Effects of environmental enrichment and loose housing of lactating sows on piglet performance before and after weaning

Journal of Animal Science
Marije OostindjerB Kemp

Abstract

We investigated effects of loose housing of the sow during lactation and enrichment of the pen pre- and postweaning on performance of newly weaned piglets. Before weaning, piglets (n = 320) were housed in an enriched (straw, wood shavings, peat, and branches) or barren pen with a confined or loose-housed sow (n = 32). Loose-housed sows and their piglets could eat together from a family feeder, whereas confined sows and piglets had separate feeding troughs. Piglets (n = 256) were mixed postweaning, and 4 piglets from each litter were relocated to a barren pen (n = 32 pens) and 4 other piglets were housed in an enriched pen (n = 32 pens). Growth from d 15 until weaning was greater for piglets from enriched pens (4.38 ± 0.29 vs. 4.71 ± 0.21 kg/pig, P < 0.05) and tended to be greater for piglets with a loose-housed sow compared with piglets with a confined sow (4.41 ± 0.26 vs. 4.67 ± 0.24 kg/pig, P = 0.10). Preweaning feed intake was not affected by preweaning conditions (P > 0.25). Piglets from enriched preweaning pens ate more in the first 2 d postweaning than piglets from barren pens (first 48 h, barren 0.45 ± 0.05 kg/pig, enriched 0.53 ± 0.04 kg/pig, P < 0.05). Piglets relocated to an enriched pen after weaning showed a greater...Continue Reading

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Feb 9, 2010·Physiology & Behavior·Marije OostindjerBas Kemp

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Citations

Feb 19, 2014·Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience·S E van NieuwamerongenN M Soede
Aug 29, 2012·Reproduction in Domestic Animals = Zuchthygiene·B Kemp, N M Soede
Jul 22, 2017·Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences·Mbusiseni Vusumuzi MkwanaziMichael Chimonyo
Jun 26, 2020·Frontiers in Veterinary Science·Lu LuoJ Elizabeth Bolhuis
Jan 29, 2021·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Laia BlaviJosé Francisco Pérez
Jun 3, 2021·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Megan E HayesPaul H Hemsworth

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