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Housing of Pregnant Sows in Loose and Confined Systems–a Field Study. 3. The Impact of Housing Factors on Claw Lesions

Losgående og fikserte gjeldpurker - en feltstudie av helse og velferd. 3. Klauvskader: Oppstallingsfaktorer

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 36, pages 443–450 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

The relationship of claw lesions to housing was studied in 36 sow herds. Eighteen herds with loose housing of pregnant sows and 18 herds with confined (stalled or tethered) pregnant sows, were followed over a 12 month period. Fifteen of the loose housing herds had partly slatted concrete floors, while 3 herds had other types of flooring. The mean herd prevalence proportion of sows with major claw lesions in loose housing herds with partly slatted floors was about twice as high as in the herds with confined sows. In the only loose housing herd with deep litter based on straw, the prevalence proportion of sows with major claw lesions was lower than any of the other loose or confined herds.

Within herds with loose sows on partly slatted floors, the prevalence proportion of sows with major claw lesions seemed to be higher in the loose housing compartment than in the farrowing compartment. The prevalence proportion of sows with major claw lesions did not differ between loose herds with plastic slats and loose herds with concrete slats. kw|Keywords|k]pig; k]feet injuries; k]slatted floors; k]deep litter; k]epidemiology

Sammendrag

Sammenhengen mellom oppstallingsmetode og klauvskader ble studert i 36 purkebesetninger. Atten besetninger med løsgående og 18 med fikserte eller oppbundne gjeldpurker ble fulgt i 1 år. Femten av løsdriftsbesetingene hadde betonggulv med spalter på en tredel av gulvarealet, 3 besetninger hadde en annen type gulv.

Klauvskadene ble gitt karakter fra 1 til 5, skader fra 3 til 5 ble klassifisert som alvorlige skader. Løsdriftsbcsetningene med spaltegulv hadde dobbelt så høy prevalens av purker med alvorlige klauvskader som besetningene med fikserte og oppbundne purker. Løsdriftsbesetningen med halmtalle hadde lavere prevalens av purker med alvorlige klauvskader enn besetningene med fikserte og oppbundne purker. I løsdriftsbesetningene med betonggulv og spalter var det høyere prevalens av dyr med alvorlige klauvskader i gjeldpurkeavdelingen enn i fødeavdelingen. Det var ikke noe forskjell på prevalensen av purker med klauvskader i løsdrjftsbesetningene med betongspalter og i løsdriftsbesetningene med plastspalter.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Nina Lunderød for excellent technical assistance and the personal at the local slaughterhouses for collecting claws from sows.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norwegian Pig Health Service, Central Veterinary Laaboratory, P.O. Box 8156, Dep., N-0033, Oslo, Norway

    H. Gjein

  2. Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo, Norway

    R.B. Larssen

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  1. H. Gjein
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  2. R.B. Larssen
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Gjein, H., Larssen, R. Housing of Pregnant Sows in Loose and Confined Systems–a Field Study. 3. The Impact of Housing Factors on Claw Lesions. Acta Vet Scand 36, 443–450 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547659

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147