Effects on Production and Health of Two Types of Housing for Pregnant Gilts
نویسندگان
چکیده
There is increasing public concern about the welfare implications of confinement housing systems for farm animals. Gestation stalls are a common method of housing pregnant swine in the USA. Single housing of pregnant sows in stalls and on tethers has been criticized because these systems severely restrict females’ freedom of movement. However, single housing allows easy individual control of feed intake and minimizes aggression, factors which may compromise the welfare of sows housed in groups. Welfare concerns have led to the recent decision to phase out gestation stalls in the European Union. Few previous studies have directly compared stall and group housing systems under controlled conditions and using a multidisciplinary approach.
منابع مشابه
Postnatal behavioral and physiological responses of piglets from gilts housed individually or in groups during gestation.
Gestational housing of sows remains a controversial issue that may affect the well-being of both sows and piglets. Therefore, 2 types of gestational housing were used to evaluate the stress imposed on pregnant gilts by each system and the effects on the offspring by comparing production, physiology, and behavioral measures of the piglets. Forty-eight Landrace x Yorkshire gilts were randomly ass...
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