Made to last: Producers update hog buildings with new tech

Hog confinement buildings are proof that anything that is well maintained can likely outlive its shelf life. Those large white buildings that went up in the 1990s were expected to last around 20 years. Now more than three decades later, many are still being used as finishers, nurseries and farrowing houses. “For the most part, those buildings have been very well maintained over the years,” says Lee Johnston, Extension swine specialist with the University of Minnesota. “I know people have put in slats and some other things, but these buildings were made to last a long time.” He says while the structure of the barns remains good, things have changed on the inside. This includes technology such as tunnel ventilation and systems that allow the building’s air flow and temperature to be maintained through a cell phone. Newer buildings likely have more technology designed to improve biosecurity. “Biosecurity is a major issue in the pork industry, so new buildings are made to improve this