EFFECT OF OUTDOOR FARROWING HUT INSULATION ON PIGLET MORTALITY AND GROWTH

To determine the value of providing insulated farrowing huts, data wer e analysed from two newly established outdoor units, each having conte mporary farrowings in huts of similar 'half-round' design (Figure 1) w ith (I) and without (U) insulation. On unit A, 284 litters were record ed over a 22 month period, with a mean total litter size of 10.9 (sem 0.14). On unit B, 338 litters were recorded over a 17 month period, wi th a mean total litter size of 11.6 (sem 0.12).