The effect of feeder type and change of feeder type on growing and finishing pig performance and behaviour

Reduced feed intake and hence lower growth rates commonly occur when the environment of the pig changes, e.g. at weaning and when pigs are moved from growing accommodation to finishing accommodation. It is hypothesised that if environmental factors, such as feeder type, remain the same in the weaning and finishing accommodation this 'growth check' may be reduced. A total of 640 pigs in 32 pens of 20 pigs per pen were used to investigate the effects of two feeder types and changing or not changing the feeder type at 10 weeks of age on growth performance and behaviour in the periods from 4 to 10, 10 to finish (22) and from 4 to finish (22) weeks of age, respectively. The two feeder types tested were a 'wet and dry' single-space (S) feeder and a 'dry' multi-space feeder (M). In the period 4-10 weeks of age feeder type had no significant effect on growth performance though pigs on the 'dry' multi-space feeder tended to exhibit significantly better feed efficiency from 4 to 7 weeks of age. In the first week after changing accommodation the growth rate of pigs on all treatments was depressed (compared to the last 3 weeks of the grower period) and was reduced a further 60 g/day when the feeder type was changed. However, the "feeder" effect was transitory and had no effect on overall finisher performance except for pigs changed from a 'dry' multi-space feeder to 'wet and dry' single-spaced feeder. These animals had significantly faster growth rate over the finisher phase (P<0.05, 886 g/day) and between 4 weeks of age and finish (P<0.05, 730 g/day) than pigs on all other treatments. Feeder treatment had no significant effect on feed intake or feed efficiency in the finisher period or overall from wean to finish. Similarly, the treatments had no effect on the variation in growth rate. Behavioural observations showed that the average number of pigs at the feeder during the finishing period was significantly higher when feed was offered from treatment M-S (1.19 (freq/30 s), P<0.001). In conclusion, the present results suggest that, a change in feeder type, from a 'dry' multi-space feeder in growing accommodation to a 'wet and dry' single-space feeder in finishing accommodation appears to stimulate improved growth performance in the early finishing period and overall from weaning to finish. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.