Experiences with ESF in Denmark

Posted in: Welfare by admin on January 1, 2003 | No Comments

SKIOLD-Echberg, the biggest pig feeder provider in Europe, has designed alternatives to gestation stalls in response to welfare concerns. As of January 1st, 1999, it was law that all sows in Europe from weaning until 7 days prior to farrowing must be loose housed. In 1996 an improved ESF system was developed. To reduce labor inputs, this new system required no straw, slatted floors for dunging and solid for lying, and the possibility of separation of sows for farrowing/vaccination.

In Denmark, the average group size is 200 sows. For good production, the ESF system must provide an insulated building, individual feeding, slatted floor for dunging, and bedding for lying. Distance from lying to dunging area must be short, and the entrance to the feeder must be away from the dunging area and must be designed to minimize aggression. A depressed lying area ensures no plugging of the slats because the bedding will be more difficult to push around. A separation area (for vaccinations and such) as well as a training pen (to teach sows the routine) is beneficial. Because the food consumer is the ultimate customer, the swine industry needs to comply with their desires, and an ESF system should do just that.

Individual differences in behaviour, physiology and pathology in breeding gilts housed in groups or stalls.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Pigs show a large degree of variation in their behavioural and physiological responses to environmental challenges. The variation in behavioural response can be assessed by the degree of resistance displayed early in life in a so-called ‘backtest’. A number of studies in young pigs have demonstrated a relation between a variety of behavioural and physiological features and the degree of resistance. This study aimed at investigating the relation between the backtest response and the development of stereotypies, the circadian rhythm of cortisol, the heart rate response to feeding, and pathological lesions of heart, lungs and stomach in adult breeding gilts housed in groups or stalls. At 10 and 17 days of age, female piglets classified as high-resisting (HR) or low-resisting (LR) based on backtest. They were housed in groups of six (3 HR, 3LR). At 7 months of age, half of the groups were housed in individual stalls. Time spent chain biting by stalled gilts during 2 h afternoon feeding was studied at regular intervals for 21 weeks. At 11 months of age, saliva was collected from all animals every hour during 24 h for coritsol analysis. At 8 and at 12 months of age, heat rate of all animals was measured around afternoon feeding. Pigs were slaughtered at 14 months of age and heart, lungs and stomach were macroscopically examined. In stalls, HR gilts tended to show more chain biting, had lower circadian cortisol concentrations and showed a diminished heart rate response to feed delivery compared to LR gilts. In group-housed gilts, the circadian rhythm of cortisol and the heart rate response to feed delivery did not related to the backtest response. Stall-housed gilts had lower cortisol concentrations than group-housed gilts. The prevalence of pathological lesions was not influenced by backtest response. Stomach wall damage was more severe in stall-housed gilts. The results suggested that stall-housed gilts were chronically stressed as indicated by low level of cortisol and more lesions on stomach wall. High resisting gilts were prone to develop stereotypies in stall-housing.

Voluntary Animal welfare assessment of mass-produced farm animal housing equipment using a standardized procedure

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Assessment of mass-produced animal-housing equipment can serve as a basis for improving animal welfare. A number of European countries have adopted various legal approaches to such assessment. In Germany, welfare assessment of housing equipment is voluntary, but minimum standards can be set by regulation for the assessment procedure and for the qualifications of the persons involved. From a scientific perspective, the time and resource constraints pose some problems, particularly as they apply to a voluntary procedure. For reasons of practicability, certain compromises will be required. Nevertheless, it is important to ensure that each assessment procedure is based upon scientific principles and considers animal welfare aspects to a sufficient extent. A proposal for the minimum standards of an assessment procedure has been elaborated by Animal Welfare Committee of the German Agricultural Society (Deutsche Landwirtschafts, DLG), a shortened version of which is presented in this paper. The animal welfare impact of such a regulated but voluntary procedure will be less than that of an obligatory assessment; however, the relatively flexible approach may still significantly contribute to the improvement of welfare aspects of livestock housing.

Human-cattle interactions in group housing.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Traditionally dairy cows have been housed in tie stalls in Europe, which provided an abundance of beneficial close contact with humans. A more common method of housing dairy cows is to loose house them in groups. This provides them with enough space to avoid humans; thus the cows become less habituated to humans, which cause the cows to become fearful of humans and difficult to handle. The problem with fear is it is a negative feeling and can cause stress, and it is extremely undesirable to have associated with the presence of humans. The fear of humans can be remedied by providing the cows with regular exposure to positive contact with humans, and is most effective in young calves. Another change in the dairy industry in Europe is the rising number of cows raised on each farm. The increase in workload forces the farmer to hire stockpeople, which are difficult to find and quite costly to employ when compared to the price paid for milk or meat. Technological developments have helped remedy the problem of needing to find qualified employees, but technology further reduces the amount of contact the cows have with humans. For example, there are now reliable automatic machines that are able to detect health problems, a practice once carried out by the stock person. Thus, individual care and attention continues to decline as its value continually increases. What is known, is that cows will tend to avoid contact with humans unless there is food involved. It is also known that to improve the welfare of cattle, they need to have some form of positive human interaction. What needs to be determined is that if a method of group handling can be incorporated and successful, or will producers need to find a way to provide individual contact with all the cows in their herd. Research also needs to be conducted to determine the effects of group housing and the effect that group size can have on human-cattle interactions.

