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Influence of replacement rate on the welfare of sows introduced to a large dynamic group

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

N.E. O’Connell*
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR, U.K.
V.E. Beattie
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, BT26 6DR, U.K.
B.W. Moss
Affiliation:
Department of Food Science, Queens University Belfast, Newforge Lane, Belfast, BT9 5PX, U.K.
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Extract

Dynamic grouping systems for sows involve the regular replacement of sows which are due to farrow with those that have just been mated. Evidence suggests that newly-introduced sows are often subjected to high levels of aggression from ‘resident’ sows in dynamic groups (O’Connell et al., 2003). In addition, newly-introduced sows often appear intimidated from using kennel areas and are forced to lie on less-preferred slatted dunging areas (Moore et al., 1993). The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of replacing 10, 20, 30 or 40 percent of a group of forty sows on the welfare of sows newly-introduced to the group.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2004

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References

Moore, A.S., Gonyou, H.W. and Ghent, A.W. 1993. Integration of newly-introduced and resident sows following grouping. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 38: 257267.Google Scholar
O’Connell, N.E., Beattie, V.E. and Moss, B.W. 2003. Influence of social status on the welfare of sows in static and dynamic groups. Animal Welfare, 12: 239249.Google Scholar