Feeding and watering equipment for pigs

Each pig needs adequate access to feed and water. The type of feeding and watering equipment, and its positioning, is important in designing accommodation.

Aim to provide good access while minimising aggression and maintaining hygiene.

Check feeding and watering systems daily. A risk management strategy must be in place for breakdowns in food or water supply.

The number of feeders and waterers (and suitability of the equipment for the size of the pig) are also important for pig access. This can reduce feed and water waste.

Water supply

Water must be fresh and not be very hot or icy cold. Cool water (preferably less than 20C) in hot weather assists intakes and temperature regulation. Flow rates, water allocation per pen and design of drinking equipment must meet the requirements of different classes of pig.

You can find guidelines for water consumption, flow rates and maximum water pressure in appendix 2 of the pig welfare code.

Water quality

Water quality needs to be suitable for pigs, uncontaminated and free from human or animal waste. Some bore water contains high levels of minerals that make it unsuitable. Water can be disinfected with chemicals such as chlorine, or if it contains a high mineral content, it may be able to be diluted with a better quality supply.

Laboratories can test water quality to assess it's suitable for pigs.

You should consult a qualified adviser when you first use:

• nutritional liquids, such as whey
• water that is going to be disinfected
• a new source of water
• an established water source if you take over an existing piggery.

Medication

Medications delivered in the water should only be given under veterinary advice and using items such as water proportioner equipment to ensure the pigs get the correct dose.

Watering systems

Water is usually provided through poly pipe and via metal pipe where it can be accessed by pigs and then into the trough or drinker. When poly pipe is used outdoors, it needs to be shaded or buried to prevent the water overheating.

External storage tanks provide a reserve for supply failures. Shed header tanks may be used to adjust pressure to suit the equipment or provide medication. Insulate or paint small header tanks white if they are in the sun.

Drinker height needs to suit the type of drinker and the size of pig, for example, nipple drinkers should be about snout level or just above the pig's backline (i.e. 25–40cm for weaners, 45–65 grower finishers and 60–90cm breeders).

Weaners

Weaners using bite-type nipple drinkers or pressure plate-operated bowl drinkers should be supplied with 1 drinker for every 6–8 weaners.

Growers and finishers

Growers and finishers should have 1 drinker per 10–15 pigs. More drinkers are required in hot environments. At least 2 drinkers per pen are recommended.

Drinkers should be placed over slats to prevent the floor lying areas becoming wet. Push-type nipple drinkers waste more water than bite-types or bowl drinkers, but they allow growers and breeders to wet their skin during hot weather.

Bowls are better in deep litter housing (DLH) to reduce wetting the litter.

Feeding systems

Food must be fresh, palatable and free of toxins and micro-organisms that are known to cause harm. Boars and sows should be given bulky or high-fibre feed. Weaners must be given access to food at least twice a day.

A variety of feeding systems are available to deliver the feed from the bulk feed bin to the pig feeders. These range from manual feed trolleys to pipe systems that carry the feed to hoppers over, or in, the pens attached to the feeders.

Find out about pig health and nutrition.

Weaners

Trough feeding weaners is strongly recommended because it is more hygienic and easier to manage than floor feeding.

The design of your trough should prevent pigs from walking, lying, urinating or dunging in it. Restricting access width and height or using bars to separate each space are two ways to achieve this. New weaners like to feed all together so sufficient space is required in the trough. As they grow, they feed individually and fewer spaces are needed.

Dry sows

Ensuring that each sow gets its allocated daily feed and without injury from aggression is important. A variety of equipment and methods are used to ensure this occurs.

You can use floor feeding for dry sows in groups on large areas of solid floor or on the ground. However, trough feeding is the best option where you use pens with open-ended, full or partial stalls.

Group pens may combine a group lying area with a bank of individual stalls or stand-alone electronic sow feeders which identify and feed each sow. Some systems use partial stalls to reduce the amount of space required per sow.

Grower herds

In grower herds, ad lib feeding using single-space or multiple-space wet-and-dry feeders are commonly used with 10–15 pigs per feeder space. Trough space for each pig ranges from 0.15m per pig at 8 weeks to 0.25m for grower pigs, and then 0.3m for finishers. Breeding stock require 0.45m per pig.