New farrowing mat size accommodates modern litter sizes
New 6 foot/1.8 meter long heat mat is available for up to 18 animals per stall.
8 February 2024
2 minute read
By: Improved genetics over the past several decades have increased litter sizes considerably. This increase has also increased the heating requirements for the litter. To accommodate these modern litter sizes, Osborne now offers a new, larger farrowing heat mat, to provide ample heated floor space for a maximum number of newborn pigs.
Operating at approximately 30-35° F (16-20° C) above ambient temperature (at full power), Stanfield heat mats provide a gently-warm area for piglets to rest comfortably away from their mother sow. The new 6 foot/1.8 meter long heat mat is available in both double and single-stall sizes for up to 18 animals per stall.
In addition to providing a larger footprint of heat in the otherwise cool farrowing house, the new 6 foot/1.8 meter heat mat offers the same great benefits found in other sizes of Stanfield heat mats. Ample space for the litter to rest means weaning the maximum number of animals, less piling for better health, and comfortable sows.
Overhead heating methods like heat lamps cannot provide the same microclimate that heat mats can. While raising lamps increases heated space, it also reduces temperatures at piglet levels and often times reaches the sow, reducing her comfort. Lowering lamps, which increases creep area temperatures, also decreases heated space. There really is no better heating solution for providing adequate creep area heat than Stanfield heat mats!
