RAFÜ MAC

- optimal feeding of lactating sows

RAFÜ MAC is a computer controlled feeding system for farrowing pens. A motorised vertical drum meter distributes the feed in predetermined portions. An electronical barrier prevents the collection of larger quantities of feed by the sow in play. The trough is always emptied by portion control. The computer lists any sow, which have taken too little feed in a warning protocol. The computer controlled feeding in the farrowing pen is calculated by the sucking period and the number of piglets, according to feed curve, e.g. via the data bus system the dispenser is connected with the feed-on-demand, printer, MILAN palmtop terminal and the PC processor. All the units can use the data automatically.
Feeding according in terms of time and quantity means that sows lose less weight during the sucking period. Keeping them in optimum constitution means that the sow conceives more easily in the service centre.

All advantages in an overview

• ideal feeding of all animals
• less weight losses
• time saving
• dispenser do not have to be adjusted
• no need to clean the trough because there are no feed rests left in the trough
• always acces to fresh water
• animal control by computer
• the animal individual feeding is adjusted to the ideal feed curve of the sow
• because of the free selectable feeding modus and the appointment of portion sizes e.g.. 6.00 am 50%, 14.00 pm 30%, 18.00 pm 20%, sows can eat more energy quantity with less burden on the metabolism. The risk of MMA declines.
• because of adjusted feeding in time and amount the sows lose less weight during the sucking period 
• because of the better condition the sows will become gestating more easily in the service centre. More piglets per sow per year are the result.

Function of the feeder

The trough always stays clean because just small doses of feed are measured out each time. There is always access to fresh water.
By pushing a pestle with its snout the sows „demand“ for feed. After measuring out a dose of feed the mechanism for dosing out the feed is locked for a certain time to prevent sows from demanding all their feed in one go without eating the lot. This reduces feed losses and there is no need to clean the trough.

Demand of the feed rations 
By just demanding small rations of feed the trough always stays clean. There is always access to fresh water.
By pushing a pestle with the snout the sow demands for feed. After dosing out the feed the sow cannot demand for feed for al while. Thereby an animal cannot demand the whole ration in one go without eating the whole lot. This avoids feed losses, which causes less work with cleaning the troughs. Less feed losses involve better trough hygiene. 



RAFÜ dispenser
Thanks to the bayonet locker the RAFÜ-dispenser is easy to disassemble and to clean. Regarding feed hygiene in the farrowing stable this is a big advantage.