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Pre- and Post-Weaning Piglet Performance, Sow Food Intake and Change in Backfat Thickness in a Group-Housing System for Lactating Sows

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 38, pages 119–133 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

Four farms that group-housed sows from about 2 weeks of lactation until weaning (G-farms) and 3 farms, used as controls, that kept the sows individually penned throughout the 5 to 6-week-long lactation period (C-farms) were compared in terms of pre- and post-weaning piglet growth rate and mortality, sow food intake and change in backfat thickness. Piglets from 169 G-farm sows and 136 C-farm sows were individually weighed at the time of grouping and weaning. In addition, some of the piglets were weighed 2 weeks post weaning. Piglet mortality was recorded during the pre- and post- weaning periods. Sow backfat thickness was measured at the time of grouping (at a corresponding time in the C-farms) and weaning, and sow food consumption was determined during the group-housing period. Piglet weight, growth rate and within-litter variation in growth rate did not differ significantly between the two groups during the group-housing and post-weaning periods. However, the pre- weaning growth rate varied considerably between farms. For multiparous sows during the group-housing period, piglet mortality was higher (p = 0.002) in the G-farm group (6.5%) than in the C-farm group (1.4%). However, for primiparous sows the corresponding piglet mortality was similar (p = 0.21) in the two groups. Significant between-batch variation in mortality during the group-housing period was noted within the G-farms but not within the C-farms. At the time of weaning, backfat thickness tended (p = 0.09) to be higher in the G-farm group than in the C-farm group. For primiparous sows the decrease in backfat thickness was similar (p = 0.37) in the two groups. By contrast, multiparous G-farm sows gained backfat during the group-housing period, whereas multiparous C-farm sows lost some backfat (p = 0.02). G-farm sows consumed 23% more food than C-farm sows during the group-housing period. These results indicate that productivity is lower in the group-housing system, mainly owing to the poor performance of the older sows.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by grants from the Farmer's Research Council for Information and Development and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 70 38, S-75007, Uppsala, Sweden

    F. Hutten, A.-M. Dalin & S. Einarsson

  2. Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

    N. Lundeheim

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  1. F. Hutten
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Correspondence to F. Hutten.

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Hutten, F., Lundeheim, N., Dalin, AM. et al. Pre- and Post-Weaning Piglet Performance, Sow Food Intake and Change in Backfat Thickness in a Group-Housing System for Lactating Sows. Acta Vet Scand 38, 119–133 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548514

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147