flush pans

[Willie]

When we farrow, we have always used a farrowing crate on a frame on a concrete slab. When we clean, we wash under the frame with a water sprayer. We are thinking of getting flush pans because it might make our cleaning life easier. Anyway, we have never used flush pans and am not sure how they work. Can someone tell me the advantages and how they work?

[Norm]

Think of flush pans as a giant toilet. Holding tank full of water that dumps on a given interval, flushes wastes under the crates, down a drain into a lagoon, pit, or holding tank. They can do a nice job eliminating scraping or cleaning pens, but things to watch are overflowing or not flushing and you need to control the water once it flushes. You then have liquid hog manure which is somewhere between fertilizer gold and toxic waste depending on your point of view. Manure management plans would probably apply. Also, they can use a large volume of water which may be a concern depending on your water source. If you need to make cleaning easier, soak your room with a garden sprinkler or mister for 2-6 hours prior to washing (watch electrical outlets) and use a dirt killer nozzle on the power washer. The time you'll save is worth it. Hope this helps.

[Willie]

Thanks Norm,
We currently use a lot of time scooping, scraping, and dumping the solid waste before we wash. Do I understand that there is no solid waste once it is dumped into the tank? We pump the tank every couple of weeks and take to the fields but we don't want solids in the tank. If I understand your thoughts, you feel that the flush system will not make that much of a difference. Am I correct? I really don't want to do make the change if it isn't going to make it a lot easier for us.

[porkin]

No good pictures, but here are a few from my early days in the room.

There is a 55 gal crock in the ground that the pans flush into. The pump in the picture is used to pump the manure outside.






Nobody said I'm doing it right, but that is how I'm doing it. And no, I do not have any problems getting the sows in and out of the crates.

[Norm]

Willie,
Not sure I understand what you're asking. For flush pans to work you need to have a slope to the floor and a berm or channel to control the water. Most tanks release 100 - 300 gallons of water at a given interval - daily, hourly, or when the float kicks it. The waste and all the water then needs to be contained prior to pumping, best done with a honey wagon. It will have solids in it. Depending how many crates you have and how they are configured, it may be more hassle than it's worth. Can you describe your manure handling process currently?
Norm

[rp]

Go with the flush pans, you won't regret it.