Evaluation of voluntary feed intake and feeding behavior of group-housed growing pigs through the use of automated intelligent precision feeders

Currently, the use of precision feeders is highly increasing in animal production. This technology allows monitoring and manipulating the feeding and nutrition of each animal individually even when animals are group-housed. Based on the pig's identify, the studies can be carried changing the composition of feed, this strategy can manipulate the use of nutrients optimizing the production system. Therefore, the present study aimed at evaluating the voluntary feed intake and feeding behavior of group-housed growing pigs through the use of automated intelligent precision feeders over a 94-day experimental period. A total of 60 barrows (initial body weight of 29.5 ? 3.9 kg), with high genetic potential for lean gain, were used. The animals were housed in an experimental climatic-controlled room equipped with five automated intelligent precision feeders and the following variables were measured: voluntary feed intake, number of feeder visits per day, feeder occupation time per visit, feed intake per visit and feed consumption rate. Each animal was considered as the sample unit, the day as experimental unit, and data were subjected to an analysis of variance including the effects of day and period of measurement: diurnal (06-18h) vs. nocturnal (18-06h). According to our results, greater voluntary feed intake (1749.7 vs. 981.9 g), feeder visits per day (12.8 vs. 7.7), feeder occupation time per visit (44.5 vs. 26.1 min), feed intake per visit (139.3 vs. 130.7 g) and feed consumption rate (72.9 vs. 40.9 g/h) were observed during the diurnal than during the nocturnal period (P < 0.05). More than 60 % of pigs feeding behavior were observed during the diurnal period. These results confirm the diurnal feeding pattern of pigs in response to the photoperiod and demonstrates that the automated intelligent precision feeders are an effective tool for feeding behavior assessment of group-housed growing pigs that can also be used to monitor pigs activity without human intervention.