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The effects of feeder space and adjustment on growth performance of finishing pigs

Feed waste is independent of the through space, but it is seriously affected by feeder adjustment.
8 March 2011
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A total of 288 pigs (initially 37.2 kg) were used in a 91-d study to evaluate the effects of feeder trough space (4.4 vs. 8.9 cm/pig) and minimum feeder-gap opening of 1.3 cm (narrow), vs. 2.5 cm (wide) on finisher pig performance. Our hypothesis was that at minimal feeder trough space (4.4 cm/pig), feeders should be set at a wide gap opening to avoid limiting feed intake and ADG. The feeders were adjusted to the minimum gap setting, but the agitation plate could be moved upward to a maximum gap opening of 4.8 or 3.2 cm., respectively. The treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial with 6 replications per treatment. All pens had the same feeder with 2, 35.6 cm-wide by 11.4 cm-deep feeder holes. Feeder trough space was adjusted by placing 8 or 16 pigs per pen. Gating was adjusted to give each pig 0.74 m2 of floor space. Pigs had ad libitum access to feed and water. All pigs were fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet containing 20% dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) in 4 phases. Pen weights and feed disappearance were measured every 2 wk. Narrow-adjusted feeders averaged approximately 48% coverage, and wide-adjusted feeders averaged approximately 85% coverage.

Overall (d 0 to 91) there were no trough space × feeder adjustment interactions observed (P > 0.10). However, there was a tendency (P = 0.08) for increased ADG as feeder trough space increased from 4.4 to 8.9 cm/pig. Pigs fed with the wide feeder-gap setting had increased (P < 0.01) feed disappearance and poorer (P < 0.01) F/G compared to pigs with the narrow feeder-gap setting. It is concluded that, regardless of feeder trough space, pigs with the wide feeder adjustment appeared to waste more feed, as evidenced by the poorer F/G.

AJ Myers, RD Goodband, MD Tokach, SS Dritz, JR Bergstrom, JM DeRouchey, and JL Nelssen, 2010. Swine day, Kansas State University, Report progress 1038: 172-177.

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