Pre- and post-weaning piglet performance, sow food intake and change in backfat thickness in a group-housing system for lactating sows.
Four farms that group-housed sows from about 2 weeks of lactation until weaning (G-farms) and 3 farms, used as controls, that kept the sows individually penned throughout the 5 to 6-week-long lactation period (C-farms) were compared in terms of pre- and post-weaning piglet growth rate and mortality, sow food intake and change in backfat thickness. Piglets from 169 G-farm sows and 136 C-farm sows were individually weighed at the time of grouping and weaning. In addition, some of the piglets were weighed 2 weeks post weaning. Piglet mortality was recorded during the pre- and post-weaning periods. Sow backfat thickness was measured at the time of grouping (at a corresponding time in the C-farms) and weaning, and sow food consumption was determined during the group-housing period. Piglet weight, growth rate and within-litter variation in growth rate did not differ significantly between the two groups during the group-housing and post-weaning periods. However, the pre-weaning growth rate varied considerably between farms. For multiparous sows during the group-housing period, piglet mortality was higher (p = 0.002) in the G-farm group (6.5%) than in the C-farm group (1.4%). However, for primiparous sows the corresponding piglet mortality was similar (p = 0.21) in the two groups. Significant between-batch variation in mortality during the group-housing period was noted within the G-farms but not within the C-farms. At the time of weaning, backfat thickness tended (p = 0.09) to be higher in the G-farm group than in the C-farm group. For primiparous sows the decrease in backfat thickness was similar (p = 0.37) in the two groups. By contrast, multiparous G-farm sows gained backfat during the group-housing period, whereas multiparous C-farm sows lost some backfat (p = 0.02). G-farm sows consumed 23% more food than C-farm sows during the group-housing period. These results indicate that productivity is lower in the group-housing system, mainly owing to the poor performance of the older sows.
Hultén
F
F
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. fredrik.hultén@og.slu.se
Lundeheim
N
N
Dalin
A M
AM
Einarsson
S
S
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D001835:Body Weight; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007774:Lactation; D008098:Litter Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D013552:Swine / Q000254:growth & development*; D013553:Swine Diseases; D014886:Weaning