Effects of Enrichment Type, Presentation and Social Status on Enrichment Use and Behaviour of Sows with Electronic Sow Feeding

Abstract

Simple SummaryMany North American pork producers are transitioning to group housing systems for gestating sows and are looking to provide animals with environmental enrichment. Because straw poses biosecurity and manure management concerns it is important to identify alternative enrichments which can benefit sow welfare. The effects of four enrichment treatments were studied: (1) Constant: constant provision of wood on chain; (2) Rotate: rotation of three enrichments (rope, straw and wood on chain); (3) Stimulus: rotation of three enrichments with an associative stimulus (bell or whistle); and (4) Control: no enrichment. Contacts with enrichment and time spent in different postures were measured using scan sampling for all sows. Skin lesions were scored and cortisol was measured in saliva samples in a subset of dominant and subordinate sows. Sows spent more time contacting enrichment in Rotate and Stimulus treatments than Constant, particularly when straw was provided. Subordinate sows spent more time near enrichments, and more time standing than dominant sows. Subordinate sows also received more skin lesions and had higher salivary cortisol concentrations than dominants. We conclude that enrichments are valued by sows, and that the right amount is needed to minimize competition over access. Additional work is needed on rotational schedules and determining appropriate levels of enrichment for sows.The goal of this study was to identify practical enrichments for sows in partially or fully slatted pen systems. Four treatments were applied: (1) Constant: constant provision of wood on chain; (2) Rotate: rotation of rope, straw and wood enrichments; (3) Stimulus: rotation of enrichments (as in Rotate) with an associative stimulus (bell or whistle); and (4) Control: no enrichment, with each treatment lasting 12 days. Six groups of 20 ± 2 sows were studied from weeks 6 to 14 of gestation in pens with one electronic sow feeder. Each group received all treatments in random order. Six focal animals (3 dominant and 3 subordinate) were selected per pen using a feed competition test. Digital photos were collected at 10 min intervals for 8 h (between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.) on 4 days/treatment (d 1, 8, 10 and 12) to record interactions with enrichment. Skin lesions were assessed on days 1 and 12, and saliva cortisol samples collected in weeks 6, 10 and 14 of gestation on focal pigs. Sows spent more time in contact with enrichments in Rotate and Stimulus treatments than Constant. Enrichment treatments did not influence lesion scores. Subordinate sows spent more time standing and near enrichments than dominants. Subordinate sows also received more skin lesions and had higher salivary cortisol concentrations than dominants. These results indicate that access to enrichment is valued by sows but can result in greater aggression directed towards subordinates.