New pig feeder acts as ‘extra stockman’

Good design, combined with modern materials which lower cost, are features of a brand new feeder being launched by Quality Equipment at the EuroTier livestock event at Hanover, Germany, 13-16 November.

The result of over two years development work and a “significant investment”, the Sprintomat feeder, has a host of innovative construction qualities which provide practical benefits on the farm.

Function of the free-standing feeder is to allow the pigs to express their potential growth curve at the critical stage from weaning at 7 kg to 30 kg by offering fresh wet feed at pre-set intervals. It will feed up to 50 pigs with 40 being the optimum number, and “operates like an extra stockman”, says the company.

A motor within the 50 kg hopper dispenses meal or pellets in small quantities on a timed basis, variable up to 90 minutes. An electronic contact-free sensor – rather than a mechanical one – cuts off the supply when feed remains in the trough avoiding waste and ensuring pigs only have access to fresh feed.

Much of the feeder construction is made up from a single plastic moulding, making it quick to manufacture and easy to assemble. The hopper can be swivelled and the 47 cm diameter trough removed for cleaning. A particular feature is the electronic control head which can be simply lifted out before pressure-washing to make the stockman’s life easier and avoid the danger of damage from moisture. This can also be rotated to face the required direction after the feeder has been installed.

Another useful design aspect is a universal adaptor, enabling the feeder to be plugged straight into any power supply, whether in the UK, Europe, the USA or Australia, without any further adjustments.

Mark Harding, Quality Equipment’s design director who has been responsible for developing the Sprintomat feeder, says that the new design has enabled the company to strip out costs and produce the feeder for two-thirds of the normal price. It is seen as the biggest development since the introduction in 1999 of the company’s much-acclaimed Transition Feeder, for very small pigs, which has sold all over the world.

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