University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) - Research portal
Gewählte Master / Diploma Thesis:
Birgit Theresia Stockinger
(2011):
Vergleich zweier Gruppenhaltungssysteme für ferkelführende Sauen hinsichtlich Saugverhalten, Leistung und Sozialverhalten der Saugferkel.
Master / Diploma Thesis - Institut für Nutztierwissenschaften (NUWI),
BOKU-Universität für Bodenkultur,
pp 82.
UB BOKU
obvsg
FullText
- Abstract:
- Group housing systems for lactating sows are assumed to provide animal-welfare friendly housing conditions for both, piglets and sows. This study examined the social and suckling behaviour as well as the performance of piglets after grouping in two different systems around 16 days post natum. In two repetitions 18 sows and 180 piglets were mixed in the two group farrowing systems. For data collection video recordings were evaluated using continuous observations and instantaneous scan sampling. The suckling behaviour was observed on three successive days after grouping for six hours each. For the investigation of cross-sucking, six well visible sucklings per day were used. Assessment of skin lesions using the “Ekesbo” method supported the observations of agonistic behaviour in the third and fourth hour after grouping. Performance was evaluated using the average daily weight gain of piglets until Day 4 after grouping and until weaning. The exploratory behaviour was assessed by evaluating the activity of the piglets in the different sectors of the group housing systems. The two group housing systems did not differ in terms of performance, agonistic behaviour and skin injuries. Only the number of sucklings differed significantly on Day 1 and Day 2 with less sucklings in GS than in GA. Cross-suckling was very infrequent in this study and did not significantly differ between the systems. The analysis of explorative behaviour showed the preferred areas of each system. In GS the compact activity area and the piglet feeding zone close to the sows where preferred while in GA the piglets’ nests and the enlarged free-range area were more frequented. Suspected disruption of suckling patterns through cross-suckling and increased agonistic interactions after grouping were not confirmed in any system. Due to the only marginal differences between the two systems, recommendations to give preference to one of the systems investigated cannot be given.
- Beurteilende(r): Winckler Christoph