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Parity Influences the Demeanor of Sows in Group Housing
Contributor(s):: Clarke, Taya, Pluske, John R., Miller, David W., Collins, Teresa, Fleming, Patricia A.
Across the globe, producers are moving from individual housing to group housing for sows during gestation. Producers typically group sows of a range of parities together, although the impacts are largely unknown. This study examined the behavioral expression at mixing for young, midparity, and...
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Maternal Behavior, Posture Change, and Production Performance of Lactating Sows Housed in an Enriched Environment
Contributor(s):: Yi, Ran, Wang, Chao, Zhang, Xin, Zhao, Peng, Zhang, Mingyue, Li, Xiang, Cui, Shiquan, Liu, Honggui, Bao, Jun
This study aimed to evaluate whether adding straw to a loose-farrowing house promotes maternal functions and production. Forty-eight sows (Landrace× Large White) were housed in either a farrowing pen without straw (C, n = 24) or with straw (S, n = 24). Behaviors were observed using video...
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Prepartum nest-building has an impact on postpartum nursing performance and maternal behaviour in early lactating sows
Contributor(s):: Yun, Jinhyeon, Swan, Kirsi-Marja, Farmer, Chantal, Oliviero, Claudio, Peltoniemi, Olli, Valros, Anna
The effects of facilitating prepartum nest-building (NB) behaviour, by providing abundant nesting materials, on postpartum maternal characteristics in early lactating sows were evaluated. A total of 35 sows, approximately seven days before the expected parturition date, were housed in: (1) CRATE...
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Interaction between sows’ aggressiveness post mixing and skin lesions recorded several weeks later
Contributor(s):: Tönepöhl, Björn, Appel, Anne K., Voß, Barbara, König von Borstel, Uta, Gauly, Matthias
Group housing of pigs leads inevitably to more or less serious agonistic interactions during the establishment of the social rank order of the group. In order to reduce the number of severe agonistic interactions and thus the negative effects on well-being and performance, the use of genetic...
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Hierarchy formation in newly mixed, group housed sows and management strategies aimed at reducing its impact
Contributor(s):: Greenwood, Emma C., Plush, Kate J., van Wettere, William H. E. J., Hughes, Paul E.
Aggression is at its highest when sows are first introduced to new animals and hierarchies are being established. Thus, methods to reduce aggression should focus on this period. The aggression that occurs during mixing results in physiological stress responses, which can have detrimental effects...
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Effect of rubber slat mats on the behaviour and welfare of group housed pregnant sows
Contributor(s):: Díaz, Julia Adriana Calderón, Boyle, Laura Ann
This study evaluated the effect of flooring, lameness, body and limb lesion scores on postural and spatial behaviour of gestating sows. Sixty-four sows were kept in groups of four in pens with four solid concrete floored feeding stalls and a concrete fully slatted group area from 4 weeks after...
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The effect of pen design on free space utilization of sows group housed in gestation pens equipped with free access stalls
Contributor(s):: Rioja-Lang, Fiona C., Hayne, Stephanie M., Gonyou, Harold W.
This study investigated the implementation of walk-in/lock-in stalls (free access stalls) for group housed sows. The objectives were to compare two different pen configurations (‘I-pen’ vs. ‘T-pen’) by determining the proportion and type (size/parity) of sows that used the free space areas, and...
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The effect of ketoprofen on post-partum behaviour in sows
Contributor(s):: Viitasaari, Elina, Raekallio, Marja, Heinonen, Mari, Valros, Anna, Peltoniemi, Olli, Hänninen, Laura
A randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial was conducted in order to estimate pain-related behavioural changes of sows in early lactation. Ketoprofen (KET) was used (3mg/kg BW) intramuscularly for three consecutive days post-partum (p.p.) on 19 sows. Nineteen sows were used as a...
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Drinking behaviour in sows kept outdoors during the winter months
Contributor(s):: Andersen, Heidi Mai-Lis, Pedersen, Lene Juul
In the light of the EU regulation, “pigs must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of fresh water” and the practical problems it provides farmers during winter to keep water free of ice, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of periods with frost on the diurnal pattern...
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Behavior and performance in primiparous sows of two Min pig hybrid breeds in outdoor housing systems
Contributor(s):: Liu, Hong-gui, Wang, Chao, Lv, Jing, Yu, Yun-qing, Zhang, Jun-ling, Bao, Jun
When sows and their litters are kept outdoors, the maternal ability, including maternal behavior, is very important for piglet health and survival. The aim of this study was to compare part of maternal behavior and performance in primiparous sows of two different conventionally bred Min pig...
