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Flooring Materials, Pigs per Cage and Use of Oats in Starter Diets for Pigs Housed in Triple Deck Nurseries

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061

Abstract

Three series of trials were conducted to compare performance of 21- to 28-day-old weaned pigs housed in triple deck cages. The first set of trials examined the performance of animals housed in cages with three types of floors: galvanized expanded metal, galvanized woven wire and plastic-coated expanded metal. The second set compared the performance of pigs housed six, nine and 12 to a cage (.25, .17 and .12 m2 of floor space/pig, respectively). The third series focused on the effects of feeding corn-soybean meal starter diets containing 10% dried whole whey with (1) 0 or (2) 10% ground whole oats. In addition, performance of pigs housed in the top, middle and bottom decks was compared in all trials, and was found to be similar in all cases, except for feed per unit of gain in the third series, which was higher for animals on the bottom than on the top and middle decks. Pigs were progressively cleaner from the top to bottom deck. In the first series, which involved 288 pigs with an average initial body weight of 7.4 kg, performance did not differ (P>.10) among pigs housed in cages with expanded metal, woven wire and plastic-coated expanded metal floors. However, foot pad scores were lower (P<.05) for pigs kept in cages with plastic-coated metal, indicating fewer cuts, cracks and abrasions. In the second series, conducted with 405 pigs with an average weight of 6.4 kg, body weight was lower (P<.05) after the fifth week and accumulativedaily gain lower after the fourth week for pigs housed 12 per cage than for pigs housed six per cage; pigs housed nine per cage showed an intermediate rate of gain. Average daily feed intake was greatest (P<.05) after the third week for pigs housed six per cage. Feed to gain ratio did not differ between groups during any week. These results support the previous suggestions that a maximum of 10 pigs may be housed per 1.2 x 1.2 m cage from 5 to 12 kg, and that a maximum of eight pigs may be housed from 12 to 22 kilograms. In the third series, which involved 170 pigs with an average initial weight of 5.4 kg, the addition of 10% oats to the starter diet had no significant effect on performance, fecal consistency or cleanliness.

¹ Appreciation is expressed to Russ Snyder and Charlie Babb for caring for pigs; to Dr. E. R. Collins, Jr. and Dr. Jim Steele for engineering help; to the Virginia Pork Industry Commission for financial support, and to Borden Chemical Co., Inc., Norfolk, VA; Calcium Carbonate Co., Quincy, IL, and Agricultural Processing Co., Salem, VA, for supplying ingredients.