With dramatic increases in feed ingredient prices over the past twelve months, it only makes sense for producers to have a more critical eye on feeder design when new feeders are required for facility expansion or replacement of old equipment. Probably one of the most recent breakthroughs has been feeder designs that incorporate solid dividers between the pig spaces. There are believed to be several benefits to this type of design:

1. Less feed wastage due to less displacement from the feeder and longer feeding bouts.
2. Higher average daily gain, again due to longer feeding bouts.
3. Less sort loss due to less variation in ending weights. Aggressive pigs are not as likely to displace less aggressive pigs from the feed space.
4. Less trim loss in the head and shoulder area. Fighting among animals at the feeder is minimized.

While not all these benefits have been proven by independent testing, a recent study conducted by Kansas State University has substantiated as well as quantified the economic benefit of some of these claims.

The decreased sort loss has an economic value of $113.90 per feeder per year if 25 pigs are placed per pen or 50 pigs per feeder.

The trial was conducted by Dr. Joseph F. Connor of Carthage Veterinary Service, Ltd. in Carthage, Illinois and Dr. Steve Dritz of Kansas State University, Food Animal Health & Management Center, evaluating two different styles of Farmweld feeders. The hypothesis of the trial was that there is a difference in feed conversion, average daily gain, market weight variability or carcass between the traditional Farmweld Jumbo Feeder (Open Rod) and the new Farmweld Jumbo Feeder (Solid Divider) which has a solid divider separating two feeding areas.

Univariate Statistical Procedure Chart Distribution of
Test and Control Population by Weight

When the trial was completed, the statistics were compiled. The data suggests that there is a significant difference in the variation of ending weights between the two feeder types. The difference is illustrated in the Univariate Statistical Procedure Chart above, which shows there are fewer pigs at the lighter weights in the pigs being fed on the Farmweld feeders with the solid divider. Refer to the chart by looking at the shaded areas with 25% of the values in the top half and 25% in the lower half. The median values (value that 50% of the pigs are heavier and 50% are lighter) and average values are represented by a dashed line. The top and bottom of the shaded areas represent the top 25% and bottom 25% of pigs, respectively.

On the chart, the bottom of the shaded area is located at a higher weight for the solid divider feeder compared to the rod feeder. Thus, approximately 75% of pigs are above 219 lbs. compared to 215 lbs. for the rod feeder, indicating there are fewer pigs at the lighter weights. The same is true for ADG. The new Farmweld Jumbo Feeder (Solid Divider) had a lower variation in slaughter weights at the end of the trial, indicating that groups can be closed out more uniformly with potentially lower sort loss.

Reduced Trim Loss: Animals on the Farmweld Open Rod and the Farmweld Solid Divider Feeders Trim Loss: Head, Jowl, and Shoulder

The ending weight variation reduction can have a large economic value to a production unit. This value is based on total pounds produced per square foot of facility per year, the average slaughter weight, and the pricing matrix of the individual plant. The Farmweld Jumbo Feeder (Solid Divider) would return $.84/pig as a result of the reduction in sort loss. On an annual pig space basis, this has a value of $2.28 (2.7 turns). The decreased sort loss has an economic value of $113.90 per feeder per year if 25 pigs are placed per pen or 50 pigs per feeder. Thus the new Farmweld feeder would return $2,278.00 in a 1000 head finisher containing 20 feeders.

This data may suggest that the solid divider alters the social interaction of the feeding pattern.

Feeder design has been shown to affect the ease with which one pig is displaced from its feeding space by another, thereby affecting the average length and frequency of eating bouts. In summary, this trial indicates decreased weight variation of pigs fed using the Farmweld Jumbo Feeder with the solid divider compared to the Jumbo Feeder without a solid divider.

Summarization of Treatment Groups
(All figuires in lbs.)

This article is only a summary of the findings of Dr. Connor and Dr. Dritz. For a complete copy of this test, call, write or e-mail:

Farmweld, Inc.
18413 E. US Hwy 40
Teutopolis, IL 62467

1-800-EATPORK (328-7675)

information2@farmweld.com