Confinement of lactating sows in crates for 4 days after farrowing reduces piglet mortality

Abstract

To reduce mortality among suckling piglets, lactating sows are traditionally housed in farrowing crates. Alternatively, lactating sows can be housed in farrowing pens where the sow is loose to ensure more behavioural freedom and consequently a better welfare for the sow, although under commercial conditions, farrowing pens have been associated with increased piglet mortality. Most suckling piglets that die do so within the first week of life, so potentially lactating sows do not have to be restrained during the entire lactation period. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate whether confinement of the sow for a limited number of days after farrowing would affect piglet mortality. A total of 210 sows (Danish Landrace × Danish Yorkshire) were farrowed in specially designed swing-aside combination farrowing pens measuring 2.6 m × 1.8 m (combi-pen), where the sows could be kept loose or in a crate. The sows were either: (a) loose during the entire experimental period, (b) crated from days 0 to 4 postpartum, (c) crated from days 0 to 7 postpartum or (d) crated from introduction to the farrowing pen to day 7 postpartum. The sows and their subsequent litters were studied from introduction to the combi-pen ∼1 week before expected farrowing and until 10 days postpartum. Confinement period of the sow failed to affect the number of stillborn piglets; however, sows that were crated after farrowing had fewer live-born mortality deaths (P < 0.001) compared with the sows that were loose during the experimental period. The increased piglet mortality among the loose sows was because of higher mortality in the first 4 days after farrowing. In conclusion, the current study demonstrated that crating the sow for 4 days postpartum was sufficient to reduce piglet mortality.

Confinement of sows for different periods during lactation: effects on behaviour and lesions of sows and performance of piglets

“…Expectedly, piglet crushing was the main reason causing losses. Using similar farrowing pens with integrated crates as used in this study, Moustsen et al (2013) observed a higher piglet mortality rate in pens where sows were loose-housed throughout the whole lactation period than in those that were crated during the first 4 or 7 days pp; suggesting that crating for just 4 days pp is sufficient to avoid unnecessary crushings. Comparing farrowing crates with free farrowing pens, Hales et al (2014) found greater mortality rates in pens than in crates, even though pen sizes were, at 5.3 to 6.3 m 2 , considerably larger than in this as well as the aforementioned study.…”

“…Nevertheless, most lactating sows in the developed world are still crated (Barnett et al, 2001). Marchant et al (2000) and Moustsen et al (2013) investigated farrowing systems which represent a compromise between free farrowing and continuous confinement of the sow. In these systems the sows are only crated for the first days pp when the danger of piglet crushing is most serious.…”

“…For the remaining lactation period the crates are opened and the sow is loose-housed. As pointed out by Moustsen et al (2013), crating can be limited to the first 4 days pp in order to avoid unnecessary crushings. In the present study a newly developed pen which also allows temporary crating was under investigation.…”

“…Various studies proved the feasibility of loose-housing sows during the lactation period as piglet mortality and piglet weight gain did not differ from crating systems (Cronin et al, 2000;Marchant et al, 2000;Moustsen and Poulsen, 2004;Pedersen et al, 2011;Moustsen et al 2013). Nevertheless, crating for at least the first 4 days postpartum (pp) seems to be necessary ; otherwise piglet crushing might be detrimental (Hales et al, 2014).…”

Higher preweaning mortality in free farrowing pens compared with farrowing crates in three commercial pig farms

“…In a recent study of confinement of lactating sows, Moustsen et al (2013) housed the animals in a swing-side system. Moustsen et al (2013) showed that piglet mortality Values in a row without a common superscript differ (P < 0.05).…”