Abstract
ABSTRACTNursing frequency, suckling duration and teat order were recorded in 12 ‘hybrid’ sows and their litters from parturition to weaning at day 42 post partum. Sows and their litters were moved from the farrowing quarters at day 20; half were housed as a group (G) and fed ad libitum with a boar present and the other half were housed individually (S) with no boar present and ration-fed to scale.Some differences occurred in behaviour from day 20. A significantly greater number of false nursing periods, significant synchronization of nursing periods, and a tendency for more long and short nursing intervals occurred in G than S sows and litters. The duration of the preliminary nosing phase and the total nursing period were significantly longer in S than G litters. Teat order scores, indicating consistency of piglet suckling position on the sow, tended to be greater in S than G litters, and there was a fall in the score for G litters in the weeks following grouping. This was associated with a check in live-weight gain.All G sows showed oestrus during lactation, on average 15 days after grouping. There was no incidence of lactational oestrus in the S sows which showed oestrus 5 days after weaning.
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