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A note on changes to feeding behaviour of growing pigs by fitting stalls to single-space feeders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

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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Abstract

A two-treatment experiment was made involving 340 crossbred pigs penned in groups of 20 and offered a cereal-based, non-pelleted diet ad libitum from one single-space hopper per pen supplying both food and water. Half the feeders were fitted with stalls which protected the feeding pig from its pen mates. The average number of visits per day to the feeder was reduced from 20·1 to 11·9 (s.e. 1·58, P<0·01) by fitting the stall and the average duration of each visit was increased from 2·06 min to 4·18 min (s.e. 0·298, P < 0·02). The total time of occupation and its circadian pattern were similar for both treatments There were reductions in the incidence of enforced withdrawals (12·7 v. 3·4 (s.e. 0·75), P < 0·001) and of pigs queuing (28·6 v. 84 (s.e. 2·35), P < 0·001) with the addition of a stall which also reduced the occurrence of tail biting. Although the stall improved pig welfare the anticipated reduction in food spillage was not evident.

Keywords

feeder designfeeding behaviourpigs
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 59 , Issue 1 , August 1994 , pp. 151 - 153
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1994

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