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On the days leading up to farrowing and in the days after, it is especially important for the sow to have access to straw to allow both exploratory behavior and nesting behavior.
According to EU legislation, the animals must have constant access to manipulable material. Placing the straw dispenser just above the feed trough ensures this continued access, regardless of whether the sow is confined, loose, or in this case, loose most of the time and only confined for a few days around farrowing.
Another advantage of this placement is that when straw falls from the dispenser, it falls into the feed trough, not directly into the slat, which can clog the pits. Once in the trough, it gains a "second life" as a manipulable material. Also, since the feeder is almost always on the aisle side, it is very easy to replenish the straw when it runs out.
