is a controversial issue and there are pros and cons for each approach.

 

            This presentation will cover farm workers’ involvement in maintenance procedures.  Various levels of worker involvement will also be discussed.  Typically the question asked about this topic is: at what point does farm workers’ involvement in maintenance tasks interfere with pig production?  Another frequent comment by farm managers is, “when it comes to mechanical or electrical problems, I do not have a clue how to fix it.”

            Addressing these problems becomes part of the company/farm policy.  Training may be necessary to increase skills in certain areas.  A farm plan must be established.  Maintenance tasks must be delegated and guidelines must be set on employee involvement.

In cases involving farm budgets, employee recognition and/or compensation for a job well done will provide an incentive to do more and do it better.

 

Problem Areas/Overlooked

 

            This portion of the presentation is labeled “problem areas overlooked.”  I use this term because most of the solutions to our problems are basic and overlooked.  In our day to day routine we overlook the obvious solution to most problems.  As we review these problems, ask yourself the question, “Could we do a better job maintaining or checking this area on our farm?”

 

Replacing Worn Fan Belts

 

            One of the most neglected machines on a swine farm is the fan.  They run many days, months, even years, non-stop.  We clean them occasionally, but never stop to inspect them.  We assume if the blades are turning, the correct amount of air is being expelled from the building.  Replacement of worn belts and pulleys are essential for the correct amount of air to be moved through the house to cool the animals.

 

            Example:  “It seems like every summer the ambient temperature in the breeding barn

increases.  I think the farm needs to install bigger fans.”

 

A simple solution to this problem could be proper maintenance of the existing fans.

 

            Explanation:  A worn belt on a 48” fan could wear into the pulley resulting in a loss of fan blade speed of approximately 50 rpm.  This slight reduction in air movement results in the fan moving approximately 20% less air.  (Czarck, Lacy)

 

            The tables below show the difference in the amount of movement between a 3.0” motor pulley and a 2.7” motor pulley. 

 

            This difference in pulley size resembles a worn pulley.

 

Table 1.  Fan A with 3.0” motor pulley (470 rpm) (The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service)

 

 

Table 2.  Fan A with 2.7” motor pulley (425 rpm) (The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service)

 

 

Curtains and Cables

 

            Are all of your curtains straight and level from one end of the house to the other?  Do you have a scheduled maintenance time for adjusting curtains?  Do you have a problem with curtain cables breaking?

 

            Fact:  Most cable breaks are due not to insufficient cable strength, but to improper matching of cables to pulleys.

 

Fact:  A curtain machine may adjust a curtain opening a hundred times a day.

 

Fact:  Sections of the cable are being bent thousands of times each month.

 

Fact:  Bending a wire back and forth can cause it to break.  A cable is more flexible than a single strand of wire, but continue bending around a small pulley can cause stress and wear.  The larger the cable pulley, the less likely a cable is to break.  It is not bent as far each time around.  The outside strands of cable around a pulley receive the most stress and wear.  The excessive stress is achieved through a continuing stretching process.

 

Studies have shown that by doubling the pulley diameter, cable life can be increased by up to thirteen times.  When small pulleys are used, cables tend to just slide over the surface of the pulley not turning them and thus causing uneven wear, which can result in premature breakage.  (Czarck, Lacy)

 

Cables and pulleys must be properly aligned.  Just like the belt alignment on a fan, the cable must feed directly into the groove on the pulley.

Figure 1.  Proper Pulley and Cable Alignment (The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service)

            Cable flexibility depends on the makeup of the cable.  A 7 x 7 cable is less flexible than a 7 x 19 cable.  See Figure 2 below.

Figure 2.  Types of Cables (The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service)

 

            Manufacturers suggest a 7 x 7 cable should have a pulley diameter that is a minimum of 42 times the diameter of the cable.  A pulley for a 7 x 19 cable should have a diameter at least 25 times the cable diameter.  The table below shows suggested pulley diameter.

 

            Table 3.  Minimum Pulley Diameter for Various Cable Types and Sizes

 

 

Questions:  -    Is someone on your farm trained to adjust curtain height?

-         Can someone on your farm properly tie a curtain rope to a curtain cable?

 

Reduce Curtain/Louver Leakage

 

            How much does a leaking side wall curtain affect production in finishing?  Finishing production can be measured by an increase in feed consumed to stay warm.  This relationship is relative to the amount of cold weather during the period of curtain leakage.

