The efficiency of raising piglets under different systems of their feeding

Abstract

The article studied the productivity indicators, the effectiveness of the use of feed and medical and preventive means, as well as the economic indicators for the rearing of piglets using dry feeding (from self-breeders), wet feeding (from automatic feeders), liquid feeding (prepared in containers for a building for rearing) and portioned liquid feeding (prepared at each individual automatic feeder). Better indicators of piglet productivity were found with liquid feeding and portioned feeding of piglets by hydration during feeding in the automatic feeder. In liquid feeding, piglets had 4.34–20.62% better average daily and absolute growth, 3.42–15.24% higher weight at the end of the period, but were 0.03–0.53% worse in terms of preservation than analogues using dry and wet feed. When using a liquid feeding system with feed mixture in containers designed for one room, the productivity indicators proved to be lower compared to feeding with portion feeding systems, but they outperformed the animals with dry feeding by 15,6% in terms of average daily and absolute gains and by 11.43% in terms of weight at the end of rearing, and they outperformed analogues consuming moistened feed in the feeder by 10.77% in terms of average daily and absolute gains and by 7.81% in terms of weight of piglets at the end of rearing. Piglets consuming wet feed during rearing were inferior to their liquid-fed counterparts in terms of key productivity indicators, but showed better productivity levels than their dry-fed peers.