Reducing sow lameness in group housing with nutrition

摘要

One of the main health challenges in pig group housing systems is that sow leg problems become more apparent. Sows must be able to walk smoothly to reach the feeding trough or feeding station and escape from ranking fights. According to a recent studytha compared pig group and individual housing, the incidence of sow culling because of leg weakness was twice as high in group housing as in individual housing. Culling affects the profitability of the unit — more culling results in a higher replacement gilt cost. Also, in group housed systems, new gilts need extra attention to get used to the feeding station and to introduce them into a stable group of sows.