COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCE, BODY CONSTITUT ION AND BEHAVIOR OF SOWS INDIFFERENT HOUSING-SYSTEMS .1. PERFORMANCE AND BODY CONSTITUTION OF SOWS DURING PREGNANCY

Reduced performance as a sign of high strain could not be verified. In dividual adjustment of feeding was possible in every housing-system. L ocal soilings caused by lying and sitting in dirtier areas of the box indicating an insufficient possibility to divide the dunging and the l ying area, were observed less often in group-housing. Avoidance of dam age with respect to pathological changes was observed to a lower exten t in smaller groups and in single crates compared to the larger group. That group was kept on a surface with a lesser proportion of partiall y slatted floor than the other groups. Therefore, in the system with t he individual electronic feeding station the increased possibility for safer movement caused less pathological changes, especially ulcers, a t the hind leg. As a result of keeping the sows without straw, in ever y system ground-contact led to a high amount of calluses. Generally, f ights for hierarchy and food resulted in an increased risk of injury i n group-housing as compared to single-crates although minor bites in t he ear- neck- and shoulder-area occurred here as well. The danger of i njury was further increased in the large group. The regions of neck, s houlder and flank were particularly affected. But also vulva-biting wa s highest in the larger group. Aggression arose here due to the fact t hat a new set of sows was integrated into the herd almost every three weeks and because of the force of eating in a queue. The number of inj uries at the end of the stay in the electronic feeding system was stil l higher than the one recorded at the beginning of the housing in smal ler groups. Even in the larger group profound injuries were not observ ed except of the genitals. Nevertheless for a better well-being of the animals in the larger group improvements are necessary. The effects o f more stable groups, a higher amount of food and an increased number of feeding places on the number of injuries in the larger group should be subject to further investigations.