A joint project in the United States plans to test an automated feeding
system that eliminates the need for crating sows during their
four-month pregnancies.
Called “trickle feeding,” the system allows sows to be kept in social
groups in open pens. The system has been developed and tested in
Europe, but this project will be the first complete evaluation of the
system in North America.
Keeping sows in crates during pregnancy is being phased out in Europe.
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Many animal welfare and animal rights groups, consumers and food
retailers in the U.S. also criticize crating because it doesn’t allow
sows much room and keeps them from enjoying social groupings. The
crates protect sows from competition for food, ensuring all get equal
rations.
The new feeding system promises to do the same, but without isolating
animals. It uses a string of feed hoppers and dispensers to parcel out
food to individual sows at the speed of the slowest eater. Faster
eaters learn there is no advantage to leaving their dispensers.
The scientists are testing the system with social groups of five sows
each. The sows are kept in a pen with free access to the feeding area.
They run to the dispensers when they hear the distinctive whir
signaling that the dispensing augers are turning.
The project is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Texas University and Automated Production Systems.
