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For nearly 30 years, pig farmers have known that Osborne Big Wheel Feeders are the most efficient pig feeders made. With patented mechanical-flow design, “no waste” has become an Osborne trademark. Osborne feeders set a new performance standard in the industry.
How It Works
Pigs turn a multi-spoke feed wheel in the bottom of the round feed trough. A feed sweep, located inside the bottom of the hopper and attached to the feed wheel, sweeps feed past the cone and out of the hopper. Bump bars located inside the hopper agitate the feed to keep it moving. Feed falls through the center hole into the trough, where the feed wheel dispenses it to the pigs. Feed stops flowing when pigs stop moving the feed wheel, radically reducing waste. Osborne Big Wheel feeders are available for nursery, wean-to-finish, finishing, outdoor feeding, and ad-libitum feeding for sows.
Features
- Fresh feed always available
- Self-cleaning round trough with no corners for feed to accumulate
- Round design allows for more standing room for pigs and take up less floor space than rectangular feeders
- Durable and rugged design for years of useful life
- Easy to clean
- Mechanical feed flow reduces feed waste more than gravity flow feeders
- Increase feed conversion rate
Models
| Osborne Big Wheel® Nursery Feeders | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model No. | Styles Available | Feed Capacity*(lbs | kg) | Height(in | cm) | Trough Diameter(in | cm) | Hog Weight | Hog Capacity | |
| RN4 | Standard Painted Steel 304 Stainless Steel | 52 | 24 | 24 | 61 | 18 | 46 | 10 days to 35 lbs. (16 kg) | Up to 25 head | |
| RN3 | Standard Painted Steel Galvanized/Zinc Plated 304 Stainless Steel |
157 | 71 | 30 | 76 | 22 | 56 | 2 weeks to 65 lbs. (29 kg) | Up to 60 head | |
| RN1 | Standard Painted Steel Galvanized/Zinc Plated 304 Stainless Steel |
235 | 106 | 36 | 91 | 26 | 66 | 2 weeks to 80 lbs. (36 kg) | Up to 60 head | |
*Approximate feed capacity based on feed density of 42 lbs. per cubic foot.
FAQ
What are the main differences between rectangular feeders & round Big Wheel feeders?
Rectangular feeders force pigs into close contact with one another, while the round design of the Big Wheel feeders spread pigs radially around the trough. This provides more standing-room space and less physical contact resulting in less wasteful competition. Big Wheel feeders occupy less space than rectangular feeders as well as operate mechanically. The mechanical flow is self-regulating as pigs turn the multi-spoke wheel inside the trough. Rectangular feeders operate by gravity and require making frequent adjustments to the opening between the feed hopper and trough as pigs grow. Big Wheel feeders, however, can be set once at the beginning of a turn, and that’s it!
What is the major benefit of using Big Wheel feeders to producers?
Osborne Big Wheel feeders radically reduce waste because of their mechanical-flow design. The rate of which feed is dispensed into the trough is set by the position of the feed cone inside the hopper, meaning that if pigs are not rotating the wheel, no feed is being dispensed into the trough. The continual rotation of the feed wheel agitates feed, preventing pigs from sorting feed, feed piling, and trough bridging almost completely. The round trough prevents feed from building up in corners and becoming stagnant and foul.
How does the adjustment work?
Adjusting the feed flow of Big Wheel pig feeders is easy with the patented adjustment system that raises and lowers the cone in the feed hopper. The height of the cone – not gravity – regulates rate of feed flow. Big Wheel feeder owners are able to set the feed flow once and forget about it! Pigs quickly learn how feed is dispensed by turning the feed wheel in the trough.
What models of Big Wheel hog feeders are available?
The Big Wheel feeders come in many different models. Nursery feeders feature easy-to-turn wheels for starting pigs as early as 10 days. Wean-to-finish and finishing feeders are available with large trough divider openings for market weight hogs and more capacity in the feed hopper. Single-space ad libitum feeders are available for farrowing animals, testing individual animals, and even for feeding show pigs. Outdoor feeders feature the same great benefits of the other Big Wheel models on a larger scale.
How many pigs can eat from one feeder?
Osborne has a large selection of Big Wheel hog feeders, including models for nursery, wean-to-finish, finishing, ad-lib sow feeding, and outdoor feeding. The table below shows Osborne's recommended number of pigs per feeder, although exact capacity depends on animal and feeder management. Some Big Wheel feeder users report excellent success with even higher numbers of hogs per feeder.
Where can Big Wheel pig feeders be positioned?
Big Wheel feeders work well in the center of a pen or in the fenceline between two pens with specially designed Fenceline Adapters. The adapters are available in a variety of configurations and attach smoothly to different types of penning. Wherever you put them, Big Wheel Feeders outperform conventional rectangular feeders by allowing animals to eat with less stress and finish faster.
What type of feedstuffs can be used in Big Wheel feeders?
Big Wheel feeders accept nearly every type of available feedstuffs. In nursery and finishing feeders, bump bar agitators (which prevent nearly all types of feed from bridging inside the hopper) continually agitate feed without damaging the texture. The rate of which feed is dispensed into the trough is set by the position of the feed cone only. This means that high-moisture or high-fat feeds flow through easily.
What are Big Wheel pig feeders made of?
Each Big Wheel pig feeder is made with heavy steel in multiple finishes and Osborne’s own proprietary RTM-Glas™ fiberglass-reinforced composite plastic. The properties of the plastic provide durable performance in highly corrosive environments, like hog confinement buildings. The metal parts of the many of the feeders can be painted with a high-gloss white enamel, galvanized or made of 304 stainless steel to eliminate rust. All of the outdoor hog feeders feature hot-dipped galvanized finish.
What Big Wheel pig feeder accessories are available?
Osborne Big Wheel feeders are available with a number of accessories to customize for your application including fenceline adapters, a number of anchoring options, and steel rings. Contact Osborne for a complete list of accessories available for each model.
Where can Big Wheel feeders be purchased?
Purchase Big Wheel Feeders direct from Osborne or from our network of over 100 equipment distributors all over the world.
