Housing-induced skin lesions, locomotor and resting behaviour of sows in three different free-farrowing pens

作者：Koller M^*; Tichy A; Baumgartner J

来源：Wiener Tierarztliche Monatsschrift, 2014, 101(7-8): 160-172.

• Sow
• skin lesion
• behaviour
• free farrowing pen

Introduction An amendment of the Austrian Animal Husbandry Regulation requires free-farrowing pens for farrowing and nursing sows from 2033. As well as the mortality of piglets, housing-induced skin lesions and the locomotor and resting behaviour of sows in new free-farrowing pens are thus of particular veterinarian and ethological interest.
Materials and Methods The study focussed on skin lesions and the behaviour of sows kept in three types of free-farrowing pens - F1: 7.6 m(2), 66% concrete floor, separate areas for excretion and lying down; F2: 4.9 m(2), 12% concrete floor, not structured; F3: 4.1 m(2), 15% concrete floor not structured, trapezoid. In total, 158 sows (F1: n=50; F2: n=52; F3: n=56) were examined on three different days for pathologic skin and claw lesions. The GLM procedure in SAS 9.1.3 with ,system' as a fixed factor was used for statistical analysis, with alpha set at p=0.05. The behaviour of 77 sows was analysed in pens equipped with recording video cameras. Each sow was used for one farrowing and observed on four different days. Behaviour data were analysed using a one-factorial ANOVA model, with a significance threshold of p=0.05.
Results Sows in F2 and F3 showed significantly more lesions on legs, udder and teats than sows in F1. Sows in F1 showed a higher prevalence of skin lesions on the back than sows in F3. Gilts and sows with a higher distance between udder and floor had less severe lesions on the teats. The risk of severe lesions on the dewclaws in F2 and F3 was about ten times higher than that in F1. The highest activity was observed during the final 24 h before birth. Sows in F1 showed significantly more ,walking' and a tendency to more ,standing up with slipping'. ,Hit against equipment' was most frequent in F2.
Conclusion The results show the need for sufficiently dimensioned free farrowing pens with concrete floors in the lying areas. Both requirements are part of the amendment of the Austrian Animal Husbandry Regulation, which will come into force in 2033.

• 出版日期2014