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Effects of fibre and floor space allowance on group kept dry sow well-being

Sow welfare may be directly related with floor space allowance and dietary fibre.
13 January 2011
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Alternative housing systems for gestating sows is one of the most controversial welfare issues facing the swine industry, thus it is imperative that before implementing new systems that various components of group housing systems be fully evaluated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary fibre (source of energy) and floor space allowance on immune and endocrine status, and behaviour of sows during gestation. On d34 of gestation, 160 multiparous (parities 1–6) Large White crossbred sows were randomly allotted to a dietary treatment (control or high-fibre supplemented diet) and a floor space allowance of either 1.7m2/sow or 2.3m2/sow. Group size was kept constant at 10 sows per pen. On d 34 and 90 of gestation both sow immune and endocrine statuses (n = 40 sows/treatment) were measured and for a 24h period between gestation d 75 and 105 sow behaviour (n = 10 sows/treatment) was continuously observed.

Both diet and days of gestation had an effect on sow immune status; with neutrophil phagocytosis and plasma cortisol being greater (P < 0.05) for sows fed a control diet when compared with sows fed a high-fibre diet. Whereas, concanavalin-A induced lymphocyte proliferation was greater (P < 0.05) for sows fed high-fibre compared with sows fed a control diet. On d90 of gestation, lymphocyte proliferation was greater (P < 0.01) for sows fed a high-fibre diet than for sows fed a control diet. Sow behaviour was also affected by diet; with sows fed the high-fibre diet being engaged in more (P < 0.001) agonistic encounters than sows fed a control diet. Durations of oral-nasal-facial (ONF), standing, and eating behaviours were all greater (P < 0.05) for sows fed the control diet compared with sows fed the high-fibre diet. Moreover, sow behaviour was affected by floor space allowance; sows kept at 1.7m2/ sow performed more (P < 0.05) ONF, standing, and eating behaviours than did sows kept at 2.3m2/sow.

These results indicate that fibre and floor space allowance can influence sow physiology and behaviour which may ultimately impact sow well-being.

AE DeDecker, AR Hanson, PM Walker, and JL Salak-Johnson, 2010. Journal of Animal Science. 88:461.

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