Gestation Stall Dimensions: What to Measure Before Ordering

A gestation stall drawing should distinguish the space occupied by the steelwork from the space available to the sow. Confusing those measurements can leave a row that fits on paper but interferes with gates, troughs or the working aisle. Before requesting a size, establish where each measurement starts and ends.

Use the animal and the building as separate inputs

Record the size range of the sows the installation must accommodate, rather than measuring only one animal. Then survey the room: internal length and width, columns, floor levels, manure channels and door positions. The proposed stall needs to work with both sets of information. An adjustable rail does not compensate for a row positioned too close to a column.

Ask the supplier to label overall length, clear internal length, internal width, frame height and any adjustment range. Identify whether the trough is included in the overall dimension. Keep photographs of the measurement points with the survey, particularly where existing partitions will remain.

Sow Gestation Crate from the Famou Machinery equipment range.

Include the space used by moving parts

A gate occupies more space while opening than while closed. Mark its direction of travel and the location of the latch. Show how a sow enters and exits, where the operator stands, and whether a neighbouring gate could obstruct that movement. These are layout questions, not reasons to increase every dimension indiscriminately.

The feed trough, drinker connection and rear access also need clear positions. Confirm which side operators will approach and which components can be removed without dismantling the row. In a replacement project, record the existing fixing pattern and support condition; do not assume a new frame shares the old hole positions.

Turn measurements into an approval drawing

Request a plan, a side view and a section through the sow space. Label dimensions consistently across the views and identify the drawing revision. If the supplier proposes an alternative, have the changed dimensions highlighted before approving production.

• Separate quantities for stall frames, gates, troughs and connection parts.
• State which dimensions are fixed and which can be adjusted after installation.
• Identify floor attachments and any building work excluded from the supply.
• Record the farm's applicable housing requirements alongside the final design brief.

There is no single catalogue dimension that proves suitability for every herd. A useful approval package connects the intended animals, the clear internal space and the room layout. Retain that package for the installation team so the delivered stalls are checked against the same references used when ordering.

Related equipment: Sow Gestation Crate.