From Hard Work to Smart Work – How the Dhondt Family Transformed Barn Washing

During a recent visit to the Dhondt family in Leisele, in Belgium, together with our trusted dealer Vandewalle J&R, we saw at firsthand how their Washpower cleaning robot has transformed their barn washing on their pig farm.

About 1.5 years ago, the Dhondt family first saw a demonstration of the Washpower robot. They were immediately impressed – not only by the cleaning result, but also by how fast and easy the setup was. That same day, they decided: this is the future of cleaning.

Today, their robot has become an essential part of the workflow on this modern semi-closed pig farm with 650 sows in a 5-week cleaning cycle.

From 22 Hours to 4.5 – A Game-Changer

Before using the robot, cleaning their 165 farrowing pens was a massive task: 22 hours of hard manual work. Now, thanks to Washpower, the total time spend manual cleaning is just 4.5 hours. That’s an 80% time saving.

“We used to spend over 20 hours cleaning – now it’s done in under 5. That’s a massive difference.”

Farmer Ronald Dhondt

One aisle (18 pens) now takes around 1.5 hours to clean automatically. No soaking agents, no heavy scrubbing – just consistent, high-quality results with much less effort.

And it doesn’t stop there. The Dhondts also use their robot in finishing and nursery barns, proving how flexible the solution really is.

Building for the Future – With Robots in Mind

The Dhondt family is already planning their next building project – this time, fully designed around robotic cleaning. Key priorities? Long, unobstructed aisles and enough space for the spray arms to reach every corner. They’re building smarter, more efficient barns – because they’ve seen the difference it makes. Dhondt says:

“When we build new barns, we plan with the robot in mind. It’s become a part of how we think about the future.”

At the end of 2024, they added a frequency-controlled high-pressure pump with hot water, further boosting cleaning power. Now, the robot runs with two nozzles at once, and the pump automatically adjusts to the flow needs – maximizing both performance and energy efficiency.

Young Farmer, Future-Thinker

Farmer Ronald Dhondt is part of a new generation that sees automation not just as a luxury – but as a necessity for improving workflow, work environment, to create a more sustainable work place for pig farming.

“It’s not just about saving time,” Ronald explains. “It’s about making the workday more manageable. Less physical strain, more consistency, and more time to focus on other important tasks.”

Farmer Ronald Dhondt