MealMeter System in Breeding

Fresh feed, any time.  Every time.

Caring for a sow herd is a 365 day a year job and capturing the full genetic potential of today’s prolific sows requires maximum feed intake at critical times in their reproductive cycle. Achieving this without wasting feed has been a near impossible task for even the most experienced pork producers. The MealMeter is instrumental in increasing feed consumption with every sow at this critical time in her reproductive cycle while at the same time greatly reducing feed waste.

The MealMeter is an ad lib feed dispenser that is inserted into a drop feed tube in the breeding area. It allows the sow/gilt to eat at will, which is proven to achieve maximum feed intake for pre breed gilts, weaned sows and under conditioned sows. Made from injection molded plastic and stainless steel, the MealMeter is easily installed and removable. This low cost addition to the feed system has high paybacks for your operation.

How it Works in Breeding

The MealMeter feed dispenser is a transition tool for incoming gilts and newly weaned sows who need extra time to consume their daily feed ration as they are dealing with major environment and physical changes. In an area that is either labor intensive or full of feed and water waste, the MealMeter takes the human element out of feeding and meets the demands of each sow’s varied eating times.

The MealMeter feed dispenser is latched on a stud that is installed in a specially designed 3” feed tube. When feed is dropped, it stays fresh in the tube and available when the gilt or sow is ready to consume her ration.

When the gilt or sow is ready to eat, she moves the MealMeter “nose” or “paddle” up with her snout and is immediately rewarded with fresh feed. The MealMeter works with the sow’s natural rooting behavior so training and operating are very easy for the vast majority of sows.

The MealMeter’s tail keeps feed flowing into its four chambers to avoid any sort of bridging. Feed flows out of the hole that is strategically placed so the sow does not have easy access to the opening and the feed flows toward the center of her eating area.

Management of the MealMeter is easy with the feed tube’s viewing window. This allows the staff to quickly observe the feed level of each sow as they walk down the aisle.

The MealMeter system in Breeding comes with various options so you can decide what works best for your operation.

MealMeter Set-Up Options

MealMeter Traditional Drop

The MealMeter dispenses feed into a dry trough with the traditional set up. Here are the MealMeter’s companion products with this scenario:

PigEasy Feed Tube: After receiving photos and dimensions, we design and customize a 3” OD stainless steel feed tube to easily be installed on your existing crate at the correct angle and height off the floor of the trough. The tube will be ready with the stud that is used to install the MealMeter and will have a viewing window toward the front of the tube.

SnoutSpout nipple bracket: The SnoutSpout is a no leak, double nipple bracket designed for easy mounting to virtually any gestation stall divider. Made from injection molded glass-filled polypropylene, The SnoutSpout was developed to stand up to any abuse and it stays in place with its flat plate design. Click here to learn more.

With the traditional set up, daily management occurs at the feed box.

PigEasy MealMeter installed

MealMeter in Breeder Bowl

In order to mirror the success of the PigEasy Sow Feeder in the breed row without losing any stall space and boar exposure, we developed the PigEasy Breeder Bowl set up. Here are the companion products:

PigEasy Breeder Bowl: The Breeder Bowl is installed on the head gate so it can swing open for sows to easily exit the crate. Just like with the sow feeder, the Breeder Bowl serves as both the sow’s feed and only water source. The water acts as a “dispensing regulator” so she learns to not over dispense and cleans up her feed with every drink. Feed doesn’t build up in the Breeder Bowl because there are no deep corners. The Breeder Bowl can be mounted on both straight front and sloped front crate.

40” Water Pipe with Button Nipple: The water pipe for the breed row can easily be installed on any head gate and is tall enough so the sow does not have access to the top fitting. The bottom bracket allows adjustment to the location of the nipple in the breeder bowl. The button nipple adjusts to a wide range of water pressures.

PigEasy Feed Tube: After receiving photos and dimensions, we design and customize a 3” OD stainless steel feed tube to easily be installed on your existing crate at the correct angle and height off the bottom of the Breeder Bowl. The tube will be ready with the stud that is used to install the MealMeter and will have a viewing window toward the front of the tube.

The Breeder Bowl set up gives sows the freedom to choose when she wants to consume her feed with little to no daily management.

Streamline your operation and have the same feed system in all areas where feed intake is critical. Click here to learn about the MealMeter system for lactation.

MealMeter feeding system installed in a barn

Features

  • Simple installation
  • Durable, Injection Molded Plastic and Stainless Steel
  • Removable
  • Versatility benefitting multiple sow stages

Benefits

  • Achieves maximum feed intake for
    –   Pre-Breed Gilts
    –   Weaned Sows
    –   Under conditioned Sows
    –   Cull Sows
  • Brings under conditioned sows into metabolic mode, helps to recover more quickly
    –   Reduces replacement rate
    –   Increases sow longevity
  • Increases Parity 1 performance
  • Increases lifetime production
  • Brings incoming gilts back to full feed by Day 1-3
  • Maintains or gains condition for optimal production
  • Meets the demands of varied eating times
  • Saves labor costs – gives sows time to consume without taking it away from the staff
  • Allows conditioning to be done by 35 Day Preg Check – ready for pen gestation
  • Easy to manage and monitor intake
Product Overview

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Other PigEasy Products

Product Reviews

Brian Aitcheson, H-9 Farms, Ontario

“I tried two MealMeters for about 6 months prior to my decision and those crates consistently had more feed intake. We are now averaging 1 kg more at a minimum for the same lactation length. We are happy!”

Chet Mogler, Pig Hill Co.

“The feed is fresh in the trough, so you don’t have to scrape out uneaten feed,” Chet says. “(The MealMeter) has cut our feed waste by at least 5 percent.”

Ted Frank
Frank Family Farms, LLC

“The PigEasy products are innovative and have provided practical solutions to some management challenges on our farm. The products are well constructed and work the way they were described.”

See Our Case Study

MealMeter User Instructions

Download our full instructions on how to use the PigEasy MealMeter by clicking the link below.

Download MealMeter Instructions

Ready To Order?

  • Simple installation
  • Durable, Injection Molded Plastic and Stainless Steel
  • Removable
  • Versatility benefitting multiple sow stages
(888)-354-0112
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