Effects of Group Size during Pregnancy and Introduction Method on Behaviour of Relevance for Piglet Performance in Multi-suckling Pens
The effects of group size during pregnancy (12 or 24 sows) and introduction methods on behaviour in multi-suckling pens were studied. The introduction methods were: A) (control) all sows and piglets were moved simultaneously to the multi-suckling pen on day 11 after farrowing; B) sows and piglets were moved simultaneously on day 14 after farrowing; C) sows were moved simultaneously and, two hours later, all piglets were moved simultaneously on day 11 after farrowing; D) each sow and her litter were moved separately at three-hours intervals on day 11 after farrowing. The effects of group size during pregnancy interacted with the effects of introduction method. When housed in groups of 12 during pregnancy, treatments B-D resulted in more initiated, but fewer successful nursings compared to A. However, when sows had been housed in groups of 24 during pregnancy, increased age (B) resulted in a decreased number of initiated nursings compared to A, but an increased nursing synchrony. The results indicate that it is possible to affect behaviour in multi-suckling pens through the social environment during pregnancy and by the choice of introduction method.
Keywords: cross-suckling; growth performance; nursing behaviour; preweaning mortality
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: Department of Animal Health and Welfare Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Research Centre Foulum DK-8830 P.O. Box 50 Tjele 2: Department of Agricultural Engineering Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Research Centre Bygholm DK-8700 P.O. Box 536 Horsens
Publication date: 01 May 2003
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