Introducing the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs
The Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs, the Hungarian Sano Agrar Institut-Smart PorcNutrition Kft., is located in northwestern Hungary, just under an hour’s drive west of Budapest. In the town of Szákszend, neighbouring the Hungarian Sano manufactory for high-quality mineral feeds, the institute has established 1,200 state-of-the-art breeding sow spaces including piglet rearing, and 1,800 fattening pens.
As a “glass barn and Sano Innovation Centre,” all production units can also be visited in a unique way via an innovative and separate visitor walkway, ensuring the highest safety standards for both people and animals.
Farm Overview
Animal Stock
- 1,200 breeding sows with piglet rearing
- 1,800 fattening pens
Barns
- Completely new, modern barns with AirFeed mixing and feeding system from Tewe
- Highest animal comfort and climate-controlled barns with sustainable "PAD" cooling system
- Low emissions and excellent air quality
- 100% digitalisation of the farm
- Academy and visitor centre with a "glass barn"
Current Key Figures
- TN-70 sow genetics
- 35 weaned piglets per sow per year
- 95% pregnancy and farrowing rate
- 500 g average daily gain – flatdeck
- 1,100 g average daily gain – fattening
The Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs
– Rethinking Pig Farming with Sano
What does the future of pig production look like?
At the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs, modern animal husbandry meets digital technology and sustainable feeding systems.
We take you on a tour through all areas – from the mating centre to the waiting pens, farrowing units, and finishing barns. Along the way, we show how technology and animal welfare go hand in hand.
A special highlight: pneumatic feeding in the barn – precise, resource-efficient, and forward-looking.
Foundation for the Future
Prior to the construction of the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs, Sano Hungary had already acquired a professional pig fattening farm on the same site in Szákszend. In September 2020, the groundbreaking ceremony and foundation stone laying for the new Sano Agrar Institute took place, with the construction carried out in two phases:
- The first phase began with the farrowing unit, mating centre, waiting pens, and feed hall. The first phase was completed in November 2021.
- The second phase started in spring 2022, with the goal of completing the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs in full by the end of 2022.
Chairman of the Board of the Agricultural Cooperative PVOD Kočín
Sustainably Modern Concepts
Tamás Varga, an experienced pig expert and head of the Sano Agrar Institute, has been leading modern, high-quality piglet production with TN-70 sows since February 2023 with a team of 24 staff. The herd is divided into 21 groups, with 58 sows per group. Of these:
- 5 groups are in the farrowing unit
- 5 groups are in the mating centre
- 11 groups are in the waiting pens
Animal health is ensured through a strict “all-in, all-out” system and separated production areas. A chip system and hygiene locks guarantee the highest level of biosecurity.
2019
Acquisition of Previous Farm
2020
Groundbreaking of the New Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs
2021
Completion of the Waiting Pens, Mating Centre, Farrowing Unit, and Feed Hall
2022
Start of the Second Construction Phase, including the Academy and Visitor Centre
Full Completion of the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs
2023
Arrival of the First Animals
2024
Marketing of at least 700 quality piglets per week
Forward-Looking Pig Production
In the modern feed hall of the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs, a pneumatic feeding system operates with the highest precision, allowing different rations to be accurately dosed. This high level of accuracy, controlled by air pressure, enables not only multi-phase feeding for maximum nutrient efficiency, sustainability, and resource protection in daily operations, but also precision feeding experiments across different animal groups.
The combination of state-of-the-art feeding technology and 100% digitalisation of the farm—for example, digital climate control through intelligent networking of all environmental and animal sensors—represents the future of modern animal production, the Smart Porc Nutrition(SPN).
CEO
Glass Barn: Knowledge Transfer at the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs
As a family-owned company, we want the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs to make a statement.
With the glass barn, we aim to give farmers, traders, veterinarians, consumers, schools, and the general public the opportunity to learn about modern and sustainable pig farming at a very high level, while supporting knowledge transfer as well as the education and training of future professionals.
See for yourself! We look forward to your visit!
Glass Barn: Knowledge Transfer at the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs
As a family-owned company, we want the Sano Agrar Institute for Pigs to make a statement.
With the glass barn, we aim to give farmers, traders, veterinarians, consumers, schools, and the general public the opportunity to learn about modern and sustainable pig farming at a very high level, while supporting knowledge transfer as well as the education and training of future professionals.
See for yourself! We look forward to your visit!