Frequently Asked Questions

When purchasing a pig feeder, it is important to bear in mind several key points:

1. Type of pig feed: Consider what type of feed you use: pellet feed, crumb feed, meal feed, or meal containing up to 35 per cent CCM or wet food. Each type of food requires a specific feeding bowl.
2. Life stages of the pig: Choose a feeding trough that is suitable for the animal’s stage of life. Newborn piglets, weaned piglets, fattening pigs and sows all have different needs.
3. Group size: Determine the group size per pig pen. This affects the dimensions, the number of feeding places and the design of the feed trough.
4. Installation options: Check whether or not the feed trough can be fitted into the partition wall, depending on the layout of the barn.

Once you have answered these questions, you can choose the right pig feeder from our product overview. We always offer a range of options to suit your unique stable setup. This allows you to make an objective choice, as there isn’t always just one type of feeding trough that’s best.

Would you like some help finding the perfect feeding bowl? Please feel free to contact us by email or phone, or fill in a request for advice on our website. We’d be happy to help you choose the ideal pig feeder!

In our online shop You can easily order parts for pig feeders or piglet guards online. Of course, you can always contact us via by phone or email if you would like advice on pig feeders, piglet crates or underfloor heating.

Our pig feeders are sold through our trusted dealers. They can install the products for you if required and provide after-sales support. Do you have a regular stable fitter? If so, please let us know. If you haven’t been in touch with a livestock housing contractor before, we’d be happy to help you find the one located nearest to you.

This is a decision you will need to make yourself, possibly in consultation with your vet or adviser. It is often a personal choice and also depends on the space available in your pigsty. We prefer a drinking nipple positioned as close as possible to the pigs’ feed trough, or alternatively, within the feed trough itself with a separate drinking section. In principle, we can also fit a drinking nipple to any pig feed trough (except dry feed troughs) or, alternatively, remove the existing drinking nipple. For the dry feed troughs for pigs and piglets that we supply, we also have matching single or multiple drinking troughs from our own production. In particular, the dual-drinkers we offer in our range are becoming very popular and are also very good value for money. The fact that pigs from two different pens can see each other whilst drinking brings significant benefits. Seeing others eat makes you want to eat, but seeing others drink makes you want to drink too.

We’d be delighted. We’d advise everyone to make use of this service, with no obligation. We’ve been manufacturing pig feeders for the pig farming industry entirely in-house for over 50 years, so we believe we know exactly what we’re talking about. We have over 200 different types of pig feeders, so we can offer several alternative options for every stage of the animal’s life or type of feed. We therefore have no vested interest in selling just one type of pig feeder with one specific dosing mechanism, as we effectively only have one type of pig feeder, so to speak. We simply want you to make the right choice for your situation and to be so satisfied with it that you tell your colleagues about it. And often, the best solution is certainly not the most expensive feeder. Call or email us, or fill in our request for advice Please feel free to contact us, and we’d be happy to advise you on pig feeders, with no obligation on your part.

A square trough!

We used to stock round troughs for under-feeders, but we have removed them from our range because we were very dissatisfied with the results and the feedback we received about them. Unfortunately, this means we sometimes have to say no if someone is set on a round trough, but we want to stand 100 per cent behind the products we manufacture and sell, so that you are and remain completely satisfied. Why are we not in favour of round troughs? Here are our reasons:

• A feeding trough for weaned piglets or fattening pigs with a round trough must be placed as a free-standing unit in a pen and cannot be built into the partition wall. As pigs have to stand all around this feeding trough, the feeding area takes up a great deal of space, which significantly disrupts the functional zones within the pigsty. This can have the disadvantage of manure being deposited in undesirable places, leading to pen soiling, and preventing pigs that wish to rest from doing so. This is not ideal for animal welfare or for the preservation of long tails.
• A feeding trough with a round basin cannot be placed on the aisle side. After all, the animals cannot stand between the trough and the aisle if the feeding trough is positioned too close to the aisle wall. This means it is difficult to see the whole of the trough clearly – whether it has been eaten clean or whether there is any unnecessary water left in it. Furthermore, you cannot adjust the feeding trough from the corridor and have to climb into the pen. This takes up unnecessary working time.
• A round trough tapers towards the centre. There is plenty of space at the front, near the edge, but when the pig has to move its snout towards the centre, there is often a lack of space because the trough is usually too narrow there. As a result, access to feed is not ideal, and this can cause agitation. Feed and water must always be easily accessible.
• It is much easier to fit a square trough with anti-spill edges at the front and sides. As a result, a round trough spills more.
• If there is an odd number of pens, you cannot fit the feeding trough with the round trough into the wall, so it must be placed freestanding.

