Farrowing performance of sows with varying treatment during pregnancy
Description
Social relationships are an important aspect of health and well-being, and may be particularly relevant during pregnancy. In farm animals, gestating females are often kept in conditions that restrict social contact. The objective of this study is to investigate the role of physical contact during gestation on the maternal behaviour and reproductive outcomes of pigs. We hypothesized that pigs with restricted contact would have a poorer reproductive performance. For one month during gestation, 28 gilts were either housed in groups of three (control), alone (0H), or alone with 3h per day contact (3H).Gilts farrowed in free farrowing pens. Farrowing ease, nursing ability and maternal behaviour were scored and reproductive parameters were recorded. The results showed that gilts from the control group had more ease at farrowing compared to those kept alone (p=0.034). Farrowing duration, piglet birth interval, number of liveborn piglets and piglet survival did not significantly differ between the treatment groups. The occurrence of mummies, stillborn and IUGR piglets was low. Gilts showed good maternal behaviour (81%) and nursed without difficulties (93%), with no effect of social treatment. The treatment groups had piglets of similar birthweight, but piglets from the 3H treatment grew faster compared to the 0H piglets (p=0.017) and control group (p=0.019), while the latter two did not differ (p=0.398). This study shows that the social environment of gestating sows can have consequences for reproductive outcomes and offspring performance, although not all results were in the expected direction.
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Institutions
- Polish Academy of SciencesMazovia, Warsaw