The Thomas® automation system for pig farming was introduced at EuroTier 2016 and has already been successfully implemented at a Dutch pig farm by our dealer E.T.B. van Heerdt. The Thomas® system guarantees perfect harmony between control computers and dry feed and ventilation systems. The system is linked to an app that allows the pig farmer to view and change any of the settings and operate all the control computers.
The Thomas® system is installed at a pig farm with 600 sows, located in Lunteren. The two-floor barn consists of two farrowing sections, where the sows stay four weeks, two breeding sections and eight sections for gestating sows. Thomas® regulates the climate and feeding system here.
Each section is fitted with a pressure sensor, which makes the reliable SmartFlow Ventilation system possible. On the ground floor the air enters via inlets, controlled by SmartWinch winch motors. The Thomas® Climate handles the control of the SmartWinch motors. In the two farrowing sections, which are located on the top floor, the fresh air enters through air ducts and grates in the floor. The barn air is extracted by ADU control units which control the inlet position based on the pressure loss across the unit.
The feed system consists of four silos and three circuits, which are controlled by two Thomas® Feed computers. Both computers are built into a control panel. The dispensers are filled in the farrowing and breeding sections; the feeding stations are filled in the area where the gestating sows are housed.