In our country, breeding of various pets is popular. A common type of private animal husbandry is pig breeding. This is due to several factors: a large and rapid increase in the mass of the animal, as well as the ability to use food waste.
Feeding System Features
In order to be able to get environmentally friendly meat, the pig must not only be well fed, but also kept under normal conditions. They should have two kinds of nurseries: for liquid food and dry.
Modern feeding systems perform a number of functions. First of all, they provide full access to food. In the second - they prevent the penetration of pigs into the tank. In the third - they prevent the clogging of food by vital products. It is very important that the nursery is hygienic and accessible for cleaning. Such a device can be made independently from improvised materials. The simplest is a standard trough or vertically cut steel barrels. There are several types of devices that are made from different materials.
Barrel Feeding Systems
The disadvantage of this design is the lack of barriers that block access to the tank, which leads to various infections, and sometimes to the loss of animals. In order for pigs to be able to eat normally, it is necessary to improve such a device by welding metal rods around the perimeter of the system, dividing the upper space into several zones.
DIY pig feeders
To build such a device, you will need the following materials:
- steel reinforcement with a diameter of 8-10 mm;
- Bulgarian;
- welding machine with electrodes.
Using a grinder, cut the required number of pieces of reinforcement and weld them along the perimeter of the frame to each other, indenting so that the animal can be fed. This will reduce the risk of swine disease. Metal parts are well washed and treated with disinfectants.
Metal systems
This article presents various drawings of a pig feeder. For example, you can build your own metal nursery elongated. They are made of steel, thin galvanized sheet. The workpiece is bent on the frame with a mallet (with a rubber or wooden striker) or a hammer. It is necessary to make a flanging of the edges so that the animal is not injured during a meal. Two end parts provide greater structural stability. They are welded or riveted. To prevent pigs from getting into the feed, several crossbars should be installed in increments of 45-50 cm.
Necessary materials
As a basis for such a construction, a pipe sawn along the corresponding diameter is used. The edges are sealed with metal plates and the legs are welded. The weight and strength of the structure must be appropriate for the age and size of the pig. Light pig feeders should be fixed to a horizontal surface so that animals do not turn them over.
"Grandfather" method
If the pipe is not at hand, you can build a structure of bricks. To do this, they dig a trench 30 cm deep and 60 cm wide. Next they lay the waterproofing and begin to mix the cement mortar. Brickwork is done in the center of the trench and along the edges (at an angle of 45 0) . After complete drying, alignment of the inner walls is performed. To do this, mix a strong solution with the addition of liquid glass. Slots are poured between the bricks, after which a food container is drawn in a semicircle. Pig feeders are made using a spatula or trowel. After all the processes are completed, it is necessary to treat the surface with liquid waterproofing. Any day nursery should have beveled or rounded edges so that it can be easily washed, as well as a slight slope for the outflow of dirty water.
Made do-it-yourself feeders for pigs with their own hands cost the owners much cheaper. It is only necessary to show a little imagination and find time for their manufacture. For example, an old tractor tire will also be an excellent find.
Modern technologies
Today, thanks to innovations, it is possible to make hopper feeders for pigs from a wide variety of materials: plastic, stainless steel, painted metal. This structure should be convenient, contribute to the economical consumption of food and prevent spillage of feed.
It should also be borne in mind that for piglets that are grown on the road, the strength of the feeder does not matter. The main thing is that they do not gnaw it, so it is better to make it from strong material. When feeding, pigs are not restricted in food. Therefore, it is important that food is fed into the nursery automatically, taking into account its absorption. Hopper feeders for pigs can serve up to 60 animals. In addition, it is easy to mount a nipple drinker there so that animals can take liquid feed on their own.
It is good if such a system is equipped with a dispenser. It will help to control the food intake for each pig and carry out dosed veterinary treatment, if necessary. In group housing, it is important that the animals do not crowd out at the time of feeding each other. To avoid this, it is necessary to equip their places with individual dispensers.
Industrial Design Feeding Systems
A more complex design for feeding animals is hopper feeders for pigs. For the manufacture of one device, aluminum or steel sheets 2-3 cm thick are required. This design serves to feed compound feed or crushed grain, that is, for dry feed.
As a basis, a metal box of sheets is used, inside which a hopper is installed. It is very important that the walls are inclined. This ensures the concentration of food at the bottom. The drawing of the hopper feeder for pigs clearly shows how this design looks. Its production takes a minimum of time and financial costs. In order for pigs to have full access to food, the lower part of the hopper is equipped with small double-sided trays. This will feed several animals at the same time.
If you lay a large amount of food, you can significantly reduce the time of the process of feeding animals.
Wooden bunkers
A cheaper option is a feeder made of natural materials. For its manufacture take two edged boards of deciduous or coniferous species. Two parts of a triangular and rectangular shape of the same length are cut from them. They are installed at the ends of the entire structure. The drawings of the pig feeders presented in this article clearly show all the components for this device.
The resulting elements are connected with nails or self-tapping screws. To create the upper limiters, three wooden slats of a certain length are cut out, they are nailed to the side walls. The frame is made of bars, the cross-sectional diameter of which is 60-70 mm. A hole is cut out at the right angle in the center of each element. The second option includes rectangular parts, due to which the design is easier and much faster. Each breeder chooses for himself what pig feeders to do. The price depends on the materials used and the additional elements that have been applied. The main disadvantage of the wooden structure is poor moisture resistance.