Eric Parr(L) and Dr. Doug Webel

United Feeds, Inc.'s research farm at Frankfort, IN, is dedicated to nutrition and production technology research, according to Dr. Doug Webel. Webel is a nutritionist for the company, headquartered at Sheridan, IN, and a collaborator for the University of Illinois wean-to-finish trial described in the adjoining article.

The United facility was remodeled from a farrow-to-finish site to a production-only site in 1998. The research facilities include conventional nurseries and finishing facilities and one wean-to-finish barn. Wean-to-finish pens are equipped with Farmweld Jumbo Feeders. United chose Farmweld's feeders because of the company's track record in wean-to-finish.

"We felt that Farmweld supplied wean-to-finish experience with its feeder," says Webel. He says employees at the research farm have been pleased with the Farmweld feeder's durability, ease of adjustment and utility by pigs.

Michelle Strain is a research assistant who carries out trials at United's wean-to-finish barn. She says she is impressed with the Farmweld Jumbo Feeder. "It is great for small pigs," she says. "And the adjustment is really simple and easy to operate." She says once the adjustment crank is turned into position, "you can lock it down and the pigs can't turn it." The Farmweld feeder offers finely-tuned adjustment, which helps reduce feed waste and delivers feed evenly on demand.

Eric Parr, research manager at the United farm, says that Farmweld's large feed hopper is also a plus — especially at a research facility where lots of different diets are being tested. United's research barns are equipped with computerized feeding systems that allow different test rations to be delivered to each feeder. "With the large capacity hopper, we don't have to worry about sending a large batch to the feeder," he says, "For us, that's a benefit because we are monitoring feed on a feeder by feeder basis."