The social and feeding behaviour of growing pigs in deep-litter, large group housing systems

Abstract

Two studies compared the social and feeding behaviour of Large White x Landrace entire male (non-castrated) growing pigs housed in deep-litter, large group and conventional housing systems. In Study 1, an ethogram of behaviour was developed. The pigs were housed at 1 m2 per pig (200 pigs per pen) and 8.3 pigs per feeding space in the deep-litter system and 0.70 m2 per pig (45 pigs per pen) and 8.5 pigs per feeding space in the conventional system. In Study 2, the social and feeding behaviour of entire male growing pigs were compared. Eight hundred and eighty cross-bred entire male pigs were used. There were 200 pigs per pen (1 m2 per pig; 8.3 pigs per feeding space) in the deep-litter system..