SWINE PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT - EARLY WEANING IN SWINE - A BEHAVIORAL REVIEW

Although many articles have been written about the disease control and production efficiency aspects of the practice of weaning pigs at an e arly age, very little has been said about the effects of such early we aning on the behavior and welfare of the piglets and sows. Weaning res ults in prolonged behavioral changes in many species. An understanding and appreciation of these changes are essential to strong animal husb andry skills. The younger the age of which a piglet is weaned, the mor e stressful the weaning process. Early weaned pigs are more active and engage in aggressive activities. Belly-nosing and sucklinglike behavi ours are directed toward penmates. Such behaviors indicate reduced wel fare and can lead to skin lesions in the target animals. Before segreg ated early-weaning systems are accepted as a feasible swine management system, the welfare of the piglets and sows must be considered. Vario us issues affecting swine are addressed in this column, including feed ing behavior in piglets; weaning behavior under natural, traditional h usbandry, modern commercial, and segregated early weaning conditions; the currently used feeding protocols for early-weaned pigs; the relati onship between nutritional and behavioral requirements in early-weaned piglets, the behavioral effects of environment on early weaning; and the effect of early weaning on the sow's behavior and welfare.