Influences on the avoidance and approach behaviour of dairy cows towards humans on 35 farms.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Within the dairy industry, a practical on farm method of assessing the relationship between humans and animals to determine the herd’s welfare still needs to be developed. This study attempted to validate differ tests of dairy cows reaction to humans, as well as, the tests accuracy at defining the relationships. The first two tested were conducted within the cows’ pen and at the feed rack. How close a person could approach a standing cow, while hold their arm extended. The third test recorded number of cows that would approach a novel object. This study was carried out on 35 dairy farms that all use a loose housing system. In terms of on farm variables, the stockpersons attitude towards the cows, herd management, social interactions amongst the herd, and housing were all recorded. The number of friendly interactions with the handler and the intensity/quality of contact between the stockman and the cows were associated with the distance a person could approach a cow within their pen. Humans approaching a cow at the feed bunk or the number of cows willing to approach a novel object were not strongly related to the relationship between the stockpeople and the herd. Herd size, breed and age had little or no impact on the relationship between stockpeople and the herd. Cows that more readily approached a human were observed to preform more social licking. The authors concluded that a cow’s willingness to approach an unfamiliar human in the stable was the most accurate reflection of the relationship between the herd and the stockpeople, and would be useful in an on-farm assessment

Prediction of Pork Prices and Production

Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments

The increasing integration between Canada and the US’s pork industries present opportunities and challenges. Producers are beginning to make some money after losing a lot in 1998/1999. Industry changes begin to see effects in about 15 months. A smaller breeding herd does not mean less pork produced because pork production per sow has increased rapidly in the past decade or so. A peak in sow productivity would bring about price consistency. US pork export has been increasing a very large amount in the past 10 years. 2002 appears that it may be the 11th consecutive record setting year. The new US farm bill includes a provision mandating country of origin labelling. This only applies to raw pork products (non-restaurant retail sales). This label must include where the animal was raised and where the processing has occurred.

Building the Barn to Fit the Gilt

Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments

Due to dramatic improvement in average daily gain, Big Sky Farms decided to improve and expand its gilt development and stimulation programs. The development of their 5600-sow barn saw a new gilt development area. Gilts are purchased at 150 days and intensely stimulated (twice a day) after arrival (housed in groups of 10). 50 gilts are bred per week out of 100 being purchased with no royalties to the breeding company for culled gilts. Gilts are fed on a high quality gilt breeder diet and moved into a breeding stall at first estrus until breeding at second estrus. At weaning, first parities are moved back to the gilt breeding stalls designed with capacity for a 10-day wean-to-service interval. 60 ft2 pens were also constructed in order to house cull sows and gilts. The feed system disperses 4 unique diets for gilt development and breeding, gilt gestation, sow gestation, and lactation.

Incidence of Belly Nosing in S.E.W. Pigs

Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments

Previous studies have demonstrated that as weaning age in piglets decreases, the frequency of belly-nosing and bellysucking increases. The objectives of this study were to determine whether Duroc and Yorkshire genotypes differed in the percent of time spent belly-nosing, bellysucking, and other nosing and sucking. In addition, the effects of number of days (7 vs. 14) spent on a liquid diet, gender, and pen enrichment (nippled troughs, innertubes, and control) were investigated to determine whether specific management practices affected the incidence of these behaviours. By studying how breed differences (Duroc versus Yorkshire) affect the amount of time spent nosing and sucking, it may be possible to select genotypes better suited to the S.E.W. environment. Although Segregated Early Weaning (S.E.W.) was initially employed as a means of eradicating disease in swine operations, little is known about how management factors affect the incidence of belly nosing and belly sucking in early weaned pigs. A study was designed to investigate the effects of genotype, diet form and pen enrichment on the incidence of these behaviours in piglets weaned at 7 days of age. In the Control (barren environment) treatment, Yorkshires engaged in more belly sucking, total sucking, and belly directed behaviour than did Duroc piglets (see figures 1 and 2). The Nipple, and to a lesser degree the Tube, treatment reduced the incidence of belly sucking and total sucking within the Yorkshire piglets, but had little effect on the Durocs, which were already at low levels. Thus, there was a significant genotype/environmental enrichment interaction. For the genotype with high levels of belly directed and sucking behaviours, environmental enrichment was effective in lowering the incidence of these behaviours to that of the low incident genotype.

Mulberry (Morus alba) leaves as protein source for young pigs fed rice-based diets: Digestibility studies

Posted in: Production by admin on | No Comments

Interactions Between Pathogens and Swine Manure

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Fecal waste form livestock such as cattle, swine and pultry raised in confined facilities is excreted onto the floors of the animal stalls or pens. Accumulation of this fecal material acts as a collection basin for pathogens that may spread between animals. Disposal of this domestic livestock fecal material may comprise of storage in lagoons or waste piles with the ultimate application to the incorporation into the soil. In the rearing of dmoestic livestock on range or pasture, manure may not be as concentrated in one area as with indoor livestock. These animals can also contaminate water by defication in unprotected surface water, through surface runoff and as a result of seepage of water through the soil that contains an excessive amount of manure.

To assess the threat posed by different micro-organisms in manure, pathogen survival in manure as it is usually handled on farms must be evaluated. Survivival of parasitic and bacterial pathogens is dependant on manure source, temperature, pH, dry matter content, age, chemical compostion of the manure as well as the microbial characteristics. Holding of manure as slurry, or as a solid compost before it is distributed, results ina significant redution in pathogen concentration.