which allows the producer
to adjust the temperature
to exactly what the piglets
need. This control keeps
the environment optimized
for each stage of the piglet
growth cycle.
In addition to maintaining
a precise climate in which
piglets can safely grow, the
Haven has many tangential
benefits. It reduces sow stress
and keeps the sow from
overheating (since the ambi-
ent environment is separate
from the microclimate), it
reduces energy usage due to
the insulated enclosure, and
it lowers ventilation costs, as
a reduced amount of wasted
heat means fewer running
fans throughout the facilities.
Results
T
he preliminary data of the
Haven’s effect on piglets
has been overwhelmingly
positive. In one cycle of test-
ing, FarrPro’s Haven units
FARRPRO THE HAVEN REDUCES PIGLET MORTALITY AND
INCREASES EFFICIENCIES FOR PRODUCERS.
F
arrPro founders Amos Petersen and Chris Hanson are
on a mission to save piglet lives.
Farrowing operations see an average prewean mor-
tality rate of about 18%. About half of that number is
attributed to crush death, and the rest is due to chilling,
disease, and starvation.
Because piglets need an environment of about 90°F. to 95°F.
in facilities that are typically kept around 75°F., they seek
warmth from artificial heat sources like heat lamps or from the
sow, which puts the piglets at risk of being rolled on, laid on, or
stepped on and crushed.
“The problem is that suboptimal thermal environments are
upstream of every preventable cause of piglet mortality,” ex-
plains Petersen. “So it’s really about making the environment
for the piglets better.”
FarrPro’s first product, the Haven, replaces the antiquated
and ineffective heat lamps in farrowing rooms and creates a
semi-enclosed microenvironment in which piglets can mature
safely at an optimal temperature.
How it Works
T
he Haven unit mounts on the wall between two farrow-
ing crates and plugs in where a heat lamp normally would.
Curtains lining two sides of the unit help create the micro-
environment and keep drafts out of the creep area where the
piglets lie. A thick glass tube inside the unit warms up and
radiates far infrared energy that is reflected straight down into
the bodies of the piglets. This emulates a noonday-sun effect.
The Haven has thermal regulation built in the unit itself,
Photography: Manufacturer
were installed for 32 litters.
The producers saw a reduc-
tion in prewean mortality vs.
that in the control group by
almost 40%.
In addition, Petersen
says, “In one study we had,
there was a barn with scours
in one of the cohorts. The
piglets in the two rooms
that had our unit were
significantly heavier possibly
because they were better able
to resist disease.”
A less stressful environ-
ment leads to healthier,
heavier piglets and will mean
revenue gains for producers.
FarrPro is currently
looking for partners to
participate in three- to
six-month-long pilots prior
to a full testing phase yet this
year. The units will be made
available for sale to the wider
marketplace later in 2019.
bonus Successful Farming at Agriculture.com |August 2019
By Megan Vollstedt, Agronomy & Technology Editor
About the Company
Founders: Amos Petersen,
Chris Hanson
Headquarters: Iowa City, Iowa
Website: farrpro.com
Background: FarrPro created
the Haven, a microenviron-
ment that delivers the perfect
amount of heat to newborn pigs
and helps to prevent them from
being crushed.
Funding: FarrPro received
capital investment as a
member of the 2017 Iowa
AgriTech Accelerator cohort. In
2018, FarrPro completed a seed
capital raise led by Grinnell
Mutual, with Farmers Mutual
Hail Insurance Company of
Iowa, the Iowa AgriTech
Accelerator Investment Fund,
and a group of angel investors
holding the remaining positions
in the round.
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