Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of feeder adjustment and
diet form on growth performance of nursery pigs. In Exp. 1, a total of 210 nursery pigs
(PIC 1050 × 327, initially 26.2 lb BW) were used in a 21-d trial. In Exp. 2, a total of
1,005 nursery pigs (Fast × PIC sows × TR4 boars, initially 31.1 lb BW) were used in
a 28-d trial. Treatments in both experiments were arranged as 2 × 3 factorials with
main effects of feeder adjustment and diet form. The 2 feeder adjustments consisted
of a narrow feeder adjustment (minimum gap opening of 0.50 in.) and a wide adjustment
(minimum gap opening of 1.00 in.). The feeders were adjusted to the minimum
gap setting, but the agitation plate could be moved upward to a maximum gap opening
of 0.75 or 1.25 in, respectively. The 3 diet forms were meal, poor-quality pellets (70%
pellets and 30% fines), and screened pellets with minimal fines. Pigs were weighed
weekly to calculate ADG, ADFI, and F/G.
