The number of piglets dying at birth is reduced by providing atemperature sensor in a farrowing crate at the piglet area thereof on amovablecover so that, when the sow is expected to give birth, the sensor is locatedin thecrate at a location to detect the presence of one or more piglets after birth.Ondetection by a control unit using the sensor signal of the one or morepiglets, thesensor communicates a signal to a pager carried by an operator indicating totheoperator that birth of piglets is in progress and activates a heating lamp forthepiglets in the pen to attract them away from the area of the sow to reducecrushing.The control unit and the sensor also control the heat output. The cover canslidealong the piglet area and can lift to expose the piglet area.
