Netherlands: Positive experiences with family feeding principle in piglet rearing

Posted: 13/10/2021 Save as favorite Wageningen Livestock Research has carried out research into the family feeding principle in pig farming, commissioned by Vereijken, Trouw Nutrition and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. Piglets learn to eat and drink from the sow, which leads to better feed intake around weaning. The research results will be presented during the two-day trade fair for pig farming, Dutch Pork Expo in Den Bosch. For the research, Vereijken made various adjustments to the farrowing pen, such as a feeding plate in the front of the pen where the feed falls so that the sow can determine her own feed dose with the help of an automatic system that doses small portions each time. Other adjustments were: a drinking trough on the floor for the sow and piglets next to the feeding plate, a widening of the box at the front, extra pen enrichment in the farrowing pen and a feeding trough with play material from which the piglets learn to eat faster. The ...