A pig trough is best placed in or against the partition wall by the aisle.

By placing the feed trough against the pen wall, you create a quiet place for the pigs to eat. What’s more, you’ll have a clear view of the trough and can see at a glance whether it’s free of feed residues and water. This saves you a lot of labour and reduces wastage of water and feed. Furthermore, at the front of the aisle, you can easily adjust the pigs’ feed troughs and assess the contents of the feed bunker during your inspection round.

If you’re looking to buy new Verba pig feeders, we can always put you in touch with several dealers in second-hand livestock equipment who would be interested in purchasing your existing automatic pig feeders. We’re in contact with a number of parties, so you’re in control of the process. Of course, you can also choose to sell your feeders yourself. This will result in a higher profit margin. As well as social media, there are various national and international websites where you can advertise your used feeders. Please feel free to let us know, and we’ll ensure you can get in touch with several parties that buy second-hand livestock equipment. This way, you separate the purchase of new feed troughs from the sale of used ones, making the final price transparent and usually much more favourable than if you were to do it all in a single transaction. We’re happy to be of service.

Our standard colours are green and white. However, we also have sheets in blue and white, red and black, or all black. We can manufacture your feed troughs in these colours. If you require a large number of feed troughs, we can also order pallets of sheets in other colours and, in principle, supply any colour.

Secure it properly! If a feeder is loose, a pig will not eat properly from it and the feeder may suffer unnecessary wear and tear. Ensure that a single feeder is fixed to the floor using two mounting brackets and that it is also secured to the rear wall. For double feeders, we recommend four mounting brackets and two stainless steel U-profiles to secure them to the wall. We can supply you with the correct stainless steel mounting brackets and, if required, the stainless steel U-profiles as well, should these not be included as standard with the feeder.

Yes, we can make and supply a lid as an optional extra for almost any type of feeding trough.

Yes, we believe that a good feed trough with anti-spill edges (many feed troughs don’t have these, so do take a close look!) for your pigsty is the most important investment. A handful of spilled feed can easily result in a lorryload of feed ending up in the slurry pit every year. 50 grams of spilled feed per day amounts to 17 kilos per fattening pig over a 340-day occupancy period. With two thousand places, that’s 34,000 kilos of feed in the slurry pit. That costs you twice over: for the purchase of the feed and for the extra slurry disposal.

The trade journal ‘Vakblad varkens’ has a very good Dutch-language article written in collaboration with Sander Palmans of the Agricultural Research and Training Centre.

We therefore advise you to make a one-off investment in a good-quality feeding trough with anti-spill edges. You’ll be amazed at how much a feeding trough costs per pig when you do the maths.

If you’re not sure, please call or email us and we’ll be happy to send you a sample feeding bowl.

Preferably not too coarse. In practice, we see far too often that feeders are set far too coarsely, causing the feed to go off and become dirty, and leading to spillage. Unlike long troughs, our feeders allow animals to eat at their own pace 24/7. This means they have the whole day to eat their required portion, which also keeps the pigs calm. Feel free to let the animals take their time eating, just as they would in the wild. This is much better for the pigs, but also for feed conversion and your wallet. Make sure the feeders do not run empty. Pigs are creatures of habit and they expect to have access to their food at all times. If the feed troughs run empty and the pigs get hungry, this disrupts their routine. A pig then becomes stressed and may become aggressive towards other pigs or towards objects in the pen.

This is the number of animals for which we know the feeder delivers the best results. It is therefore not a requirement or a legal obligation. With some feeders, more animals can be placed per feeding compartment, but we know that this does not improve the feeder’s effectiveness. We recommend adhering to the numbers in our tables, provided this is permitted by law in your country or region, even when using other brands of feeders.

