Prevent weaning dip with the right piglet feeder
Weaning is usually a sensitive time for piglets and some degree of weaning stress is always a distinct possibility because:
- The piglets are taken away from the sow and move to a new environment.
- The piglets have to get used to different, solid feed and can no longer rely on the antibodies in the sow's milk.
Pig producers benefit from weaning piglets at a young age to increase the farrowing rate and therefore productivity. This means that piglets are presented with solid feed at a young age. This is a stressful experience that in the worst-case scenario can cause fever and even weaning diarrhoea. In this case, the newly weaned piglets will lag behind considerably in growth.
That is why it is vital to ensure the transition at weaning is as smooth as possible and guide the piglets through the weaning phase successfully.
Easy access to feed
The feeding of pigs and piglets the right way is of great importance. That's why Fancom has developed an automatic pig feeding system, ideal for piglets. Clean, fresh feed and an easily accessible feeding area ensure that piglets eat quickly after weaning. Easy access means there is enough space to allow several piglets to eat at the same time. Seeing other piglets eat encourages the appetite.
Easy access to the automatic pig feeder also means that the piglets do not have to learn how to operate the feeder first. It is also important to provide water in a separate drinker to the feeder. Otherwise, the piglets may still experience stress.
Sensor-controlled automatic piglet feeder
Fancom’s Rondomat is a round piglet feeder with a trough diameter of 90 cm, which is equivalent to a 2.8 metre feeding place. This enables up to 20 piglets to eat at the Rondomat feeder at the same time. The Rondomat is suitable for a maximum of 60 piglets. This means you can easily keep the litters of piglets together in the weaning groups.
The Rondomat automatically doses feed as needed. Sensors detect whether there is any feed in the trough. As soon as the trough is empty, a small portion of feed mixed with water is provided in the trough. The feed/ water ratio can be set and adjusted over time. The feed in the trough is always fresh and tasty for the piglets. You will also notice that hardly any feed is wasted.
Higher piglet uniformity
This spacious feeding place is very pleasant for the smallest piglets in the litter. These piglets often lag behind in growth during the first few days because it costs them too much effort to claim a place at the baby pig feeder. The Rondomat offers a lot more space and fresh feed is always available. In practice we see that the daily growth rate is relatively much higher in light piglets, and the uniformity in final weights is also better.
Up to 35 grams higher growth
Thanks to the spacious feeding place and the continuous presence of fresh feed, the Rondomat helps the young piglets make a smooth transition to weaner feed. This prevents weaning dip, resulting in healthy piglets that grow well. Results from practice reveal that piglets can easily achieve up to 35 grams higher growth per day. See how users rate the Rondomat here:
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