Sanitation and Disinfection of Pig Pens

Regular cleaning and disinfection is the foundation of disease prevention in pig farms. The following schedule is recommended by ICAR (2013):

Daily: Remove solid manure from pens every morning. Wash floors with water. Check water troughs and nipples for cleanliness.

Weekly: Scrub feed troughs and water troughs with a brush and dilute bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach per litre of water). Check for any damp or wet spots in litter or bedding and replace immediately.

After Each Batch: When a pen is vacated (pigs moved out or sold), the pen should be: thoroughly cleaned with water; scrubbed with disinfectant (phenol, formalin, or Dettol solution); dried completely; and left empty for at least 7–14 days before introducing new pigs. This is called the 'rest period' and it breaks the cycle of most infectious diseases (ICAR, 2013).