Table 5.

Overall effect of mat feeding on the removal and mortality rate of pigs post-weaning (exps. 1–4 combined)¹

	Mat feeding2			P =
	No	Yes	SEM
Removals, %	8.6	7.0	1.83	0.002
Mortality, %	0.5	0.5	0.18	0.960
Total, %3	9.3	7.7	1.69	0.003

¹ A total of 10,795 mixed sex pigs were used with 58–70 pigs per experimental unit and 12 (exp. 1), 24 (exp. 2), 12 (exp. 3), or 16 (exp. 4) replications per treatment.

² In exps. 1 and 2, treatments consisted mat feeding vs. no mat feeding. In exp. 3, treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial with main effects of diet form (pellet or crumble) and mat feeding (mat feeding vs. no mat feeding). In exp. 4, treatments consisted of mat feeding small (3.2 mm) pellets, mat feeding large (12.7 mm) pellets, and no mat feeding. In exp. 1, mat feeding was provided 3 times per day for 6 d post-placement. In exps. 2–4, mat feed was provided 3 times per day for 10 d post-placement.

³ Total = removals + mortality.