Good hygiene starts with colors

Colorsystem

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Every sector in which hygiene plays a crucial role in the production process is colorful. According to Arjan Wermink, HyCare specialist, it is clear what the intention is with different colors at a glance. "Compare it to the safety of a traffic light: everyone immediately knows what to do with green, orange, and red light."

The realization that pig farms are food-producing companies is increasingly gaining ground among pig farmers. Wermink has noticed this in the increasingly more comprehensive application of the color system in practice. "MS Schippers has been working on this for years, and as a hygiene specialist, I encourage that development. We can supply almost everything that is needed at a company in four different colors. But the pig farmers have to implement the color system on their farm. And then work strictly with the distinctive colors at the various animal categories."

Easily convinced

According to Wermink, pig farmers can be convinced to work with different colors. "Certainly now that the pig prices are good," he says. But according to him, a well-furnished and comfortable hygiene lock and the use of company clothing remains the basis. "A colored overall with the matching boot color makes it immediately clear where someone in the company should be. The integration of the system and where to change colors is customized for each company. "

Color advice

Many business supplies are available in the colors are blue, green, yellow, and red. Plastic bulkheads, brooms with aluminum handles, brushes up to high-pressure hoses. "Everything to distinguish the four categories that can be present on pig farms. And materials that are easy to clean, "he says. Wermink's advice is to use blue in the maternity stable and green in the gust and bearing sows. Yellow materials are the starting point for weaned piglets. He prefers to assign red to the rearing sows and / or meat pigs. "About 80 percent of pig farmers who work with the color system use that system," estimates the HyCare specialist. "The ideal image is that the color codes are applied to every company in the same way. That is a development process and it always goes one step further. At HyCare, we even continue it in the color of the floor coating."

Practice makes perfect

Experience shows that equipping a pig farm with the color system does not take much time. A good business floor plan or a stable visit is sufficient to set up a business plan with the color advice. "But basically, the company must be well organized. Logical walking lines and sufficient separation between animal categories are necessary to be able to use the system properly. "Then, we only need to make an inventory of what items are needed. "Once it is set up correctly, the color system will be simple to adjust. Everyone understands that wrong behavior is immediately visible, "emphasizes Wermink. "Of course, you have to dare to talk to each other if you see that rules to increase hygiene are not applied."