[en] The minimal legal space allowance for grouped pregnant sows in the EU is 2.25 m(2)/sow. The effect of higher space per animal on agonistic behaviour and social stress of animals living in dynamic groups is not known.
Two groups of 34 pregnant Belgian Landrace sows were housed in two pens of respectively 102 m(2) (3 m(2)/sow) and 76.5 m(2) (2.25 m(2)/sow). Each sow lived there for 15 weeks. Sows were fed through an electronic sow feeder. According to the dynamic system, one third of each group (i.e. 11 or 12 nearly parturient sows) was replaced every 5 weeks by the same number of recently inseminated sows. Welfare indicators were collected during six of these 5 week-periods: performance, agonistic behaviour, skin lesion score and salivary cortisol. No differences were observed for production parameters, or for fighting activity. However, the mean number of one-way aggressions, when observed during 2 h-periods at 3 and 8 days after grouping, was significantly lower in the large pen than in the small one (respectively 16 +/- 2 versus 26 +/- 3, p < 0.01, and 10 +/- 2 versus 20 +/- 5, p < 0.05). The mean number of injuries was also lower with the 3 m(2) space allowance, when collected on the introduced sows one, 2 and 3 weeks after grouping. Some contradictory differences in salivary cortisol were noted 2 and 26 h after mixing, but without reaching statistical significance. An available area 33% higher than the EU legal minimum reduced agonistic behaviour and consecutive wounds and thus induced better welfare conditions for sows living in dynamic groups and fed with an electronic sow feeder. The impact on productivity and social physiological stress need further research.
Disciplines :
Veterinary medicine & animal health
Author, co-author :
Remience, Virginie
Wavreille, José
Canart, Bernard
Meunier-Salaün, M. C.
Prunier, A.
Bartiaux-Thill, N.
Nicks, Baudouin ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de productions animales > Ecologie et éthologie vétérinaires
Vandenheede, Marc ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de productions animales > Ethologie vétérinaire et bien-être des animaux
Language :
English
Title :
Effects of space allowance on the welfare of dry sows kept in dynamic groups and fed with an electronic sow feeder
Anil L., Anil S., Deen J., Baidoo S.K., and Walker R.D. Effect of group size and structure on the welfare and performance of pregnant sow in pens with electronic sow feeders. Can. J. Vet. Res. 70 (2006) 128-136
Barnett J.L., Hemsworth P.H., Cronin G.M., Newman E.A., Mac Callum T.H., and Chilton D. Effects of pen size, partial stalls and method of feeding on welfare related behavioural and physiological responses of group-housed pigs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 34 (1992) 207-220
Bartussek H., Bünger B., Edwards S., Haidn B., Jensen K.H., Krispel F., van Putten G., Steiger A., Troxler J., Weber R., Wechsler B., Vermeer H., Wiedmann R., 2000. IGN-Workshop group housing of dry sows. 9-10 September 1998. Irdning-Austria. 46 p.
