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Ten batches of sows, corresponding to a total of 347 sows, were housed in collective pens equipped with individual feeding stalls, either on slatted‐floor or on straw bedding. Sows had received their daily ration in one or two meals. Reproductive performance during gestation and the following lactation was measured. Sow behaviour during gestation was measured on a subsample of 67 sows, by scan sampling over the two hours after the morning meal and the two hours before the first water distribution of the afternoon.
Over the four hours of behaviour observation, sows tended to spend more time standing in the one‐meal treatment (40% of time) than in the two‐meal treatment (33% of time, P = 0.08). The difference was more marked in sows housed on slatted floor. The frequency of stereotyping was higher for sows fed one meal per day, (53 vs 44% of time, P=0.02). Gestation weight gain of sows was higher in one‐meal fed sows (47.3 vs 41.7 kg, P < 0.001) whereas backfat thickness gain was reduced (2.3 vs 3.0 mm, P < 0.01), especially for sows housed on slatted‐floor. It was suggested that this could be related to higher energy expenditure in these sows in connection with their higher activity. Food consumption and sow performances during the following lactation were not affected by the meal frequency during gestation.
S. Heugebaert, C. Calvar , M.‐E. Caille, H. Roy. Conséquences de la distribution de un ou deux repas quotidiens sur les performances zootechniques et le comportement de truies gestantes élevées en groupes. 45èmes Journées de la Recherche Porcine.