Effects of feeder design and changing source of water to a location separate from the wet-dry feeder at 4 or 8 weeks before harvest on growth, feeding behavior, and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs1,2

Abstract

Our objectives were to compare a conventional dry (5-space, 152.4-cm-wide) and a wet-dry (double-sided, each side = 38.1-cm-wide single space) feeder and to determine if changing the source of water to a location separate from a wet-dry feeder would result in improved G:F and carcass characteristics. Water supply to the wet-dry feeder was shut off and the cup waterer was turned on in 8 pens at 8 (d 69) or 4 (d 97) wk prior to harvest. For the remaining 8 wet-dry feeder pens, the feeder provided the sole water source for the entire experiment. A total of 1,296 pigs (PIC, 337 × 1050; initially 19.4 kg BW) were used, with 27 pigs/pen (14 barrows and 13 gilts) and 24 pens/feeder design. From d 0 to 69, pigs fed with the wet-dry feeder had increased (P < 0.05) ADG, ADFI, G:F, and d 69 BW compared with those using the conventional dry feeder. Overall (d 0 to 124), pigs using fed with the water source in the wet-dry feeder the entire time had greater (P < 0.05) ADG, ADFI, final BW, and HCW the other treatments. The overall G:F was not different (P > 0.05) among pigs fed with the different feeder treatments. Pigs fed with the wet-dry feeder where water source was changed at 4 wk before harvest had greater (P < 0.05) ADG than pigs that used a conventional dry feeder. Pigs where the water source was changed at 4 wk had greater (P < 0.05) ADFI than those were the water source was changed 8 wk prior to harvest, and for pigs fed with the conventional dry feeder ADFI was intermediate. Back fat depth of pigs where the water source was changed at 8 wk before harvest was reduced (P < 0.05) compared with all other treatments and LM depth was greater (P < 0.05) than that of pigs using a conventional dry feeder and where the water source was changed at 4 week before harvest. Pigs fed using the wet-dry feeder visited the feeder less frequently (P < 0.05) and spent less total time at the feeder (P < 0.05) than those fed with the conventional dry feeder. The differences in feeding patterns remained even after the access to water was removed from the wet-dry feeder, with no change in the amount of aggressive behavior observed at the feeder. Pigs fed with a wet-dry feeder had an increased growth rate compared with those fed with a conventional dry feeder. Although measures of carcass leanness were improved by changing the location of the water, removing the water from the feeder also eliminated any net improvement in BW from using a wet-dry feeder.

Circadian rhythms and diurnal patterns in the feed intake behaviour of growing-finishing pigs

“…one pig round in one fattening farm). It should be noted that the feeding behaviour of pigs at the daily level is known to be influenced by many environmental and pig factors, such as feed(er) type 72 , lighting regime 40 , season 73 , pig gender 74 and breed 67 , 75 , an influence that is likely to extrapolate to diurnal feeding behaviour. Future research should explore to what extent such environmental and pig factors influence the individual and temporal differences in pig circadian rhythms and diurnal patterns in feed intake.…”

Efecto de alimentación húmeda de cerdos en finalización sobre el comportamiento productivo, composición de la canal y calidad de la carne

“…La alimentación húmeda incrementó también en 14 % la ganancia de peso y en 8 % la eficiencia alimenticia. La mayor GDP de cerdos AH, como el observado en el presente experimento, concuerda con los resultados reportados en cerdos de finalización (24) y cerdos en crecimiento-finalización alimentados con dieta húmeda durante 90 días (25) . En conjunto, estos resultados indican que la alimentación húmeda de cerdos expuestos a condiciones de temperatura ambiente elevada podría mejorar no solamente el consumo de alimento sino también la eficiencia en la utilización del alimento.…”

“…Los pesos de CC y CF mayores en los cerdos con AH registrados en el presente estudio, concuerdan con otros resultados previamente publicados (24) , en los que se reportó un mayor peso de la canal caliente, y rendimiento, aunque similar profundidad de grasa dorsal en cerdos alimentados con dieta húmeda, indicando esto la posibilidad de tener una influencia positiva de la alimentación húmeda en las características de la canal.…”

“…Sin embargo, en pollos de engorda alimentados con una dieta húmeda tenían un mayor contenido de grasa abdominal (26) . Cuando el comedero está equipado con un suministro de agua integrado, los cerdos tienden a consumir más alimento (24) . El mayor consumo de alimento en cerdos que recibieron AH, reportado en la semana 5 del presente trabajo, podría reflejarse en un mayor contenido de grasa dorsal.…”

Determining feeder space allowance across feed forms and water availability in the feeder for growing-finishing pigs

“…By testing a wide variety of feeders, Gonyou and Lou 5 found that wet-dry feeders consistently produced pigs with higher ADG and ADFI than dry feeders, indicating the improved productivity was likely due to the provision of water at the feeder. Bergstrom et al 16 demonstrated that the benefit of wet-dry feeders to improve ADG in pigs was diminished when the same wet-dry feeders were used as dry feeders (water source removed). An interactive effect between feed form and water availability in the feeder on ADG and ADFI in growing pigs was observed in the current study, that is, wet-dry feeders increased ADG and ADFI when pigs were fed mash diets, but not when pigs were fed pelleted diets.…”