Pre-access Gate This involves the use of an electronically operated gate which identifies the sow's transponder and prevents sows which have already fed entering the feeding area. This option may increase the throughput of the feeder and may reduce levels of aggression associated with dominant sows revisiting the feed station but will increase the capital cost, although wear and tear on the feed station will be reduced. Some producers consider the pre-access gate to be an essential feature. Two Yard Layout Sows pass from yard 1 to yard 2 via the feed station with no return facility. This has the advantage that when a sow has fed she has no further access to the feed station.
More dominant sows pass through the feed station leaving the timid ones easier access later on.
At the start of the feed cycle sows are moved into yard 1. During the day they pass through the feeder to yard 2. The system will require slightly more overall space than conventional systems and may disrupt lying patterns due to constantly changing space allocations. The stockperson can more easily identify non-feeders or timid sows. Sows which do not take their full feed allocation have no opportunity for a re-visit but the computer will highlight the fact.