Farrowing crate with a low profile feeder

A farrowing crate comprising;

• a cage defined by a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls shaped and arranged to contain a farrowing sow and its piglets;
• a flooring shaped and arranged within the cage such that the sow can lie on the flooring within the cage and can stand at will for taking feed and water;
• the flooring being shaped and arranged to include a sow section for receiving the sow when lying or standing and at least one side portion for receiving the piglets;
• the cage being arranged to confine the sow within the sow section of the flooring;
• and a feeder at the front wall for supplying feed to the sow when standing;
• the feeder comprising;
• a trough for receiving feed for taking by the sow while standing;
• a feed supply system for supplying feed into the trough;
• the trough comprising a base plate arranged to lie substantially flat on the flooring and extend from the front wall rearwardly over the flooring;
• the trough including upstanding side walls at or adjacent the sides of the sow section to restrict feed from escaping to the sides of the trough to the side portion of the flooring;
• the base plate forming the trough having a raised transverse restricting member spaced from the front wall and extending generally across the base plate to define a trough area of the base plate forwardly of the transverse restricting member;
• the transverse restricting member being shaped so as to have a height which tends to restrain feed from escaping from the trough area rearwardly;
• and the transverse restricting member being shaped so as to allow the sow to lie on the flooring with its head extending over the transverse restricting member into the trough area without causing discomfort to the lying sow.

A farrowing crate comprising;

• a cage defined by a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls shaped and arranged to contain a farrowing sow and its piglets;
• a flooring shaped and arranged within the cage such that the sow can lie on the flooring within the cage and can stand at will for taking feed and water;
• the flooring being shaped and arranged to include a sow section for receiving the sow when lying or standing and at least one side portion for receiving the piglets;
• the cage being arranged to confine the sow to the area over the sow section of the flooring;
• the front wall including a gate which can be opened relative to the cage for passage of the sow from the cage;
• and a feeder at the front wall for supplying feed to the sow when standing;
• the feeder comprising;
• a trough for receiving feed for taking by the sow while standing;
• the trough being mounted on the flooring;
• a feed supply system for supplying feed into the trough;
• the feed supply system being mounted on the gate for movement with the gate away from the trough which remains on the flooring as the gate is opened;
• the trough comprising a base plate arranged to lie substantially flat on the flooring and extend from the front wall rearwardly over the flooring;
• the base plate forming the trough having a raised transverse restricting member spaced from the front wall and extending generally across the base plate to define a trough area of the base plate forwardly of the transverse restricting member;
• the transverse restricting member being shaped so as to have a height which tends to restrain feed from escaping from the trough area rearwardly;
• and the transverse restricting member being shaped so as to allow the sow to lie on the flooring with its head extending over the transverse restricting member into the trough area without causing discomfort to the lying sow.