Effects of weaning age on postweaning belly-nosing behavior and umbilical lesions in a multi-site production system
نویسنده
چکیده
Materials and methods: This study was conducted as a randomized complete block design. Treatments were weaning at 12, 15, 18, and 21 days of age (N = 2272 pigs). Each block was an off-site nursery, with four replicates (pens) of each treatment in each of four blocks. All pigs in a block were weaned from a 7300-head sow farm on the same day (Day 0). Each pen was observed for 15 minutes on Days 7, 14, and 21. Pigs demonstrating sustained belly-nosing behavior (≥ 10 seconds) were recorded. After the observations on Day 21, the umbilical region of each pig was examined and scored for lesions associated with belly nosing. A repeated measures mixed model with linear and quadratic contrasts was used to test the effects of weaning age on belly-nosing prevalence, percentage of pigs classified as “nosers,” umbilical lesion scores, and percentage of pigs with umbilical lesions at Day 21, with pen the experimental unit in all analyses.
منابع مشابه
Flank or belly nosing in weaned pigs
Results: Nosing activity was not observed until 3 days postweaning and peaked in number of pigs involved and duration of activity about 1 week after weaning. Nearly half of all pigs were observed performing some flankor belly-nosing activity. Pigs that nosed were more likely to become the smallest pigs, although initial weight did not differ between pigs that nosed and those that didn’t. In thi...
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