The Hidden Costs of Feed Delivery Failures in Sow Operations

By Chris Elvidge

Feed delivery is one of the most critical—and often underestimated—systems in a sow farm.

While most producers recognize the importance of avoiding completely empty feeders, the true cost of feed delivery failures extends far beyond any of the obvious “out-of-feed” events.

Subtle disruptions in feed flow, inconsistent delivery, and installation oversights can quietly erode sow performance, litter quality, and overall herd productivity.

THE PARTIAL MEAL PROBLEM

In gestation barns, feeding precision is essential. Most sows are fed once per day, typically receiving around five pounds of feed.

However, when feed delivery is compromised—whether due to restricted flow, bridging, or partial blockages in feed boxes—the impact can be significant.

A sow may still appear to have feed in her box, but instead of receiving her full ration, she may only consume one or two pounds. Over time, this shortfall leads to loss of body condition and can result in lighter pigs at birth.

These outcomes create a cascade of challenges. Sows that lose body cover are more difficult to maintain through gestation and lactation, often requiring additional nutritional support to recover condition. They may struggle with rebreeding efficiency, extending non-productive days, and increasing overall herd costs. Reduced body condition can also impact milk production, limiting the sow’s ability to support her litter after farrowing.

At the same time, smaller piglets at birth present their own set of issues. They are typically less vigorous, slower to nurse, and more susceptible to chilling and early-life mortality. These pigs often require increased labor and are more likely to fall behind in growth performance, leading to greater variability at weaning and through the production system. Ultimately, this affects uniformity, market weights, and overall throughput.

None of these issues is caused by a single obvious failure. Instead, they stem from small, repeated inconsistencies in feed delivery.

FEED FLOW RESTRICTIONS AT THE BIN

One of the most common causes of feed delivery issues originates at the bin. Feed bridging or plugging can significantly restrict flow into the system, often without being immediately obvious.

A frequent contributing factor is running the bin slide too tightly. While this may be intended to control flow, it can eventually lead to plugging and inconsistent feed delivery. When feed enters the system too slowly, the end control may time out and shut down the feeding cycle before the entire line is filled.

To maintain a consistent flow, it is important to allow the bin slide to operate more openly, provided the system is properly configured with appropriate baffles and bearing restrictors. This balance helps ensure steady feed movement without overloading the system.

INSTALLATION DETAILS THAT MATTER

Next, feed system performance is heavily influenced by installation quality, particularly in long gestation feeding lines. Standard practice involves drilling round holes in feed tubes to allow feed to drop into individual feeders. These round openings typically allow feed to fill several feeders at a time as it moves down the line.

However, challenges arise near the end of the line. If the final five to eight drop points are not configured as “total clean-out” drops with oblong openings instead of round ones, feed will continue past those feeders, rather than fully emptying into them. As a result, the end control feeder may fill and shut off the system before the last feeders have been adequately filled.

This leaves those sows consistently shorted on their daily ration. Because the system appears to be functioning normally, identifying the issue requires a skilled herdsman who recognizes that the final feeders are not receiving complete fills.

SMARTER FEEDING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

Thankfully, modern systems can help combat out-of-feed events and other feed delivery issues. For instance, recirculating systems like flex augers or chain discs offer significant advantages. Instead of terminating at a final feeder, the system loops, giving each drop box multiple opportunities to fill before the system shuts off.

Additionally, technologies like PigTek’s automatic boot slide actuators, when paired with bin level sensors, provide producers with complete control over bin usage, eliminating the need for on-site labor. From a smartphone, a producer can open or close tandem bin sliders, monitor bin fill levels in real time, and avoid bin switching delays that cause pigs to run out of feed.

This simple upgrade prevents one of the most common and costly feed outages: tandem bins running empty over the weekend or overnight, simply because no one was there to flip the gate. Producers using these tools report fewer emergencies, less guesswork, and better peace of mind.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Feed delivery failures, whether they’re problems with partial feeding or out-of-feed events, have a significant impact on sow performance.

Addressing these challenges, however, does require a combination of proper system design, correct installation practices, and the use of modern technologies.

By focusing on these areas, producers can reduce variability in feed delivery, protect sow condition, and ultimately improve productivity across the herd.

Chris Elvidge
PigTek

Chris Elvidge is the COO and Lead Engineer at PigTek.