COMPARISON OF BEHAVIOR PATTERNS OF SOWS AND LITTERS IN A FARROWING CRATE AND A FARROWING PEN

The behaviours of eight sows (Large White X Landrace) and litters housed in a farrowing crate (600-800 mm width adjustable crates in a 2130 mm X 1850 mm pen) were compared with the behaviours of eight sows and litters in a farrowing pen (2130 mm X 1850 mm) using data from real-time videotapes. Each sow and litter was videotaped on day 1 or 2 after parturition and on six other occasions between days 6 and 30. Piglet activity was similar in the farrowing crate and the farrowing pen systems both in the pen area and at the udder. The farrowing pen piglets rested in the pen area nearly three times as long as the farrowing crate animals (1003 +/- 75 vs 315 +/- 40; P<0.01; all frequencies per 3 h tape). Piglets in both systems spent a similar amount of time resting at the udder; however, those in the farrowing crate, spent twice as long under the heat lamp (1350 +/- 68 vs 671 +/- 58; P<0.01). Sows in the farrowing crate were less than half as active as sows in the farrowing pen system when lying down (stretching, kicking, shaking or rolling) (frequencies per 3 h tape, 10.2 +/- 1.2 vs 23.9 +/- 1.5; P<0.05). Sows in both systems sat, stood up and ate the same amount of time. The sucking activity duration (slow sucking and rapid sucking) of the piglets was significantly longer in the farrowing crate (3.1 +/- 0.1 min vs 2.3 +/- 0.1 min; P<0.01; duration per 3 h tape). Mortality rates of piglets in the farrowing pen system was 32% vs 14% in the farrowing crate (t(14)=2.116; P=0.053) which suggested that the farrowing pen system was more hazardous for piglet welfare than the farrowing crate for the breed of pig used in this study.