De Groot J., Ruis M.A.W., Scholten J.W., Koolhaas J.M., and Boersma W.J.A. Long-term effects of social stress on antiviral immunity in pigs. Physiol. Behav. 73 (2001) 145-158
De Leeuw J.A., and Ekkel E.D. Effects of feeding level and the presence of a foraging substrate on the behaviour and stress physiological response of individually housed gilts. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 86 (2004) 15-25
Durrell J.L., Sneddon I.A., Beattie V.E., and Kilpatrick D.J. Sow behaviour and welfare in voluntary cubicle pens (small static groups) and split-yard systems (large dynamic groups). Anim. Sci. 75 (2002) 67-74
Durell J.L., Beattie V.E., Sneddon I.A., and Kilpatrick D. Pre-mixing as a technique for facilitating subgroup formation and reducing sow aggression in large dynamic groups. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 84 (2003) 89-99
Edwards S.A. Scientific perspectives on loose housing systems for dry sows. Pig Vet. J. 28 (1995) 40-51
Ekkel E.D., Savenije B., Schouten W.G.P., Wiegant V.M., and Tielen M.J.M. The effects of mixing on behaviour and circadian parameters of salivary cortisol in pigs. Physiol. Behav. 62 (1997) 181-184
Gonyou H.W. The social behaviour of pigs. In: Keeling L.J., and Gonyou H.W. (Eds). Social Behaviour in Farm Animals (2001), CABI International, Wallingford, UK 147-176
Graves H.B. Behaviour and ecology of wild and feral swine (Sus Scrofa). J. Anim. Sci. 58 (1984) 482-492
Jensen K.H., Pedersen B.K., Pedersen L.J., and Jorgensen E. Well-being in pregnant sows: confinement versus group housing with Electronic Sow Feeder. Acta Agric. Scand. Sect. A. Anim. Sci. 45 (1995) 266-275
Jensen K.H., Sorensen L.S., Bertelsen D., Pedersen A.R., Jorgensen E., Nielsen N.P., and Vestergaard K.S. Management factors affecting activity and aggression in dynamic group housing systems with electronic sow feeding: a field trial. Anim. Sci. 71 (2000) 535-545
Jensen P. An ethogram of social interaction patterns in group-housed dry sows. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 6 (1980) 341-350
Jensen P. An analysis of agonistic interaction patterns in group-housed dry sows - aggression regulation through an "avoidance order". Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 9 (1982) 47-61
Johnsen P.F., Johanesson T., and Sandoe P. Assessment of animal welfare at herd level: many goals many methods. Acta Agric. Scand. Sect. A Anim. Sci. 51 (2001) 26-33
Mac Glone J.J., von Borell E.H., Deen J., Johnson K., Levis D.G., Meunier-Salaün M., Morrow J., Reeves D., Salak-Johnson L., and Sunberg P.L. Review: compilation of the scientific literature comparing housing systems for gestating sows and gilts using measures of physiology, behaviour, performance, and health. Prof. An. Sci. 20 (2004) 105-117
Merlot E., Meunier-Salaün M.C., and Prunier A. Behavioural, endocrine and immune consequences of mixing in weaned piglets. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 85 (2004) 247-257
Meunier-Salaün M.C., Courboulay V., Père M.C., Pol F., and Quesnel H. Elevage des truies gestantes en groupe: acquis et perspectives de recherches. J. Rech. Porcine en France 34 (2002) 239-247
Moore A.S., Gonyou H.W., and Ghent A.W. Integration of newly introduced and resident sows following grouping. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 38 (1993) 257-267
Nicks B., Laitat M., and Vandenheede M. Prise en compte du bien-être des animaux dans l'aménagement des porcheries: les aspects réglementaires. Ann. Med. Vet. 146 (2002) 39-42
O'Connell N.E., Beattie V.E., and Moss B.W. Influence of replacement rate on the welfare of sows introduced to a large dynamic group. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 85 (2004) 43-56
Rhodes R.T., Appleby M.C., Chinn K., Douglas L., Houpt K.A., Irwin C., Mac Glone J.J., Sundberg P., Tokach L., and Wills R.W. A comprehensive review of housing for pregnant sows. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 227 (2005) 1580-1590
Scientific Veterinary Committee. The welfare of intensively kept pigs. European Commission, doc XXIV/B3/ScVC/0005/, 1997, 190 p.
Spoolder H.A.M., Burbidge J.A., Edwards S.A., Lawrence A.B., and Simmins P.H. Social recognition in gilts mixed into a dynamic group of 30 sows. Anim. Sci. 62 (1996) 630
Spoolder H.A.M., Edwards S.A., and Corning S. Effects of group size and feeder space allowance on welfare in finishing pigs. Anim. Sci. 69 (1999) 481-489
Sulon J., Demay-Ponsart L., Beauduin P., and Sodoyez J.C. Radioimmunoassay of corticosterone, cortisol and cortisone: their application to human cord and maternal plasma. J. Steroid Biochem. 9 7 (1978) 671-676
Van Putten G., and Van De Burgwal J.A. Vulva biting in group-housed sows: preliminary report. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 26 (1990) 181-186
Weng R.C., Edwards S.A., and English P.R. Behaviour, social interactions and lesion scores of group-housed sows in relation to floor space allowance. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 59 (1998) 307-316