Right rates pay off
Right rates pay off
STOCKING rates and availability of drinkers and feeders have a significant effect on pig performance.
Paul Penny, JSRs pig scientist, said trials had shown pigs kept in groups of 130 up to 28 days old had higher liveweight gain when stocked at 0.22m sq (2.30ft sq), but thereafter performance rapidly declining. However, allowing pigs over 28 days old 0.30m sq (3.23ft sq) improved liveweight gain (see table).
Increasing feeder allocation from one feeder/eight pigs to four feeders/eight pigs achieved no improvement in average daily liveweight gains. "Heavier pigs tended to have higher daily gains, and lighter pigs lower daily gains. However, increasing provision of feeders may help to reduce variation in weights within a pen."
As group size increases, feeding time decreases, although feed intakes remain similar. Researchers also found that boosting group size increases time pigs spend lying in some areas of a pen.
While smaller pen groups out-perform pigs kept in larger groups, they were less social and more likely to bully others when mixed.
, he concluded.
Effect of stocking rates on daily liveweight gains in young pigs
Age Light pigs Heavy pigs
0.22m sq 0.30m sq 0.22m sq 0.30m sq
0-7 0.165g 0.122g 0.169g 0.155g
15-21 0.446g 0.367g 0.594g 0.559g
29-33 0.537g 0.578g 0.592g 0.734g