The effects of offering different degrees of social contact in indoor farrowing systems on the welfare of piglets post-weaning.

摘要

Previous research into free-farrowing systems for pigs has found that although sow welfare is better than in crated systems, piglet mortality levels are often unacceptably high. Whilst on-going research programmes are investigating methods to address this problem, the effect of alternative farrowing systems on piglet behaviour and welfare post-weaning is largely unknown. A recent study found that the increased social contact between piglets reared outdoors prior to weaning resulted in welfare benefits post-weaning (Cox and Cooper, 1999). The aim of this experiment was to investigate whether offering different degrees of social contact in an indoor community-lactation system would confer similar enhancements to piglet welfare post-weaning.