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Stability of social hierarchy in growing female pigs and pregnant sows
Contributor(s):: Parent, Jean-Philippe, Meunier-Salaün, Marie-Christine, Vasseur, Elsa, Bergeron, Renée
Conflicting results between dominance tests and repetitions of these tests over time in pigs may result from a lack of stability of their social hierarchy. The objectives of this study were to compare five methods to measure social hierarchy and to examine the stability of test results over time...
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Pain and discomfort caused by parturition in cows and sows
Contributor(s):: Mainau, Eva, Manteca, Xavier
This review focuses on parturition as a painful process in cows and sows. Firstly, the different stages of parturition associated to the origin and transmission of pain stimuli are described. Hypoalgesia during the late pregnancy and parturition has been shown, perhaps as an endogenous defence...
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The effect of feed trough position on choice of defecation area in farrowing pens by loose sows
Contributor(s):: Andersen, Heidi Mai-Lis, Pedersen, Lene Juul
The primary aim of the present study was to investigate how the feed trough position affects the sow's choice of defecation area in a loose house farrowing pen. The eliminative behaviour of 24 1st parity sows was studied in a cross-over design. The feed trough and the water were positioned either...
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Dry sows in dynamic groups: An investigation of social behaviour when introducing new sows
Contributor(s):: Krauss, Verena, Hoy, Steffen
In the investigation 22 groups of sows (with a total number of 73 sows, being partially observed repeatedly) were consecutively observed for 96h with the aid of video technology after the introduction of 5 new sows into a group of 10 resident sows, thus creating a dynamic group of 15 animals. The...
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Development of approach and handling tests for the assessment of reactivity to humans of sows housed in stall or in group
Contributor(s):: Clouard, Caroline, Meunier-Salaün, Marie-Christine, Devillers, Nicolas
The aim of the present study was to develop reliable and easy-to-use tests for on-farm assessment of sow reactivity to human in different housing systems. A total of 123 gestating sows at different parities and stages of pregnancy were successively subjected to two tests according to their...
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A comparison of postural changes and maternal responsiveness during early lactation in Landrace and Minpig sows
Contributor(s):: Cui, Shi-quan, Chen, Dong-hua, Li, Jian-hong, Li, Xiang, Yin, Guo-an, Bao, Jun
Maternal behaviour is one of the instinct behaviours associated with offspring survival. Minpig is a local breed in the Northeast of China known for its strong maternal sense. In this study, sows of Minpig (n=30, parity 2–8) and Landrace (n=21, parity 2–8) were farrowed in individual pens with...
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A comparison of postural changes and maternal responsiveness during early lactation in Landrace and Minpig sows
Contributor(s):: Cui, Shi-quan, Chen, Dong-hua, Li, Jian-hong, Li, Xiang, Yin, Guo-an, Bao, Jun
Maternal behaviour is one of the instinct behaviours associated with offspring survival. Minpig is a local breed in the Northeast of China known for its strong maternal sense. In this study, sows of Minpig (n=30, parity 2–8) and Landrace (n=21, parity 2–8) were farrowed in individual pens with...
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Suckling behaviour and health parameters of sows and piglets in free-farrowing pens
Contributor(s):: Lohmeier, R. Y., Gimberg-Henrici, C. G. E., Burfeind, O., Krieter, J.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of free-farrowing pens and farrowing crates on the health parameters and the suckling behaviour of sows and their piglets, which were housed in farrowing crates (FC; n = 127) and in free-farrowing pens (FP; n = 121). All sows were...
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The effect of group-housing with free-farrowing pens on reproductive traits and the behaviour of low-risk and high-risk crushing sows
Contributor(s):: Grimberg-Henrici, C. G. E., Büttner, K., Lohmeier, R. Y., Burfeind, O., Krieter, J.
Free-farrowing systems and group-housing systems for lactating sows are sensitive systems and require an optimal interaction of different environmental factors to be successful. The aim of the present study was to compare sows’ reproductive traits during lactation in two group-housing systems...
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Evaluating measures of exploratory behaviour in sows around farrowing and during lactation—A pilot study
Contributor(s):: Valros, Anna, Pedersen, Lene Juul, Pöytäkangas, Merja, Jensen, Margit Bak
There are very few studies on the need to perform exploratory behaviour of sows around farrowing and during lactation, except for during the nest-building period. Exploratory behaviour in pigs may reflect appetitive foraging motivated by hunger, or appetitive behaviour related to other...
