Feeders vary in their features, such as adjustment of feed flow, and these features were examined as part of six weaner feeders trialled in 2000. Many of the feeders tested are still in common use, for example, the Penguin and Maxi-mat, however there are other similar feeders now available. In the trial there were no significant differences between pig performance with the six weaner feeders. This included weight gain, feed conversion and average daily feed removal. The control feeder was a dry trough, the others were wet/dry feeders.
The results of this trial are to help growers select feeders based on accurate and easily altered feed-flow adjustment, durability and cost in the long term. Growers should also consider which feeder suits pen layout.
The feeders.
The trough feeder used as a control was an eight-space non-adjustable dry feeder of galvanised construction.
The Remko feeder donated by Remko Industries [Murgon] is a double-space wet-and-dry feeder of galvanised construction. Feed is dispensed from a hopper onto a plate. Pigs can either eat dry feed directly from the plate or mix it with water in the trough.
The Lean Machine donated by Stockyard Industries [Clifton] is a wet-and-dry competition feeder with a nudge bar that dispenses feed directly into a trough. The hopper is made of plastic while the base is stainless steel.
The Penguin feeder donated by Stockyard Industries is a wet-and-dry competition feeder made of plastic and the base is mild steel. Feed is dispensed by a rotating and tilting dropper.
The Gas Bottle Pencil feeder donated by Kewpie Engineering [Kingaroy] is a wet-and-dry competition feeder, with a tri-bar agitator (dropper) that when pushed by pigs dispenses feed on to a mild steel plate.
The MaxiMat feeder was already in use on the piggery and is a wet-and-dry competition feeder. Feed is dispensed on to a plate by pigs nudging a tube. The trough and the bottom of the tube is stainless steel.
The trial.
The feeders were compared at The University of Queensland’s Gatton piggery, a 350-sow commercial unit, with 1008 weaners in batches from November 1999 to June 2000. Each batch started the trial from weaning at an average age of 28 days, were on trial for 25 days, after which the pigs were shifted to the grow-out unit at Wacol.
Each feeder serviced 42 weaner pigs (21 males and 21 females) in back-to-back pens sharing a common feeder. The exception was the trough and Remko feeders where there was a separate feeder in each pen. A creep and weaner crumble feed was used.
Results.
Results indicated no significant difference (with a probability greater than 0.05, which means more than 95% certain there is no difference) between feeders for weight gain, feed conversion and average daily feed removal.
The average pig performance over all feeders was:
- average daily weight gain 421 g per pig a day
- average liveweight feed conversion 1.56 : 1
- average daily feed removal 651 g per pig a day.
Selecting feeders.
Observations during the trial provided suggestions for selecting feeders, the most important being the feed adjustment mechanism.
- The feed-flow adjustment has to be easily operated and accurate. This determines the efficiency of the feeder as far as feed wastage is concerned. Good features found were those feeders with a stainless steel threaded central rod with long handles for locking nuts, and adjustments with handles clogged less and were easier to operate.
- Durability..
- Cost: the cheapest initially could be the costliest in the long run if it has poor feed-flow adjustment and is not durable.
- Select a feeder that suits your particular pen set-up for example whether for a single pen or to feed back-to-back pens.
This study was instigated by a group of producers on the eastern Downs.
Author:
Gary Collman
