Comparison of two methods of water supply for fattening pigs with liquid feeding

Two experiments were carried out to determine if water given by liquid feeding system was enough to ensure water requirements of growing‐finishing pigs. Two batches, each with 144 pigs, were divided into two treatments: water supplied either by a bowl drinker (ABR) or by feeding system (AES). The first batch was conducted during winter and the second during summer. For both batches, there was no effect of treatments on animal performance. Average daily gain and average daily feed intake (836 g/d and 2.53 kg/d, respectively on average) were reduced with hot temperature and feed conversion ratio was increased by 6 %. For AES treatment, the proportion of trough without water before the second meal was higher for the second batch. Spillage for bowl drinker was also increased for ABR treatment for the second batch. Those experiments showed that liquid feeding system could ensure water requirements of fattening pigs but total amount of water must be adapted to ambient temperature.