Social Factors Affecting Injury Levels and Behaviour of Sows in a ESF System
Stress after regrouping may alter behaviours and decrease the farrowing rate in sows. Resting locations, eating order and injuries reflect the severity of stress experienced. Behaviour was studied too see the impact stage of implantation, parity and familiarity with penmates had. Post-implantation, unfamiliar and younger...
Effects of Stall Width and Sow Size on Behaviour of Gestating Sows
In North America, gestation stalls are usually the same size within a farm even though body weights in gestating sows vary (150 kg to 350 kg). Different sizes of stalls are recommended by the Code of Practice to accommodate the different sized sows but proper...
Crowding Effects on Performance on Fully and Partially Slatted Floors
A major issue for animal welfare is floor space allowance. Space requirements may vary with housing conditions for maximum growth. More total floor area is needed for pigs on partially slatted floors compared to fully slatted floors according to the Code of Practice though research...
Pre-Planned Segregation: The Effect of Grouping by Weight at Weaning on Variability in Body Weight at Nursery Exit
A critical issue for pork farmers is variability as it has been estimated to cost $3.41 per pig at market due to sort losses and an extra $1.25 per pig sold due to reduced barn utilization. Pre-planned segregation (PPS) is an option for managing variability....
Variation in Pig Performance: Can We Do Anything About It?
Loss of revenue at market and reduced barn utilization can be attributed largely to variation. Variation has two major categories: genetic and environmental. Environmental effects may be exposure to pathogens, access to resources such as water and food, as well as behavioural challenges. Some approaches...
Electronic Sow Feeder: A Preliminary Report
Housing of gestating sows is one of the more controversial aspects of pig production as they are one of the most restrictive practices in livestock production. Group housing systems may solve this problem for gestating sows with the electronic sow feeder system being investigated. From...
Effect of Social Group Size on Aggressive Behaviour of Grower-Finisher Pigs in Fully-Slatted Floor Rearing System
Previous research mainly focuses on small group sizes but commercially larger sizes are becoming more common. Social behaviour in larger groups of pigs is not well understood, though they are likely to have different social strategies. These behaviours should be monitored in order to ensure...
Growth Rate and Age at First Estrus: Impact on Managing the Gilt Pool
An effective gilt management system involves identifying select gilts below market weight and having appropriate weights at first breeding. An important tool to achieve these is to induce first estrus with early stimulation from boars. Producers often delay inducing the first estrus until 180 to 240...
Effects of Large Group Size on Productivity of Grower-Finisher Pigs
Large groups of pigs have become more popular as they improve space use and profitability while reducing housing costs. Concern of large groups having social instability which could result in higher mortality and morbidity, poor growth and higher variation in body weights are present. Production...
Effect of Gender and Crowding on Variation in Days to Market
Variation in the production chain has a large economic impact. Variation of growth due to gender and crowding during the grower-finisher phase were examined. Less crowding reduced days until market by four days. Holding gilts longer than barrows may be beneficial as barrows reached market...