Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • September 2025
    • August 2025
    • 2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. September 2025
    2. August 2025
    3. 2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement
    4. July 2025
    5. June 2025
    6. 2025 Innovation supplement
    7. May 2025
    8. April 2025
    9. March 2025
    10. 2025 Buildings supplement
    11. February 2025
    12. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    13. January 2025
    14. December 2024
    15. November 2024
    16. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    17. October 2024
    18. September 2024
    19. August 2024
    20. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    21. July 2024
    22. June 2024
    23. 2024 Innovation supplement
    24. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    25. May 2024
    26. April 2024
    27. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    28. March 2024
    29. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    30. February 2024
    31. January 2024
    32. December 2023
    33. November 2023
    34. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    35. October 2023
    36. September 2023
    37. Health Supplement
    Featured

    September 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    September 1, 2025
    Recent

    September 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    September 1, 2025

    August 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    August 1, 2025

    2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement now available

    August 1, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Comment

Water’s key role and the need for new tank design

Nigel PenlingtonBy Nigel PenlingtonNovember 10, 20182 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Water tanks are just not designed for cleaning and getting rid of rubbish. Pipe fittings can’t go on the edge and nuts and spigots poke up through the base, leaving that frustrating last layer of what you really want out. We have discussed various options, but we need a new design.

Interestingly, on a dairy farm last week, I did spot a water trough that was designed to self-clean. It was not rectangular but tapered, with a pipe welded in the bottom so it was flush, and a really easy-to-use valve. The sludge just flowed out when open. We are looking to see if something similar can be made to fit into flat-bottomed plastic tanks.

How did our review of water tank hygiene come about? When the banning of in-feed medication became a serious reality and our veterinary colleagues were talking about in-water medication, it made us think more about this topic. Big strides have been made and acknowledged in reducing medication and, in particular, antibiotics, but the health and welfare of the pigs is paramount.

Quite logically, water is a good route for medication. Feed intake is related to pig weight and growth rate and water intake is directly related to feed intake, so we have a ready-made, accurate dosing system. Well, that’s the theory but is it the reality? This subject will be discussed at the upcoming series of roadshows, ‘Health and antibiotics, keeping the balance’, organised across the next few weeks by ForFarmers and AHDB.

We will be looking at the role of water and feed in reducing medicinal interventions. I have been allocated a joint slot with BQP’s Mark Jagger to talk about our experiences with water systems and in-water medication. Over the last few years, Mark has been working with missionary zeal.

His experience is hard to match, having set up clean-up plans and application systems on many units.

The AHDB team has been busy preparing factsheets and other materials for attendees, pulling together information from recent work, which has started to show trends around water quality being delivered to pigs. In some respects, we have confirmed some of our worst fears, but realise that while there is a big job to be done in some situations, it is not insurmountable.

We look forward to meeting you over the next few weeks.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleI would rather be a hammer than a nail
Next Article Piglet health is on the up, but not because of my cunning plan!
Nigel Penlington

Read Similar Stories

Comment: Breaking through biosecurity barriers

September 5, 2025

Comment: ‘I want agriculture to be valued as a growth sector’

September 5, 2025

Vet View: Managing heat stress in pigs

August 6, 2025
Latest News

Outdoor-bred pork continues to deliver strong performance

September 16, 2025

AHDB pork marketing campaign returns with new TikTok focus

September 16, 2025

All Vaccines Are Not Equal

September 15, 2025
Sponsored Content

All Vaccines Are Not Equal

September 15, 2025

Enhancing Weaned Pig Health and Performance with Zinc and Iron

August 1, 2025
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Farm Manager – Ref 1776 Australia

    • Queensland, Australia
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Boar Stud Assistant Manager

    • Cambridgeshire
    • Hermitage AI Ltd
    • Full Time
  • Senior Pig Stockperson

    • Greater Manchester
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.