25 Years of the Transition Feeder - Quality Equipment

Export success marks 25 years of the Transition Feeder

Suffolk-based buildings and equipment manufacturer, G E Baker (UK) Ltd – which trades under the name of Quality Equipment – has chalked up a huge success in exporting specialised pig feeders to Japan. Since 2011, over 2,500 Transition Feeders have been purchased by Global Pig Farms, a form of integrated and influential co-op, based in Gunma, north-west of Tokyo. These sales are expected to grow, according to QE’s managing director, Jamie Baker, who has just returned from a visit to Japan with Michael Mattmuller, export director – the first since the Covid pandemic.

After several years of research and development work at their Woolpit base, QE launched the Transition Feeder in 1999 to help piglets make a smooth transition from sow’s milk to solid feed over the stressful weaning period. This was becoming necessary following increasingly large numbers of piglets born per litter due to genetic selection for productivity.

“’Made in England’ is still an appreciated label for the feeders supplied by G E Baker, and we see a much larger potential for Japan’s 3,000 breeding farms, accounting for over 900,000 sows”

Jamie Baker - Managing Director

The feeders proved to be so successful that, since then, they have been exported to over 27 different countries. Perhaps this is not surprising since, not only does the feeder reduce the notorious checks in growth over this period, it also lowers mortality, helping the smaller pigs to survive and catch up.

“Farmers like the Transition Feeder for several reasons – it is simple to use, easy to set up and clean, is reliable and keeps working for a long time.

The feeder can also provide for early-weaning of piglets – avoiding ‘blocking’ a farrowing pen with a foster sow”

Jamie Baker - Managing Director

Functionality

The Transition Feeder (TF) is designed to support the piglets during the critical post-weaning phase, easing the transition from the sow’s milk to solid feed whilst ensuring gastrointestinal health is not compromised. The TF delivers a fresh meal that can be mixed with either hot or cold water. It has the capacity to feed up to 50 weaned piglets at one time to ensure that all piglets receive their required uptake of nutrients to promote digestion and growth.

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For various reasons the wiring could not be incorporated within the building but the Paneltim – which is strong, lightweight, and weather-proof proved to provide an ideal solution. Using their special Paneltim welding equipment, QE made up a seamless 1200mm x 1500mm x 400mm deep box-like enclosure that fitted neatly on the side of the building.

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“From dry sows through to finishing, there was interest across the whole spectrum of our equipment and building services, which was encouraging to see”, commented QE director Graham Baker.

QE raises thousands of pounds

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Suffolk-based pig building and equipment company, Quality Equipment, has raised £12,810 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, the charity which provides a helicopter emergency medical service for people in East Anglia.