TY - JOUR
T1 - Feeder use patterns in group-housed pregnant sows fed with an unprotected electronic sow feeder (Fitmix)
AU - Chapinal, Núria
AU - Ruiz-de-la-Torre, José Luis
AU - Cerisuelo, Alba
AU - Baucells, María Dolores
AU - Gasa, Josep
AU - Manteca, Xavier
PY - 2008/10/10
Y1 - 2008/10/10
N2 - Previous studies on feeder use in group-housed pregnant sows focused on dynamic groups and protected electronic sow feeders (ESF). This study observed 60 pregnant sows, 1st to 8th parity - housed from Day 29 of pregnancy to 1 week before parturition in stable groups of 20 animals, 1 Fitmix feeder per group. Data from 25 nonconsecutive 24-hr feeding cycles showed sows making several visits to the feeder. Literature on conventional ESF indicated shorter daily feeder occupation. Daily feeder occupation per sow decreased over time (p < .001). The study observed maximum feeder activity in the hours following the start of each feeding cycle. During the experiment, there was a relatively stable, quickly established, and maintained feeder order (W > 0.80, p < .001). This highly correlated with dominance rank (rs = 0.80, p < .001). High-ranking sows fed earlier and made as many - but longer - visits as low-ranking sows; thus, they occupied the feeder more time every day (p < .01). Although optimization of the feeder efficiency may take several weeks, Fitmix seems an efficient feeding system for medium-size, stable groups of sows.
AB - Previous studies on feeder use in group-housed pregnant sows focused on dynamic groups and protected electronic sow feeders (ESF). This study observed 60 pregnant sows, 1st to 8th parity - housed from Day 29 of pregnancy to 1 week before parturition in stable groups of 20 animals, 1 Fitmix feeder per group. Data from 25 nonconsecutive 24-hr feeding cycles showed sows making several visits to the feeder. Literature on conventional ESF indicated shorter daily feeder occupation. Daily feeder occupation per sow decreased over time (p < .001). The study observed maximum feeder activity in the hours following the start of each feeding cycle. During the experiment, there was a relatively stable, quickly established, and maintained feeder order (W > 0.80, p < .001). This highly correlated with dominance rank (rs = 0.80, p < .001). High-ranking sows fed earlier and made as many - but longer - visits as low-ranking sows; thus, they occupied the feeder more time every day (p < .01). Although optimization of the feeder efficiency may take several weeks, Fitmix seems an efficient feeding system for medium-size, stable groups of sows.
U2 - 10.1080/10888700802329939
DO - 10.1080/10888700802329939
M3 - Article
SN - 1088-8705
VL - 11
SP - 319
EP - 336
JO - Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
JF - Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
ER -