The strawflow® system is designed to provide pigs with free access to straw without the operational and agricultural constraints of a deep bedded system and could provide an alternative type of weaning accommodation. A trial was conducted to evaluate the potential of three different strawflow® systems. These differed only in means of heating and ventilation.

Two trials were conducted consisting of twenty four and twelve weekly groups of pigs. Eighty pigs were split sex weaned into four strawflow® pens in the same room, on a weekly basis, and remained in the system for forty days. All other pigs to be weaned that week were weaned into the flatdecks. (8827 pigs total)

An average weaning weight was recorded for each batch of piglets moved into the strawflow® and flatdecks and each pig was individually weighed on leaving a system. Feeding regime was the same in each system with a creep feed for approximately one week post weaning before moving onto a grower ration for the remainder of the trial. All food given to a flatdeck room and one side of a room in the strawflow® building was recorded.