BEHAVIOR AND PRODUCTIVITY OF SOWS AND PIGLETS IN A FAMILY SYSTEM AND IN FARROWING CRATES

The behaviour and productivity of 48 sows and their litters were compa red in a family system (FS) and in farrowing crates (FC) for 4 weeks p ost partum during day-time. FS sows were housed in groups of four in e nclosures with straw-bedded, voluntary-accessed farrowing pens and an outer communal area, Occupancy of farrowing pens by FS sows fell from 92.5% on day 1 to 35.5% by day 28. FS sows spent less time lying inact ive (47.0 vs. 59.5%; P < 0.01), showed more substrate-directed behavio ur (11.3 vs. 2.2%; P < 0.01) and tended to show less pen-directed beha viour than FC sows. Overall, there tended to be more suckling in FS wi th longer(P < 0.05) but less frequent bouts (P < 0.05). FS sows respon ded to play-back of piglet distress vocalisations by standing up more frequently (76.1 vs. 34.9%; P < 0.01). FS piglets spent more time in t he heated creeps (65.8 vs, 28.2%; P < 0.05), lying on their sides (50. 7 vs. 31.5%; P < 0.05) and playing (0.9 vs. 0.1%; P < 0.05), Pen-direc ted behaviour was greater (0.8 vs, 0.2%; P < 0.05) and chewing the sow tended to be greater in FC piglets. There were no significant differe nces in piglet mortality for the two systems. Piglet growth rates were higher for FS in week 2 (P < 0.05), Maternal behaviour was improved i n FS which may have resulted in productivity benefits.