Swine production unit

Claim 1

FOR USE IN SWINE PRODUCTION, A FARROWING UNIT, SAID FARROWING UNIT COMPRISING A CENTRAL COPERATING AREA DEFINING FOUR SIDES, A FIRST PAIR OF BROODERS LOCATED ADJACENT A FIRST PAIR OF OPPOSED ONES OF THE FOUR SIDES, A FARROWING PEN LOCATED OUTWARD OF AND ADJACENT TO EACH ONE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF BROODERS, MEANS FOR ENABLING MOVEMENT OF PIGLETS BETWEEN EACH FARROWING PEN AND THE ADJACENT BROODER WHILE PREVENTING INGRESS OF SOWS TO THE BROODER FROM THE FARROWING PEN, A SECOND PAIR OF BROODERS LOCATED ADJACENT THE SECOND PAIR OF OPPOSED ONES OF THE FOUR SIDES, AN ENLARGED SUCKLING PEN LOCATED OUTWARD OF AND ADJACENT TO EACH ONE OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF BROODERS, MEANS FOR ENABLING MOVEMENT OF PIGLETS BETWEEN EACH SUCKLING PEN AND THE ADJACENT BROODER WHILE PREVENTING INGRESS OF SOWS TO THIS BROODER FROM THE SUCKLING PEN, ALL OF SAID PENS BEING COMPLETELY SEGREGATED FROM EACH OTHER AND FROM THE CENTRAL OPERATING AREA, EACH FARROWING PEN HAVING A COMMON WALL WITH EACH SUCKLING PEN, A DOOR MEANS IN EACH COMMON WALL FOR SELECTIVELY COMMUNICATING THE ADJACENT FARROWING AND SUCKLING PENS FOR ALLOWING FREE ACCESS THEREBETWEEN, EACH OF SAID PENS INCLUDING A PERIPHERALLY POSITIONED PIGLET PROTECTING GUARD RAIL MOUNTED THEREIN, AND CLOSURE MEANS FOR ENABLING INDEPENDENT ACCESS TO EACH COMBINATION BROODER AND PEN FROM THE OPERATING AREA, EACH OF SAID PENS HAVING AN ENCLOSING OUTER WALL FORMING A SUBSTANTIAL COMTINUATION OF THE OUTER WALLS OF THE ADJACENT PENS SO AS TO COMPLETELY ENCLOSE AND SURROUND THE FARROWING UNIT, AND TOP COVER MEANS OVERLYING AND SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY COVERING THE PENS AND OPERATING AREA.