It is harder to measure the reduction in sow production during breeding and gestation.  Sows under stress in breeding and gestation due to leaking curtains eat more feed and have a greater tendency to develop pneumonia.  Keeping sows warm in the winter is just as important as cooling them in the summer.

Keep curtains tied up and level and tight.  Sagging curtains cause cold spots in the building.  These cold spots cause extreme stress on affected sows.  Another way to reduce cold spots in curtain sided buildings is to keep curtain straps tight.  Strong wind can open the curtain from the top edge letting valuable heat escape outside.  These minor adjustments can help alleviate many future problems and help decrease sow energy loss.

Evaporative Cool Cell Efficiency--Summer Maintenance

 

            Maintenance of evaporative cooling systems is essential to achieve peak performance.  Regular observation and cleaning of the surface of the pad is essential.  A combination of the items listed below could cause a 15 to 20 percent reduction in pad effectiveness.

 

            Preventive Maintenance Checklist:

 

-         Replace System Filters:  Evaporative cool cells get clogged with algae and debris from the sump.  Correct the problem by covering the sump and changing the filter regularly.  Also, keep the filter covered to help prevent algae growth.  (Paint black)

 

-         Check Bleed Off:  Proper bleed-off will reduce mineral deposits from collecting on the pad and limiting water flow. 

*        Recommend rate one gallon per hour per liner foot of pad.

 

-         Check Distribution Pipe Holes:  Clogged holes in distribution pipe causes dry spots on the evaporative pad.  These dry spots greatly reduce the pads cooling potential.

*        Make sure holes in distribution pipe are turned upward.

 

Typical Evaporative Cooling Problems

-         Gestation barn:  2000 sow unit

-         Cool cells near feed bins/dusty feed/road dust accumulation on pad.

-         Filter not changed until system slows.

-         Distribution line holes are half stopped.

-         Pads have not been washed.

-         One third of the pad has dry spots.

 

Example:  Pads efficiency reduced by 20%

 

            Dry Bulb Temperature  90°

            Wet Bulb Temperature 75°

                                                             15° Difference

            Good Clean Pad

                        75% Efficient                11.25° Potential Cooling

            Poorly Maintained Pad   9° Effective

                        20% Less Efficient

 

            The potential for cooling animals in this farm example is reduced by 2.25 degrees F.  This problem could have been avoided by maintaining the evaporative cooling equipment.  this difference may seem minor on a moderately warm day of 78°F, but a drop of 2.25°F on a 88° day could divert stress problems on pregnant sows.  Every little decrease in temperature helps.

 

How Many Electrical/Mechanical Components Does a Farm Have?

 

            Have you ever stopped to think how many major components you are responsible for on a farm?  Maintenance of swine facilities has become a very big topic.  Proper facility maintenance plays an important role in helping maintain farm production standards.  When equipment malfunctions, production slows or stops depending on the severity of the problems.  A group of farm managers were asked to compile a list of electrical components on their farm.  Below is a partial listing of electrical components that require maintenance on a regular basis.  The survey was completed by farm managers on 1000 sow units farrow to finish.

 

Farm Electrical/Mechanical Component

 

                        Number of Electric Motors                   281

                        Light Switches                            91

                        All Types of Relays                               204

                        Light Bulb/Heat Lamps             621

 

                        Fans                                                     106

                        Fans with Belts                           55

 

            This list is a partial listing of farm components.  It does not include thermostats, electronic controls, photohelics, or curtain drops.  Many of these equipment repairs are minor and take very little time to fix.  There is a certain amount of skill and knowledge necessary in order to perform the operations successfully and safely.  Farm employees can be trained to complete these tasks.

            As one can see from this example, there is more to managing a 1000 sow farrow to finish operation than just managing pigs and people.

           

How many times does maintenance visit your farm per year?

