Measuring Lameness in Sows

The movement away from sow gestation stalls to group housing presents several major welfare issues from the standpoints of facility design and sow management. In choosing the type of sow gestation housing, it will be important to adopt the system with the most advantages and to be able to assess factors that will impact on the sows’ welfare, longevity in the herd and thereby the producer’s economic sustainability. Group housed sows are exposed to various situations (conditions) that can reduce their state of well-being. In particular, lameness can be associated with the pen configuration, space allowance per animal, nature of the floor surface and feeding system.