197: Chapter 197: The farrowing room is welded shut, and the sow moves in! Milk prices rise to 54 liters.

3:35 PM.

First floor of the Livestock Farm.

Old Liu squatted beside the Farrowing Room partition, the welding torch in his hand spitting blue-white arcs.

Two 40mm square tube load-bearing pillars had been erected in their designated positions, their bases welded to the steel plates on the floor and their tops welded to a crossbeam.

Liao Dacheng stood two meters away, watching with his hands behind his back.

Ma Dong squatted on the other side, holding wire mesh, waiting for the Welder to finish the support pillars so he could hang it up.

"Old Liu, slow down when you're finishing the arc; don't leave any blowholes."

Liao Dacheng spoke up to remind him.

"Don't worry."

Old Liu didn't even look up.

"With the skills Chief Engineer Han taught me, one blowhole costs me a bowl of noodles."

The arc of the welding torch cast dancing shadows on the metal walls of the Farrowing Room partition.

Three minutes later, the final segment of the fillet weld was finished.

Old Liu turned off the torch, took off his mask, and ran a finger over the weld.

"Two pillars plus one crossbeam, full fillet welds, no blowholes or cracks."

Liao Dacheng walked over and checked it.

The welds were smooth and even, consistent with Han Zhengqing's standards.

"Alright, no problem."

"Any other work?"

"Yes."

Liao Dacheng pointed to the empty space next to the ZM06 Farrowing Room.

"Tomorrow morning, we need to partition another stall here for ZM08. Measure it out, and come back to weld it tomorrow."

Old Liu pulled a tape measure from his tool bag and went over to measure.

"Three point two meters long, two meters wide, one point two meters high. Two load-bearing pillars plus a crossbeam and wire mesh, same specs as before."

"Correct."

"What time tomorrow morning?"

"Eight o'clock."

"Got it."

Old Liu packed his tools, nodded to Liao Dacheng, and headed toward the elevator with his tool bag.

Ma Dong hung the wire mesh on the newly welded support pillars and fastened the corners with wire.

"Old Liao, the mesh is up. Should I add another layer to the bottom?"

"Yes, add a layer at the bottom to prevent the piglets from squeezing through."

Ma Dong dug out a roll of fine-mesh wire from the nearby pile of materials, cut a section, laid it at the bottom, and secured it with wire.

Liao Dacheng stepped into the Farrowing Room and checked the floor.

"Lay down the bedding."

Ma Dong spread the pre-prepared dry straw on the Farrowing Room floor, about ten centimeters thick.

"Bring in the water trough and feed trough."

Together, they moved a small automatic water trough and a feed trough into the Farrowing Room and connected the pipes.

Liao Dacheng turned on the water trough switch; the flow was normal.

"All set."

He brushed the dust off his hands.

"Transfer the sow."

He walked to the front of ZM07's stall.

ZM07 was lying next to the feed trough, eyes half-closed.

Liao Dacheng squatted down and gently patted ZM07 behind the ears.

ZM07 gave a grunt and slowly stood up.

Her belly hung heavy, and her four legs stood firmly.

"Ma Dong, come help me drive her."

Ma Dong went behind ZM07 and gently patted her rump.

ZM07 started walking; Liao Dacheng guided her from the front with feed, while Ma Dong gave light nudges from behind.

The sow walked over ten meters down the aisle and turned into the entrance of the new Farrowing Room.

Once inside, ZM07 sniffed the straw bedding on the floor, then the feed trough, and slowly lay down.

"She's adapting quickly."

Liao Dacheng nodded.

He pressed his communicator.

"City Lord."

"Speak."

"ZM07 has been transferred to the new Farrowing Room. The support pillars are welded, bedding, water, and feed are all in place, and her condition is normal."

"Due date unchanged?"

"Unchanged. The day after tomorrow or the day after that."

"What about ZM08?"

"The Welder is coming at 8 AM tomorrow to weld the second farrowing stall. We'll transfer her in the afternoon after it's done."

"Good."

"City Lord, one more thing."

"Speak."

"We milked the cows this afternoon; the total is fifty-four liters."

"Fifty-four."

"Yes, two liters more than yesterday. Cow No. 3's individual yield has risen to fifteen liters."

"Full production by the day after tomorrow."

"Just about."

"The distribution plan remains unchanged."

"Unchanged."

The communicator disconnected.

Liao Dacheng stood in front of the new Farrowing Room partition, watching ZM07 lying quietly on the straw bedding.

Her breathing was steady.

The day after tomorrow or the day after that, the squeals of piglets would ring out here.

He wrote a line on his clipboard.

Day 60, 3:35 PM: ZM07 transferred to the new Farrowing Room, condition stable.

ZM08 to be transferred tomorrow.

ZM07 to farrow the day after tomorrow or the day after that.

He placed the clipboard on the console and walked toward the cattle pens.

Four cows were quietly ruminating.

The automatic feed trough was humming as it operated.