 

Energy Usage Due to Improper House Set Up and Ventilation Leakage

 

            In hard economic times it is imperative that air leakage (unwanted inlets) is minimized.  Unwanted air inlets due to broken vents, rat holes, and torn curtains can result in high L. P. gas bills as well as increased disease loads on pigs due to excessive drafty conditions.  Minimum ventilation requirements in confinement houses should be designed to remove moisture from the air.  If the room/building has not been maintained properly, unwanted inlets may exist.  Due to the unwanted inlets, room ventilation rate (cfm’s) must be increased to maintain the desired static pressure.  This increase in cfm’s creates a higher farm energy cost.  The following farm example illustrates how house set-up affects energy usage.  (Energy heat loss figures, Purdue University, Cooperative Extension Service)

 

            Example:         24 crate farrowing room

                                    70°F inside temperature

                                    30°F outside temperature

                                    30 cfm/crate

                                    720 cfm/room (minimum ventilation)

                                    18 BTUs needed to raise temperature 1000 cubic feet

                                    18” fan –600 RPM  Min Vent. 720 cfm.

                                    1950 BTUs ventilation heat loss/crate/hour (30cfm / crate)

                                  

Ventilation Heat Loss

                                    46,800 BTUs lost/hour/room (24 crate)

                                   

Building Heat Loss:

                                    47,600 BTUs (ceiling/walls)

                                   

Total Heat Loss:

                                    94,400 BTUs / Hr. per room

                                   

Heat Produced by Sow/Litter

                                    1,100 BTU per sow (24)

                                    26,400 BTUs Total Heat Produced/Sow/Hour

                                    94,400 BTUs Total Heat Loss/Hour

                                    26,400 BTUs Heat Produced by Sow/Hour

                                    67,800 BTUs  Required by supplemental heat per hour

 

            Farm Example:           Amount of Energy to maintain 70 F  2,825 BTUs/Sow/Hour

                                                 91,500 BTUs per gallon of gas

 

            The static pressure for minimum ventilation cannot be reached by operating the 18” fan at recommended rpms.  The rpm’s doubled to meet the requirement. Doubling the rpm’s to meet the recommended minimum ventilation requirement, will increase the  cfm‘s  to 1,500 and increase energy usage by .51 gals. per hour.

            If the heater runs an average of 4 hours per day for a total of 90 days under this condition using an additional .51 gals. per hour, an additional 184 gals. of  L. P. gas will be used in one year per farrowing room.  If the 2000 sow unit has 16 rooms, an additional 2,944 gallons of L. P. gas will be consumed in that time period.  If today’s L. P. price is $1.10 per gallon, the farm could spend an additional $3,238.00 on excess gas usage due to poor maintenance and unplanned openings.

            This cost can be lowered in two ways.  First, the farm should maintain the building to decrease the number of unplanned openings.  If this process fails to achieve the desired static pressure and proper air mixing in the room, a timer could be installed.  This will allow for a higher rpm setting and a more complete mixings of air before falling on the pigs in the farrowing crate.  This method will cause less stress on piglets and save on energy.

 

Ventilation Maintenance of Fan Shutters and Blades

 

            Routine cleaning of fan shutters and blades is a simple process, but overlooked on most farms.  Routine fan cleaning should be put on the farm’s high priority list especially in the summer months.  Dirty fan shutters and blades could reduce the air  moving capacity by 20 to 30 percent.

 

            Example:         Summer Cooling of Gestation Barn

           

                                    Typical Farm

                                    Size:                             4 – 48” inch belt drive fans

                                    Total cfm:                     4 x 14,000 =

                                    Summer Requirement

                                    Total Building:   56,000 cfm

                                   

                                    25% Reduction in         14,000cfm

                                    cfm =:                           42,000 cfm

 

            This problem can be easily corrected by routine cleaning.  If this problem persists, evaporative cooling process can be greatly reduced on hot days.  The example above shows a  25% reduction in fan efficiency.  This problem could nullify the air movement from one of the 48” fans (See example 14,000 cfm).  An extreme spike in temperature coupled with reduced fan performance could create stress in sows resulting in abortion problems and a decrease in production.  Gestation management is closely associated with stress management.

 

Travel Time and Maintenance Costs

 

            Who pays for all the hours maintenance personnel spend on the road traveling to and from farms? Normally this time is allocated to the individual farms receiving the maintenance.  The graph below reveals an average of 32% of farm maintenance labor cost is spent on driving time.

