Sow and piglet behavioral associations in farrowing pens with temporary crating and in farrowing crates

The farrowing system in which a sow and her piglets are housed may influence the manner in which they interact with one another. Behavioral displays of sows in farrowing crates are limited, whereas pen-based alternatives to farrowing crates enable a greater range of behavioral expression, including interacting more with piglets. The associations between sow behavior and piglet behavior in crates and pens with temporary crating were compared using 2 different data sets. During days 1-6 after farrowing, 15 sows and their litters were observed in farrowing crates, and 16 sows and their litters were observed in pens with temporary crating. Sows in farrowing crates were crated throughout days 1-6, and sows in pens were crated during days 1-3 (period 1) and loose in the pen on days 4-6 (period 2). Additionally, gilts and their litters were observed during the first 3 days after farrowing. Gilts were either born and reared in farrowing crates (C) or in a pen with temporary crating (P) and were observed after they farrowed in either a farrowing crate or in a pen with temporary crating. Hence, there were 4 experimental groups of gilts: CC (born and reared in a crate, farrowed in a crate, N = 8), CP (born and reared in a crate, farrowed in a pen, N = 6), PC (born and reared in a pen, farrowed in a crate N = 5), and PP (born and reared in a pen, farrowed in a pen, N = 8). When sows and gilts were standing, piglets were mostly inactive in the creep area. When they were lying, piglets were inactive either in the creep, or at the sow's udder. Piglets in pens spent more time inactive at the sow's udder than piglets in crates when the sow was lying in period 1, and in period 2, when penned sows were loose (P < 0.01). Piglets tended to be active when sows and gilts touched, investigated, and vocalized toward them. Piglets of gilts that were born and reared in pens and farrowed in pens (PP) vocalized more toward their dam than those in CC, CP, and PC groups, particularly when their dam was vocalizing toward them (P < 0.01), investigating them (P < 0.01), and touching them (P < 0.01). The present study demonstrated that some associations between sow and piglet behavior changed when the sow was no longer confined in a crate. Furthermore, the piglets of gas born and reared in a farrowing system that did not match the environment they later farrowed in may be influenced by their dam's adaptation to an unfamiliar environment. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.