Yes, we offer a unique warranty period on our products. We provide a 7-year warranty against material and manufacturing defects on feed troughs for piglets and fattening pigs. We provide a 3-year warranty against material and manufacturing defects on feed troughs for sows. We offer a 1-year warranty on piglet covers and drinking nipples against material and manufacturing defects. In the case of drinking nipples, please note that if the water is acidified, the warranty on the drinking nipples will be void. Drinking nipples are intended for water only.

Postage costs or call-out charges are not covered by the warranty and must always be paid for separately.

We supply in accordance with the Metal Union Terms and Conditions, to which we are a signatory. You can find the Metal Union Terms and Conditions in the footer of our website.

Yes, we can provide bespoke solutions. We have designed our pig feeders to be as suitable as possible for most situations. But if you’d like the feeder to be higher, lower or wider, or if you’d like wider feeding bays, a stainless steel slide, spindle adjustment, etc., we can of course make that for you too. No problem. We can actually manufacture almost anything in our own factory; that’s the advantage of producing everything in the Netherlands, where the lines of communication are so short.

Absolutely. We’re confident in the quality of our products, which is why we advise anyone who’s unsure to buy a trial bowl. You simply pay for one trial bowl and give it a go. If you’re not happy with the bowl, you can clean it and return it to us undamaged, and we’ll refund the full purchase price. In practice, however, we almost always find that people want to keep the bowl.

We do not have our own external technician, but we do work with contractors whom we hire to carry out external work. We can take care of this for you.

No, we’re open from 7.30 to 16.30 on weekdays.

We have posted various documents for Variomix under the ‘Downloads’ section on our website, which you can use to troubleshoot problems yourself. User manuals are also included there. In the event of a Variomix fault, it is best to call an electrical installation company. They can easily test the system. We can then send you the spare parts so that you can carry out the replacement yourself.

VERBA is sold all over the world. We can supply our feed troughs either assembled or unassembled, allowing you to save on transport costs for larger orders. We can arrange transport for you, but we also give you the option of organising it yourself. If you’re looking for a dealer, please do let us know and we’ll be happy to help.

We do have regular direct contact with end-users to provide advice on types of feeders and answer technical queries about them, but the actual sale takes place through our dealers. We have been working with most of our dealers for decades, and they know our products inside out. They also know what needs to be taken into account, and as they are usually based close to you, it’s easy to arrange a visit. If you’re looking for a dealer, please do let us know, and we’ll be happy to help you find one.

We are open on weekdays from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm. We are closed between 12.00 pm and 12.30 pm. Suppliers and hauliers can visit us until 4.00 pm.

We think that’s quite a lot, actually. We’ve been incorporating at least 600,000 kilos of recycled plastic sheets into our feed troughs every year since the late 1970s. These PE sheets are made from materials such as PE soft drink bottle caps – in other words, consumer waste. In doing so, we – and by extension the pig farming sector – are helping to clear up and recycle society’s mountain of plastic waste.

In addition, we also process a great deal of stainless steel. A large proportion of this stainless steel is, in turn, made from collected and recycled stainless steel.

Furthermore, we work exclusively with Dutch suppliers and two German suppliers. This enables us to ensure that transport distances to our premises are kept to a minimum.

Since our new building was completed in 2019, we no longer use gas to heat our premises. Everything is heated using electricity, and we circulate filtered air from machines through our halls.

We only use LED lighting in our company.

The machines we purchase are all chosen for their low energy consumption.

Finally, we have over 1,100 solar panels installed on our business premises. These panels generate more energy annually than we consume ourselves.

Yes, we also manufacture complete stainless steel troughs, stainless steel U-profiles, underfloor heating panels, piglet nests, piglet covers, straw racks, straw bins and stainless steel drinking troughs for the pig farming sector.

As well as pig farming, we also manufacture roughage feeders for calves.

We are also active outside the agricultural sector. We carry out a great deal of punching, forming and welding work for other companies, and, in addition to semi-finished products, we also manufacture plastic tanks and containers for, for example, contractors or infrastructure companies. We are also able to weld plastic, for example, to produce end products that are used in many other sectors.