Mixing Sows into Alternative Lactation Housing Affects Sow Aggression at Mixing, Future Reproduction and Piglet Injury, with Marked Differences between Multisuckle and Sow Separation Systems

Abstract

Simple SummaryAlternative lactation housing could reduce aggression when sows are mixed. We aimed to compare the effects of mixing sows during lactation (with or without piglets) at weaning and after insemination and determine the effects of mixing strategies and lactation housing on the piglet. Sows in the multisuckle treatment were the least aggressive, had the fewest injuries around mixing, and gave birth to the most piglets at the subsequent litter, with multisuckle housing having no apparent ill effects on the piglets. There was greater aggression in sows separated from their piglets for seven hours daily in lactation (SEP) than any other method. Multisuckle housing appears to be an effective way of decreasing aggression at the point of mixing, whilst optimizing sow reproduction. The behavioural response to mixing was similar when it occurred at weaning or after insemination, with the highest incidence of aggression observed in sows mixed without their piglets during lactation.AbstractAlternative lactation housing could reduce aggression when sows are mixed. We aimed to compare the effects of mixing sows in lactation (with or without piglets), at weaning or after insemination, and determine the effects of lactation housing on the piglet. This study used 120 multiparous Large White × Landrace sows and 54 focal litters. The sows were mixed into groups of six and allocated to multisuckle from day 21 lactation (MS), separated from litter and housed in groups, with piglets left in the crate for seven hours daily from day 21 lactation (SEP), mixed at weaning (day 28 lactation) (WEAN) and mixed after artificial insemination (AI) (MAI; 4 ± 1 day after last AI). Behaviour, saliva for free salivary cortisol concentration and injury counts were taken on M-1 (before mixing), M0 (mixing), M1 and M6. Piglets were weighed, injury-scored and bloods taken for cortisol. There was reduced aggression, seen as fights, bites and knocks in MS compared to the other treatments on all days (p < 0.05). MS sows had no fights on M1 and M6 and had more piglets born in the subsequent farrowing. Piglet weight, cortisol and mortality were unaffected by treatment (p > 0.05). MS piglets had greater injury scores immediately after moving to multisuckle and lower injuries around weaning (p > 0.001). Multisuckle housing could decrease aggression and stress at mixing in sows, with changes in the time of peak piglet injury (at mixing rather than at weaning) but overall no negative effects on the piglets.

Oxytocin antagonist does not disrupt rabbit maternal behavior despite binding to brain oxytocin receptors

“…On the other hand, there is evidence that OXT participates in the control of emotionality in mammals. During early lactation maternal aggression towards intruders and the defense of the young is high in rats, 48,49 sows, 50,51 and rabbits 52–54 . Ibotenic acid lesions of the PVN or infusion of antisense oligonucleotides against OXT into this nucleus increases maternal aggression in rats when these procedures are performed on the fifth, but not on the 18th day of lactation 55 .…”

“…Possible interactions between these two factors were not statistically significant (F[1, 53] = 0.692, p = .410). On day 2 a significant effect of parity was evident, as primiparous rabbits showed a significantly longer latency to enter the nest box (F[1,50] = 4.667, p = .036). No significant effects were found in relation to: (a) the injected agent (F [1, 50] = 2.606, p = .113); (b) an interaction between injected drug and parity (F[1, 50] = 2.606, p = .113).…”

Reducing Weaning Stress in Piglets by Pre-Weaning Socialization and Gradual Separation from the Sow: A Review

“…The main objective of the co-mingling of non-littermates prior to weaning is to ameliorate the weaning transition in order to reduce GIT dysbiosis and maintain optimal production. The co-mingling of non-littermates does not commonly affect the performance of piglets before weaning [97,104,138], although some studies have reported lower weaning weights and pre-weaning weight gains in socialized piglets compared with non-socialized piglets [44,76,92,127]. According to the authors, this could be due to a myriad of factors, including: the timing of co-mingling; higher space allowances and, therefore, more exercise; lower creep feed intake; disruption of suckling; cross-suckling; enhanced active behaviors; greater occurrence of fighting behaviors (skin lesions); relocation of the sows during co-mingling within the co-mingling group and, consequently, a high incidence of cross-suckling; and/or stress on the piglets due to the introduction of the piglets into new accommodation and environments after moving the sows and their litters from conventional housing to group lactation.…”

Reducing performance variation of piglets in a multi-suckling system

“…(Lange et al, 2021) or day 28 p.p. (Kutzer et al, 2009;de Ruyter et al, 2017;Greenwood et al, 2019), or to a 'long lactation' with weaning on for example day 34 p.p. , day 35 p.p.…”