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The effect of number of single-space feeders and the provision of an additional drinker or toy on the performance and feeding behaviour of growing pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2017

A.T.S. Morrow  and
N. Walker
A.T.S. Morrow
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co Down, BT26 6DR
N. Walker
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co Down, BT26 6DR
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Extract

Feed spillage is a major cause of inefficiency when non-pelleted diets are fed ad libitum especially when large groups of pigs have access to only one feeding space (Patterson and Walker, 1989; Walker, 1990). Competition for access to the feeder may contribute to spillage (Hansen, Hagelso and Madsen, 1982) although Albar and Granier (1989) showed no reduction in feed efficiency with 8 to 12 pigs per feeding place. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the performance and feeding behaviour of pigs fed ad libitum in groups of 20 when given an extra single-space feeder or an additional drinker or ‘toy’.

Six hundred and forty cross-bred pigs from Landrace and Large White origins were used from 37 kg to slaughter at 91 kg live weight. They were penned in groups of 20 with a floor space allowance of 0.66 m2 /pig on fully slatted floors.

Type
Animal welfare
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1991 , March 1991 , pp. 61
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1991

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References

Albar, J. and Granier, R. 1989. Feeding with feeders: effect of the number of pigs per eating place on performance. Annales de Zootechnie 38: 200 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Hansen, L.L., Hagelso, A.M. and Madsen, A. 1982. Behavioural results and performance of bacon pigs fed ad libitum from one or several self feeders. Applied Animal Ethology 8: 307–333.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, N., 1990. A comparison of single and multi-space feeders for growing pigs fed non-pelleted diets ad libitum. Animal Feed Science and Technology 30: 169–173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar