INVESTIGATION ON OUTDOOR PIGLET PRODUCTIO N IN RESPECT TO ANIMAL-WELFARE - 1ST COMMUNICATION - EVALUATION BY PERFORMANCE, TECHNOPATHIES, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTIONS

In a two years project various housing systems for piglet production w ere investigated in respect of animal welfare. In this 1(st) communica tion performances are compared, regarding technopathies and physiologi cal adaptations in outdoor systems and in comparison with an indoor sy stem. The German landrace animals belonged to two different halothane strains. In the beginning the outdoor management system was similar to the indoor principles. Thereafter the outdoor system was adapted in s everal steps to the actual needs. The results partially derive from th e intermediate solutions. In total the results show that housing pregn ant sows in an outdoor system may be of advantage in terms of animal w elfare. There was no difference in performance as compared with barn h ousing, this is also true for H++ sows. The introduction of new sows l eads to some problems in the outdoor system, technopathies, however, c aused by individual housing are diminished. A general investigation sh ows similar degrees of dirtyness of the sows. Physiological indicators reveal advantageous adaptations of the skeleton and muscle metabolism . During the farrowing period outdoor sows and piglets in general obta in better results. The physiological reactions indicate that sows stil l suffer from some stress. More improvements are possible. Items are a better climat conditioning of the huts, improvement of hygenic condit ions and a better management.