In this study we focused on sow responsiveness towards piglet screams which are proposed to have an
important link to posture changes and early piglet crushing. A sow’s responsiveness to screams of her piglets was
investigated along the first 24 h after birth, the period of highest mortality, in 15 lactating sows housed in
farrowing crates.We compared the sow’s response to playbacks of screams of trapped piglets to her response to a
control sound during birth, 8–12 h postpartum and 20–24 h postpartum. We did the same with playbacks of
screams of fighting piglets during nursings 8–12 h postpartum and 20–24 h postpartum. The sow’ responsiveness
to screams of own trapped piglets was analyzed within the whole 24 h and to screams of fighting piglets
30 min between 8 and 12 h postpartum and 30 min between 20 and 24 h postpartum. A sow was scored as
responsive if she changed her posture in response to the stimuli. Sows had a four times higher response towards
playbacks with screams than towards the control stimulus. The proportion of the sows’ responsiveness to
screams (44%) of trapped piglets did not change significantly between birth, 8–12 h postpartum and 20–24 h
postpartum. Sows responded to 28% of playbacks of fighting piglets by terminating a nursing independently
from the time after birth. Playbacks and real screams of own piglets were similarly effective in evoking a
response for both types of screams. There was no significant association between the sows’ responsiveness to
screams of trapped piglets and piglet mortality nor between screams of fighting piglets and weight gain. In
conclusion our results indicate that sows maintained their responsiveness towards piglet screams during trapping
and during fighting for teats within the first 24 h. Playbacks and real screams were similarly effective in evoking a
response. We discuss the importance of the sound characteristics of piglet screams related to the sows’ response.

For more information the full article can be found at http://journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/applan/issues