Abstract:

Impact of feeders and drinker devices on pig performance, water use, and manure volume

Michael C. Brumm, MS, PhD; James M. Dahlquist, MS; Jill M. Heemstra, MS

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Objective: To determine the impact of feeder and drinkerdesigns on pig performance, water use, and manure volume.

Methods: Experiment One compared a wet/dry feeder toa dry feeder with wall-mounted nipple drinker. Experiment Twocompared a swinging nipple drinker to a gate-mounted nipple, andExperiment Three compared a bowl drinker to the swinging drinkerof Experiment Two. In all experiments, pigs were housed in pensof 20-24 pigs per pen in partially slatted, mechanically ventilatedfacilities.

Results: In Experiment One, water disappearance (L perpig per day) was 4.49 for the wet/dry feeder versus 6.06 for thedry feeder plus nipple drinker. In Experiment Two, water disappearancewas 4.90 L per pig per day for the swinging drinker versus 5.50for the gate-mounted drinker. In Experiment Three, water disappearancewas 3.78 for the bowl versus 5.01 for the swinging drinker. Summermanure production in Experiment One was 4.96 L per pig per dayfor the wet-dry feeder versus 7.02 for the nipple drinker. Wintermanure production was 3.96 L per pig per day for the swingingdrinker versus 4.59 for the nipple drinker in Experiment Two.

Implications: These results document the wide rangein water use and manure volume associated with feeder and drinkerdevices installed in swine facilities. They also suggest loweramounts of total water use and manure volume than those currentlycited in the literature or used by regulatory officials.

Keywords: water intake, feeder, manure

Cite as: Brumm MC, Dahlquist JM, Heemstra JM. Impact of feeders and drinker devices on pig performance, water use, and manure volume. J Swine Health Prod 2000;8(2):51-57.

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