Roxell is expanding its Fidos range for electronic sow feeding
With Fidos farrowing, they have added a smart dispenser to the feeding segment. The feeding system stimulates milk production, as it allows farmers to make adjustments according to the individual feed requirements of a sow.
This results in piglets that grow more consistently and reach a higher weaning weight. This smart dispenser can also be used in the insemination house. In the gestation house — where sows live in groups — the smart Fidos feeding station is said to be the best choice.
More uniform piglets due to higher milk production
A fit, stress-free sow means the piglets get the best start in life. The focus of Fidos farrowing is creating a fine-tuned eating process that stimulates milk production and keeps the sow at the right weight. Each farrowing pen is therefore fitted with a cone-shaped dispenser. This design provides the best guarantee that the feed ration will fully drop from the dispenser and that the sows can eat stress-free, without having to wait.
Based on the settings, Fidos farrowing will begin feeding at intervals. Farmers can set the feed volume on a feed curve, which can be individually programmed for each sow. The volume increases automatically and gradually. Adjustments can also be made as needed. Fidos, therefore, allows farmers to feed individually and with precision according to the needs of the animal.
The dispenser drops feed at a slow rate for an eating speed of 200 grams per minute. This rate can also be adjusted. The feed is therefore always fresh. Whichever feed type — mash or pellets — it will flow smoothly through the wide dispenser opening.
Less manual work with electronic feeding
Automation should be a tool to make daily work easier. With Fidos farrowing, there is no longer the need to individually set the dispensers. The system centrally controls the feed quantities per day, per sow and according to their needs. The company offers a handheld terminal with WiFi to adjust a sow’s feed curve.
These five tools improve the user-friendliness even further:
-The colour of the LED light on the dispenser indicates the status of the motor. Farmers can also have this signal display per compartment on a panel.
-The dosing auger of the dispenser automatically clears any potential blockages by rapidly moving back and forth up to three times.
-The large circumference of the dispenser opening prevents blockages with fine types of feed, such as mash.
-Due to the transparent body, farmers can quickly see what is happening inside the dispenser.
-Via a useful hatch on the front of the dispenser, farmers can insert additives and clean the inside.
Fidos farrowing is a tool for every sow farmer that can minimise manual work and save time when implementing a feed strategy. This tool helps generate quality results for sows and piglets.
Frank Hartmann, marketing manager at Roxell, said, “An additional advantage of electronic feeding is that you gather data over time. This is what makes the system so smart. Knowing how much feed a sow eats during her lifetime and knowing how much it costs to produce one piglet helps farmers to make decisions about their sows. By using Fidos electronic feeding in the farrowing, insemination and gestation houses, you can collect this data in one programme, which makes it easy to manage. The data can confirm the farmer’s hunches and lead to new insights.”
