The job
A Sunday in February, in a Haldimand County hog barn. In the nursery room, hoses ran the length of the slatted alley to the crew at the far end. In a pen room, the concrete partitions, steel gates and white liner were rinsed and still wet.
How we wash a hog room: with the pigs out and the solids scraped, the room gets a soak to loosen what’s left. Then we wash from the ceiling down: inlets and fans, walls, pens and gates, feeders, then slats and floors, so the dirt only moves down and out. We check the room with you before we pack up.
How we did it
- Morning · Rooms readyPigs out and the solids scraped. Controls and outlets covered before any water goes on.
- Morning · SoakA low-pressure soak over walls, pens and slats to loosen the dried manure, so the wash takes less pressure and less water.
- Midday · Top downInlets, fans and liner walls first, washed from the ceiling down.
- Afternoon · Pens and feedersPartitions, gates and stainless trough feeders rinsed bright, then the slats and alleys last, toward the drains.
- Evening · CheckEach room checked with the farmer, left to dry before the next group goes in.
