Fouled Drinkers
What To Look For:
Presence of fouled straw or dung within bowl drinkers, or dung caked around the nipple drinkers (and reducing pigs' ability to drink clean water)
Additional information:
Presence of fouled straw or dung within bowl drinkers, or dung caked around nipple drinkers. Fouled drinkers could reduce pigs’ water uptake, and could increase competition for preferred drinkers. As well as this, presence of fouled drinkers may indicate problems in daily care and management of the animals.
Suggestions:
Ensure drinkers are cleaned regularly; reassess priorities/assignment of daily routines and ensure that all duties are being carried out.
Ensure that weekend workers have clear instructions on clearing drinkers and other management and husbandry routines.
Additional material:
Action for Productivity 16: Water supply http://www.bpex.org.uk/media/1991/action-16-water-supply.pdf
Practical Pig Video – daily checks regarding feed and water http://practicalpig.ahdb.org.uk/wean-to-finish/daily-checks-and-monitoring/daily-checks-feed--water