An engineer with the Prairie Swine Centre says the materials from which swine transport trailers are made, the roughness of their surfaces and the presence of gaps, nooks and crannies will play a role in their cleanability.
As part of research being conducted on behalf of Swine Innovation Porc scientists are developing swine transport trailer design criteria to improve cleanability and enhance biosecurity.
Dr. Bernardo Predicala, a Research Scientist Engineering with the Prairie Swine Centre, says it starts with the materials used to make the equipment.
Different types of aluminum alloys have been widely used because of their high strength to weight ratio, their excellent corrosion resistance characteristics, as well as good weldability. Surface finish of the materials is also critical because if it is too rough then it is susceptible to trapping microscopic debris which may become sources for contamination.
When it comes to cleanability aspects we found recommendations on weld points as well as joints and corners to ensure continuous surfaces that are smooth and are easy to clean and to avoid tracks and sharp corners that can accumulate debris that are difficult to clean.
We also found recommendations on eliminating or minimizing horizontal members on which contaminants can potentially deposit and accumulate. If horizontal structures can not be avoided in the design, as much as possible, it was recommended to have surfaces rounded or inclined to prevent water pooling. It was recommended to seal all hollow structural members and to seal or avoid very narrow gaps between surfaces where contaminants can accumulate. If a gap can not be avoided or sealed completely it was recommended to actually widen the gap as much as possible to make it easier to clean and remove any accumulated debris and disinfect afterwards.
~ Dr. Bernardo Predicala, Prairie Swine Centre
Dr. Predicala says sufficient drainage is also recommended to avoid water accumulation in the structure.
