The pig of today won’t be the same as the pig of 2030.
It means hog barn operators need to build new feeders for the pigs of the future rather than for today’s smaller animals, Dr. Michael Brumm of Mankato, Minn., told the Manitoba Swine Seminar Feb. 8.
The size of pigs tends to increase about 1.3 pounds per year, in a trend going back to the 1970s, and it is almost assured that pigs in 15 years will be bigger than they are today and need more room.
Read Also
Alberta farm lives up to corn capital reputation
Farm to Table Tour highlighting to consumers where their food comes from features Molnar Farms which grows a large variety of market fruits and vegetables including corn, with Taber being known as the Corn Capital of Canada.
“When you are buying a feeder today and expect it to last for 15 years, what should you buy the feeder for?” said Brumm.
“The size of the pig 15 years from now, shouldn’t you? Not the size of the pig today.”
Inadequately sized feeders cause problems because pigs can scuff and chafe against feeder openings that are too small. Fewer pigs can feed at one time as they grow because they can’t get into all the entrances.
Pigs will eat less if they have less time to eat and less access.
Brumm said grow-finish barns had been better than nurseries at increasing the size of feeders, but they still tended to design feeders for new barns to be the size of today’s market hogs today rather than for those of the future.
The situation is worse for nurseries.
“It’s been six by six (feet) since 1975,” said Brumm.
“That worked great when we took pigs out of nurseries at 35 pounds.”
U.S. pigs are now often 50 lb. when moved out of nursery barns, and some pigs are as big as 80 lb.
Brumm said barn operators and designers need to ensure they are providing a “quality feeding experience” to the pig if they want it to perform well. A lot of feeders are now causing pigs unnecessary effort, he added.
ed.white@producer.com
