Effects of stage of gestation at mixing on aggression, injuries and stress in sows

Abstract

Confinement of breeding sows to stalls is a controversial welfare issue, and there is a worldwide move to house gestating sows in groups. We examined the effects of day of mixing following insemination on aggression, injuries and stress in sows. A total of 800 sows were used in this experiment and we examined the effects of mixing sows in groups within 1 to 7 days post-insemination (Group0) or at 35 days (36-42 days) post-insemination after housing in stalls from insemination (Group35). Groups of 85 sows were housed on concrete floors covered in rice hulls with a floor space allowance of 2.3m2 per sow. Mixing sows at day 35 post-insemination, instead of early post-insemination, resulted in a..