Abstract
Simple SummaryThe farrowing crate has long been a severe welfare problem of sows as its space restriction greatly impairs the behavioral expression of sows and induces long-term stress. We aimed to investigate the behavioral pattern of sows and piglets reared under different farrowing systems a farrowing crate and free farrowing pens with sloping walls with or without nest materials. Sows and piglets in free farrowing pens had a higher level of activity and lower level of performing abnormal behaviors. Providing nest material enhanced the beneficial effect of free farrowing system on the behavior of sows and piglets. These results encourage us to introduce the free farrowing systems to the pig industry and thus improve the welfare condition of farrowing sows. However, improved managements should be investigated as the piglet loss in the free farrowing systems tended to be higher than that in the farrowing crate system.We investigated the effect of different farrowing systems on the behavior of sows and piglets. In total, 22 hybrid sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) were randomly assigned into three farrowing systems, farrowing crate (FC), free farrowing pen with sloping walls (FFS), and free farrowing pen with sloping walls and nest materials (FFSN). The FFS and FFSN sows were more active, and exhibited less abnormal behaviors compared with the FC sows before and after parturition. FFS and FFSN piglets were more active compared with FC piglets. The increased activity of the FFS and FFSN sows might encourage the activity of their piglets, resulting in more proximity to sow behavior of their piglets. Providing nest materials improved the investigative behavior of sows and piglets. The total mortality of piglets in the free farrowing systems tended to be higher compared with the farrowing crate system. In conclusion, free farrowing system has beneficial effects on the behavior of sows and piglets but extra care in management needs to be taken to avoid piglet loss. Adding nest material in the farrowing pens is suggested to enrich the behavioral pattern of sows and piglets.
Highlights
For the sake of easier daily sow and piglet managements, efficient space utilization, and lower piglet mortality, farrowing crates were developed and have been widely used around the world [1,2].Farrowing crates are highly restrictive systems, stopping sows from performing natural behavior such as walking, nest-building, and explorative behavior [3,4,5]
The weaning weight of piglets from free farrowing pen with sloping walls (FFS) group tended to be higher than the piglets from the other two farrowing systems (p = 0.08)
Similar result was seen for the piglet crushing rate (%, mean ± SD, farrowing crate (FC) 1.0 ± 3.0, FFS 5.5 ± 6.6, FFSN 9.6 ± 13.4, p = 0.25, Table 2)
Summary
For the sake of easier daily sow and piglet managements, efficient space utilization, and lower piglet mortality, farrowing crates were developed and have been widely used around the world [1,2].Farrowing crates are highly restrictive systems, stopping sows from performing natural behavior such as walking, nest-building, and explorative behavior [3,4,5]. Sows confined in farrowing crates have impaired welfare state evidenced by investigations on stress responses and abnormal behaviors [6,7] This restrictive management of sows is highly criticized as a result of the growing animal welfare awareness of public consumers. Based on a large amount of credible data, the mortality of live-born piglets pre-weaning between loose farrowing systems and farrowing crates had no big difference [2] but with inevitable extra economic investment By evaluating those different farrowing systems with the welfare design index (WDI), Baxter et al [2] concluded that farrowing systems of well-designed pens appeared to offer the best indoor alternative to conventional farrowing crates
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