Sow and piglet behavioral associations in farrowing pens with temporary crating and in farrowing crates

Chidgey, Kirsty L.; Morel, P. C. H.; Stafford, Kevin J.; Barugh, Ian W.

doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2017.01.003

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, the mean the total piglet weaning weight ( p = 0.377) in P6 (62.0 ± 10.4 kg) was higher than that in P1 (54.9 ± 10.2 kg) and P3 (58.4 ± 13.6 kg). This indicated that the number of piglets weaning was the same, but the different parities of the sow and her piglets could influence their interactions with one another [23].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of different parities on reproductive performance, birth intervals, and tail behavior in sows

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A goal for swine farming is the improvement in the number of live-born and weaned piglets per sow. Hence, the effect of parities should consider the correlation between the component traits of reproductive performance, weaning, and duration. Sows were housed in farrowing pens (W 2.2 × D 1.8 × H 1.2 m) on a partially slatted plastic floor. Twenty sows used in this study were between the first and sixth parity in gilts (P1), parity 2–5 (P3), and parity 6–9 (P6). Data collection by parity was classified into three categories: (1) reproduction performance (gestation length, total number of piglets born, number of piglets live born, number of piglets stillborn, total piglet birth weight; (2) weaning traits (weaning period, number of piglets weaning, total piglets weaning weight); (3) duration traits (farrowing duration, placenta expulsion duration, time from last piglet to first placenta, average birth interval, and tail wagging behavior). Gestation length was higher in P6 than P1 and P3 of different parity sows. The maximum value in P1 and P3 was 117 days, but the median value in P6 was 117 days ( p < 0.05). The total number of piglets born ( p = 0.113), number of piglets live born ( p = 0.118), number of still piglets born ( p = 0.151), and total piglet birth weight ( p = 0.117) were not affected by parity. The number of live piglets was higher than the other parities by an average of 15.6 ± 2.1 in P1. The duration of farrowing was the lowest at 22.2 min in P6, but the maximum value was 42.2 min more than other parities ( p = 0.355). Weaning traits of sows also did not differ significantly ( p > 0.05), but the weaning period from P1 was lower than that of the other parities ( p = 0.170). The number of piglets weaned was 10 heads on average in P1, P3, and P6 ( p < 0.05). However, the mean values of the total piglet weaning weight ( p = 0.377) of P6 (62.0 10.4 kg) were higher than those of P1 (54.9 10.2 kg) and P3 (58.4 13.6 kg). The placenta expulsion duration was higher in P6 than that in P1 and P3 ( p = 0.447). The time from the last piglet to first placenta was be lower in P3 than that of the other parities ( p = 0.206). The average birth interval was higher in P3 than that of the other parities ( p = 0.156). Tail wagging (count) behavior was higher in P6 than in the other parities ( p = 0.065). The data showed that the reproduction performance, total piglets born, and weight were higher in the gilts group, and higher in the weaning trait than that in the P6 group. This study examined the relationship between reproductive performance, birth interval and tail motion according to sow parity. Regarding duration, farrowing duration was lower in P6 than t...

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of different parities on reproductive performance, birth intervals, and tail behavior in sows

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Crating is mainly practiced to prevent piglets from being crushed by the sow and to mediate space requirements for the sows. However, this conventional practice does not adequately address the behavioural needs of the sow, including nest building before parturition [ 27 ] and maternal interaction with the piglets [ 45 ]. This has led to increased welfare concerns [ 46 ].…”

Section: Loose Housing For Farrowing and Lactating Sowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies demonstrated that the greater postural changes of the peripartum sow could be observed in the loosely housed system due to a larger space allowance than in a confined system [ 5 , 52 , 53 ]. Indeed, this has been shown to result in increased postnatal piglet crushing [ 5 , 45 ], which is a major cause of pre-weaning piglet mortality in the loosely housed system [ 39 ]. To address this, other studies have suggested that installing further defensive structures, such as a sloping wall and a protective rail, could reduce the incidence of crushing in early lactation and thereby improve pre-weaning piglet survival in the loosely housed system [ 54 , 55 ].…”

Section: Loose Housing For Farrowing and Lactating Sowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To address this, other studies have suggested that installing further defensive structures, such as a sloping wall and a protective rail, could reduce the incidence of crushing in early lactation and thereby improve pre-weaning piglet survival in the loosely housed system [ 54 , 55 ]. Moreover, Chidgey et al [ 45 ] reported that the risk of crushing may be increased when the piglet stayed close to the udder of the loosely housed sow to keep warm. Therefore, it appears that installing adequate heating systems, such as floor heating or a piglet shelter with a proper heat lamp, would be advantageous for piglet survival in the loosely housed pens.…”

Section: Loose Housing For Farrowing and Lactating Sowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Coping with large litters: management effects on welfare and nursing capacity of the sow

Peltoniemi¹,

Han²,

Yun³

2021

J Anim Sci Technol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In pig husbandry, loose-housed or non-crating farrowing systems have been developed as alternatives to a farrowing crate where sow welfare is compromised in a number of ways (for a review, see Baxter et al, 2017) including interruption of nestbuilding (Yun et al, 2014) and maternal interaction with the piglets (Chidgey et al, 2017). In practice, however, the implementation of loose housing remains a challenge for pig producers partly because the number of piglet deaths, primarily caused by crushing, increases during early lactation (Weary et al, 1998;Weber et al, 2009;Baxter et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting piglet mortality during the first 24 h after the onset of parturition in large litters: effects of farrowing housing on behaviour of postpartum sows

Yun

Han

Björkman

et al. 2019

Animal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The present study aimed to identify the factors that affect immediate (within 24 h after farrowing onset) postnatal piglet mortality in litters with hyperprolific sows, and investigate their associations with behaviour of postpartum sows in two different farrowing housing systems. A total of 30 sows were housed in: (1) CRATE (n=15): the farrowing crate closed (0.80×2.20 m) within a pen (2.50×1.70 m), and (2) OPEN (n=15): the farrowing crate open (0.80×2.20×1.80 m) within a pen (2.50×2.40 m) with a provision of 20 ls of hay in a rack. A total of 518 live born piglets, produced from the 30 sows, were used for data analyses during the first 24 h after the onset of parturition (T24). Behavioural observations of the sows were assessed via video analyses during T24. Total and crushed piglet mortality rates were higher in OPEN compared with CRATE (P<0.01, for both). During T24, the OPEN sows tended to show higher frequency of postural changes (P=0.07) and duration of standing (P=0.10), and showed higher frequencies of bar-biting (P<0.05) and piglet trapping (P<0.01), when compared with the CRATE sows. During T24, the mortality rates caused by crushing were correlated with the piglet trapping event (r=0.93, P<0.0001), postural changes (r=0.37, P<0.01), duration of standing (r=0.32, P<0.01) and frequency of bar-biting behaviour (r=0.51, P<0.01) of the sows (n=30). In conclusion, immediate postnatal piglet mortality, mainly due to crushing, may be associated with potential increases in frequency of postural changes, duration of standing and incidence of piglet trapping in postpartum sows in the open crate system with large litters.

show abstract

Sow and piglet behavioral associations in farrowing pens with temporary crating and in farrowing crates

Cited by 16 publications

References 27 publications

Effect of different parities on reproductive performance, birth intervals, and tail behavior in sows

Effect of different parities on reproductive performance, birth intervals, and tail behavior in sows

Coping with large litters: management effects on welfare and nursing capacity of the sow

Factors affecting piglet mortality during the first 24 h after the onset of parturition in large litters: effects of farrowing housing on behaviour of postpartum sows

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About