 

            How can driving time be reduced?  First, you must analyze if the trip to the farm is necessary.  Did the maintenance personnel deliver a part, or actually do the maintenance?  Delivery of parts could be achieved by other means.  Weekly service men passing by the farm could deliver necessary parts.  Weekly parts pick-up points could be established to replenish on-farm small parts stock.  This would eliminate many travel hours from the farm budget. Secondly, could the farm managers could make the repairs and save the visit to the farm?  If resident personnel can make the repair, driving time cost will be eliminated.  Each farm must figure ways to save money.  Travel time is a good place to start. 

 

Farm Maintenance Cost

 

            The cost of maintaining a farm is high.  The figures below are real figures supplied by an eastern North Carolina grower.  These figures only represent the labor cost involved in repairing the equipment.  The figures are averaged over a two-year period and all of the major repair hours have been deducted (for example replacing the farrowing flooring.)  The oldest farm in this survey is seven years old.  One interesting assumption obtained from the head of maintenance was, the age of the farm had little effect on the amount of time the maintenance department spent on the farm, but the incentive of the farm manager to complete farm maintenance tasks did play a big role in lowering maintenance cost.

 

Average Dollars Spent Per Week
Size of Farm	Low	High	Average	Year
1200 sow (F to F)	$370	$1,248	721	8,652
2000 sow (F to F)	488	1,326	760	9,120
2000 sow (F to W)	254	663	410	4,920
4000 sow (F to W)	527	741	604	7,248

 

            The hourly rate for all farm visits were $19.50/hour.  Where does your farm fit into the maintenance picture?

 

Cutting Farm Maintenance Cost

 

            Many farm managers and owners say, “We are in the business of pig production, not maintenance of a buildings.”

            I challenge that concept because they should be in the business to raise the cheapest and best pig possible.  The key to staying in business is to do it better and cheaper than the next grower.

            This next farm example illustrates in a simple way the effects of maintenance labor savings on the farm budget.

 

Farm Example:

 

-                   Average sow unit (seven years old)

-                   Average number of maintenance hours (191 hour/year)

-                   On farm maintenance labor cost $3,742 (This figure equals half of the labor spent on the eastern North Carolina example above.)

-                   Compare the cost to weaned pig value $24.00

-                   Savings equal 156 pigs/year/2,300 sows

-                   Savings equal 6,782 pigs per 100,000 sows

-                   Savings equal $162,768 per year/100,000 sows

-                   Savings equal $1.62/per sow

 

Each farm must analyze their maintenance needs and commit to a set of standards that keep their farm operating at peak performance.

 

Points To Remember

 

-                   Determine the level of employee involvement in farm maintenance.

-                   Determine the level of maintenance skill needed by farm managers.

-                   Develop a farm Maintenance Plan.

-                   Determine how workers will receive training on facility repair.

-                   Determine which tasks farm employees should perform.

-                   Compensate managers that save the farm money.

-                   Do not overlook the basics.

-                   Machinery wears out and breaks.  The older the farm becomes the more repairs are needed.

-                   Equipment replacement cost is high.  Maintenance of existing equipment is cheaper. (??)

-                   A good farm manager should possess people skills, pig production skills, mechanical skills, and basic electrical skills.

 

Take Home Message

 

            It makes no difference if your business is big or small, or if you are comparing one farm to another, the bottom line is how much does it cost to raise A pig.

            There are certain costs that are uncontrollable in animal production.  Good managers look for ways to cut cost without reducing production.  On farm maintenance and repair should be examined closely when considering ways to decrease farm expenses.  There are some upfront costs associated with maintenance.  These include training, equipment, and tools.   The benefits far outweigh the initial cost.

            Swine companies and farms must commit to total farm production package.  This package must include ways to reduce on farm maintenance costs and maintain steady production.

            The bottom line is not how much money you make, it is how much you SAVE!!
Where can you save money this year?

 

References

 

Czarck, Michael and Lacy, Michael P.  Cable Live and Pulley Size, Volume 7, Number 4, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia.

Czarck, Michael and Lacy, Michael P., April 2000.  The Importance of Reducing Worn Fan Belt, Volume 12, Number 5, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Georgia.

June, Don D. and Friday, William H.  Environmental Control for Confinement Livestock Housing, AE96, Cooperative Extension Service, Purdue University.

 

Thanks for your Assistance:

 

Bottcher, Robert W.,  Department of Biological and Agriculture Engineering, North Carolina State University.

Singletary, Isacc, Consultant, Sales Representative, Aeotech Inc.