Cast Iron Slatted Floor for Sows

The Cast Iron Slatted Floor for Sows is a heavy-duty livestock flooring solution developed for farrowing pens, breeding areas and other high-load sow housing applications. Manufactured from durable spheroidal cast iron, the slats provide a stable walking and standing surface while supporting efficient manure drainage.

The slightly textured surface provides natural micro-roughness for improved grip, while optional anti-slip versions provide additional traction in critical sow standing areas. T-shaped ribs and optimized openings allow manure and liquids to pass efficiently into the collection system below.

Self-supporting construction simplifies floor installation and can reduce the number of additional support components required. The system can also be combined with plastic slats and heating plates to create functional farrowing floors for both sows and piglets.

• Heavy-duty spheroidal cast iron construction for mature sows.
• Self-supporting design simplifies installation and reduces supporting components.
• Slightly rough surface provides reliable slip resistance.
• Optional anti-slip surface with additional grip for critical sow areas.
• T-shaped ribs support efficient manure passage.
• Large cleaning openings improve access during washing and sanitation.
• Hard-wearing surface provides long service life in intensive commercial pig houses.
• Suitable for high-load zones beneath and around farrowing sows.
• Compatible with plastic slats in combination flooring systems.
• Can replace compatible triangle-type slats in selected retrofit applications.
• Suitable for new steel-structure pig houses and existing barn renovation.

• Cast Iron Slat Body: Heavy-duty molded spheroidal cast iron provides structural strength and load resistance.
• Anti-Slip Surface: Textured or specially profiled versions improve sow footing.
• T-Shaped Ribs: Structural ribs combine load support with efficient manure passage.
• Drainage Slots: Openings allow manure, urine and wash water to pass into the slurry system below.
• Cleaning Openings: Enlarged openings at selected positions facilitate cleaning and manure removal.
• Bearing Edges: Self-supporting ends transfer floor loads to the approved bearing structure.
• Cover Ribs: Compatible covers can close selected interfaces and improve floor continuity.
• Bolt-On Fittings: Specialized fittings allow farrowing rails or pen equipment to be secured directly to compatible cast iron slats.
• Fasteners: Stainless steel bolts and corrosion-resistant mounting hardware are available according to project requirements.

The cast iron slats span between approved floor-bearing points above the manure pit. Their rigid self-supporting structure distributes the sow's weight across the bearing surfaces without requiring continuous support underneath every section.

During operation, manure, urine and wash water pass through the floor openings into the collection channel below. The T-shaped rib geometry helps maintain an effective drainage path while providing a stable surface for the sow.

In farrowing pens, cast iron slats are commonly positioned in the high-load sow zone and combined with warmer plastic flooring in piglet areas, allowing each part of the pen floor to be optimized for its specific function.

• Commercial sow farrowing pens
• Conventional farrowing crates
• Free-farrowing and loose-sow systems
• Sow standing and high-load floor zones
• Breeding and maternity units
• Combination plastic and cast iron flooring systems
• Large-scale integrated pig farms
• Steel-structure pig houses
• Prefabricated livestock buildings
• Existing farrowing-floor replacement projects
• Turnkey commercial pig farm projects

• Slat dimensions according to project requirements
• Standard or enhanced anti-slip surface
• Different beam and slot configurations
• Cast iron and plastic combination flooring
• Sow standing and lying-area layout
• Piglet plastic slat integration
• Piglet heating plate integration
• Cleaning openings and removable plugs
• Cover ribs and transition components
• Bolt-on fittings for farrowing crate equipment
• Existing triangle-slat replacement configuration
• New-build or retrofit installation
• Designed according to local climate and farm conditions

Installation:

• Confirm the manure-pit dimensions, floor elevations, farrowing pen layout and required slat sizes.
• Verify that all bearing surfaces are level, structurally adequate and compatible with the selected slats.
• Position the self-supporting cast iron slats across the approved bearing points.
• Maintain correct alignment and consistent floor levels between adjacent sections.
• Install cover ribs, plugs and transition components where required.
• Install compatible bolt-on fittings when farrowing rails or other pen equipment must be fixed to the cast iron floor.
• Combine cast iron and plastic slats according to the approved farrowing-floor layout.
• Check each slat for stable bearing, correct positioning and safe animal-contact surfaces before commissioning.

Maintenance:

• Remove manure and organic residue from slots and cleaning openings regularly.
• Pressure wash and disinfect the floor between production batches.
• Inspect slats for cracks, deformation or unusual wear.
• Check bearing surfaces and floor interfaces periodically.
• Inspect anti-slip surfaces and remove deposits that may reduce traction.
• Check bolt-on fittings and crate anchoring components for secure attachment.
• Keep manure channels beneath the floor unobstructed.
• Replace damaged slats promptly to maintain floor stability and animal safety.

Q: Why is cast iron used for sow flooring?
A: Cast iron provides high structural strength, a stable walking surface and long service life, making it suitable for high-load areas used by mature sows.

Q: What is the advantage of spheroidal cast iron?
A: Spheroidal cast iron combines high mechanical strength with a naturally textured surface that provides reliable footing for livestock applications.

Q: Are anti-slip versions available?
A: Yes. Selected sow slats are available with additional anti-slip profiling for areas where increased traction is required.

Q: What does self-supporting mean?
A: A self-supporting slat spans between designated bearing points without requiring continuous support directly beneath the entire slat, simplifying suitable floor installations.

Q: Can cast iron slats be combined with plastic flooring?
A: Yes. This is common in farrowing pens, where cast iron can be used in the sow zone and plastic flooring in warmer piglet areas.

Q: Can farrowing crate equipment be fixed to the cast iron floor?
A: Yes. Compatible bolt-on fittings are available for attaching selected farrowing rails and pen equipment directly to suitable cast iron slats.

Q: Can these slats replace an existing flooring system?
A: Selected self-supporting cast iron slats use bearing dimensions compatible with certain triangle-type flooring systems, making retrofit replacement possible where structural conditions are suitable.

Q: Can dimensions be customized?
A: Multiple standard dimensions are available, and the complete floor layout can be configured according to pen size, manure-pit dimensions and project requirements.

Q: What information is required for a quotation?
A: Please provide the number of pens, required floor dimensions, manure-pit dimensions, sow housing system, existing support structure, preferred slat configuration, project location and available construction drawings.