Effect of Farrowing House on the Behaviors of Lactating Sows

Purpose To study the effects of farrowing pen and farrowing crate on behaviors of lactating sows.

Method Min pig and Yorkshire sows with similar parity, pregnancy and body condition were assigned randomly to the farrowing pen and the farrowing crate to compare the posture state, the frequencies of posture transition, nursing behavior and stereotyped behavior in these groups.

Result For pre-farrowing sows, the time of sitting behavior and the frequency of sitting-to-lying in farrowing crate was extremely significantly higher than that in the farrowing pen (P<0.01). The frequency of ventral-to-lateral lying for the sows which in the farrowing crate was significantly lower than that in the farrowing pen (P<0.05). After parturition, the expression of posture state behavior (lateral lying, ventral lying, sitting and standing) were significantly (P<0.05) or highly significantly (P<0.01) between different farrowing houses (P<0.01). The crate made the sows significantly increased the time of ventral lying, sitting and the frequency of sitting-to-lying, while reduced the time of lying. Among them, the increase range of ventral lying time and the frequency of sitting-to-lying (P<0.01) from farrowing crate to farrowing pen of Min pig sows was lower than Yorkshire. The duration time of lactation for sows which in the farrowing pen was significantly longer than those in the farrowing crate (P<0.05). The time of pre-massage, post-massage and the interruption times of lactation by sows in the farrowing pen were significantly lower than those in the farrowing crate (P<0.01). In terms of bar-biting, rooting floor and vacuum chewing, the frequency of these behaviors of sows in the farrowing crate was higher than those in the farrowing pen. The increase range of bar-biting behavior in Min pig was higher than Yorkshire (P<0.01) and the increase range of vacuum chewing was lower than Yorkshire (P<0.01).

Conclusion These results indicated that farrowing crate sows had higher level of activity and posture change frequencies than those sows which in the farrowing pen. Due to the restriction area of crate, the nursing behavior of sows has been affected in farrowing crate, and they also showed more stereotyped behaviors.