NEPSUI is located at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Institute of Agricultural Sciences - ICA Campus Montes Claros. The NEPSUI team is responsible for coordinating the Pig Production and Experimentation Farm (Pig Industry) located at the ICA Experimental Farm (FEHAN).
The pig farm has a complete infrastructure for a complete cycle production system. Within the dependencies of the farm are also located the Laboratories of Metabolism, Reproduction, Nutrition and Feeding Behavior, as well as the classroom and technical training room. Attached to the farm is the laboratory of waste and residues treatments that has biodigesters connected directly to the waste drainage system of the farm for studies in partnership with the Agricultural Engineering sector.
The sow herd is composed of 40 F1 females of high genetic merit (TN70® Topigs Norsvin), 10 pure Large White females (Line Z® Topigs Norsvin), and we still have pure females of Piau and Duroc breeds for the production of the Cerrado Pig®, breed developed by NEPSUI and only found in our unit. The herd also has pure Landrace boars (L Line® Topigs Norsvin), pure Duroc and Piau, and commercial synthetic boars (Talent®).
Farm sectors
Unit for experimentation with full cycle pigs with the following facilities: maternity, gestation, day care, growth and termination, pig breeding laboratory, metabolism and digestibility laboratory (metabolic pens and cages) and monitoring room.
Gestation unit
The gestation sector consists of two buildings, one called flushing/insemination area and the other a group gestation area. In this first area, weaned females and newly introduced gilts in the herd are monitored and stimulated until insemination. They remain around 35 days in this sector until they are confirmed pregnant via ultrasound. Once the gestation is confirmed, they are then transferred to the group gestating sector. In the flushing sector, females are individually fed with individual troughs and individual nipple drinkers with a drinking water cooling system. In the group gestating sector, females are fed using automated feeding stations (Gestal 3g and Gestal Multi), individually identified by implanted chips in ear tags, using nutrition precision programs seeking to obtain maximum genetic potential with greater efficiency. At 110 days of gestation the females are then transferred to the farrowing room. The gestating sector has 12 cages in flushing and two pens with automation system with capacity for 40 sows. The sector also has cameras installed to monitor the behavior of animals 24 hours a day.
Lactation unit
The sector has exclusive maternity cage models developed by NEPSUI called CLMov® (Free Movement Cell; UFMG Patent). These cages are unique and innovative that answer the welfare needs of both female and piglets. They have flexibility for opening and free movement of the female during any period of the lactation phase, thus enhancing the maternal ability of the sows. In this sector all the cells are monitored 24h by cameras for behavioral studies of both females and piglets. The maternity sector also has automated feeding systems (Gestal Solo) that allow studying the kinetics of feeding behavior of females during this important phase and individual nipple drinking fountains with drinking water cooling system.
Nursery unit
The nursery sector consists of 30 suspended cages with 100% plastic floor, semi-automatic sheet metal feeders with capacity for 4 animals/ cage. Each cage is individually monitored by 24-hour cameras and the water supply system is 100% coupled to 03 independent water dozers. The cages also have a construction configuration that allows to carry out studies of feed preference with up to 05 feeders simultaneously. The animals remain at this stage from 24 days (weaning age) until 70 days of age. The is also a second nursery facility that allows 40 piglets per pen for control and social effect interactions.
Reproduction unit
Fully equipped reproduction laboratory (contrast microscopes and other equipment for AI) for semen quality and insemination studies. For sperm quality studies we have 08 boars of high TSI - Pure (Duroc, Landrace Norsvin, Piau) and commercial (Traxx and Talent - Topigs Norsvin).
Fattening Unit
O setor de engorda é divido em três unidades, unidade ICA para engorda dos animais produzidos e vendidos pelo Campus e para o projeto do Porco do Cerrado; e uma segunda e terceira unidade parceira de pesquisas localizada no IFNMG/ Januária e na UNIMONTES/ Campus Salinas onde dispõe de unidades de engorda experimental com 30 baias com piso compacto, comedouros SUIN semiautomáticos, com capacidade para 5 animais/baia, 150 animais total. Além destas engordas, o Campus IFNMG/ Januária ainda dispõe de um abatedouro com frigorifico para estudos de rendimento e cortes.
Metabolism laboratory
The laboratory of metabolism and digestibility has 10 metabolic cages for total collection and 10 digestibility pens for animals with ileal cannula, and it is possible to accommodate animals from 30 to 100 kg.
Monitoring room
The sector also has a real-time monitoring room of all installations by cameras and computers where all automated power systems are connected. In this monitoring room we also have equipment used exclusively for studies and analysis of animal behavior using the Noldus Ethovision Observer XT.
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