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The gate can only be opened further by the sow entering the pen. Animals following behind cannot widen the opening or push the gate shut against the sow entering. This allows the sow to use the insemination pen as a safe haven without being harassed by other sows. This orderly, individual occupancy brings greater calm to the mating centre whilst also reducing the workload for the farmer.
Particularly at feeding times, several sows often head for the breeding stalls at the same time. If the entrance gates are left open or fully open, two animals may enter a pen simultaneously. The farmer must then separate the animals and re-allocate the pen. The SwingFix’s locking spring mechanism, however, restricts access to one animal at a time, thereby ensuring an orderly allocation of the pens.
After entering, the sow closes the rear entrance gate via the front operating gate at the trough. When leaving the pen, she pushes the entrance gate back, and it springs automatically back to its 35° exit position. The mechanism operates purely mechanically without any additional drive or power supply.
The two-part gate makes it easier for the farmer to enter the pen to carry out mating, thereby facilitating access to the sow.
A further advantage of the 35° opening angle is the space saved. As the entrance gate does not need to remain fully open, the partition wall can be made shorter. This creates more space for movement and makes it easier to arrange the functional areas, particularly in existing livestock buildings.
September 2026 - Meier-Brakenberg
