INVESTIGATION ON OUTDOOR PIGLET PRODUCTIO N IN RESPECT TO ANIMAL-WELFARE .2. EVALUATION BY BEHAVIORAL TRAITS

In this communication the outdoor regime is tested by means of etholog ical indicators. Registration of data occurred in the following variab les: 1. Pregnant sows being two hours outdoors, while inside the barn for the rest of the day. 2. Pregnant sows being outdoors permanently. 3. Farrowing area in huts. The results indicate that keeping pregnant sows outdoors is more adequate to animal welfare aspects than housing in barns. During the farrowing period requirements are high in respect to equipment and management. Pregnant sows being outdoors for two hou rs/day. The sows show a very active phase in the beginning of this per iod. During the period inbetween the 14th and the 28th day activities are more evenly distributed over the two hours. Additional traits indi cate that two hours per day are sufficient to compensate for activitie s that cannot be performed in the barn. Four weeks during one producti on cycle, however, are inadequately short.