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Level of Skin Damage in Sows When Mixed in Groups in Early Pregnancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2017

A. Burfoot
Affiliation:
ADAS Terrington, Terrington St. Clement, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE34 4PW
R.M. Kay
Affiliation:
ADAS Terrington, Terrington St. Clement, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE34 4PW
P.H. Simmins
Affiliation:
ADAS Terrington, Terrington St. Clement, King’s Lynn, Norfolk PE34 4PW
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Extract

Most UK pig farmers will be turning to housing sows in groups due to the regulations which will phase out stall and tether systems by 1st January 1999. The formation of either small stable groups or large, dynamic groups by mixing unfamiliar sows, will result in aggression between sows. One consequence of aggression is the level of damage to the skin which, if severe, may compromise the welfare of the sow. Information is needed on the effect of different methods of mixing and managing sows in groups on the level of skin damage and, hence, the welfare of the sow. In addition, aggression between sows in early pregnancy may have deleterious effects on reproductive performance. In particular, Simmins (1993) showed that sows housed in stable groups throughout the implantation period of pregnancy had larger, heavier litters than sows housed in dynamic groups. However, no information was available on the level of aggression between sows on each treatment. The object of the present experiment was to determine the level of skin damage, as an indicator of aggression between sows, that occurs when sows are mixed in small stable groups, before or after mating, or large dynamic groups after mating.

Type
Pigs
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1994

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References

reference

De Koning, R. 1985. On the well-being of dry sows. PhD. Thesis University of Utrecht.Google Scholar
Simmins, P.H. 1993. Reproductive performance of sows entering stable and dynamic groups after mating. Animal Production 57 (2): 293298.Google Scholar