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Effects of gestation housing system and floor type during lactation on locomotory ability; body, limb, and claw lesions; and lying-down behavior of lactating sows
Calderon Diaz, Julia Fahey, A. G. Boyle, Laura A
Calderon Diaz, Julia
Fahey, A. G.
Boyle, Laura A
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2014-04-01
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J. A. Calderón Díaz, A. G. Fahey, L. A. Boyle, Effects of gestation housing system and floor type during lactation on locomotory ability; body, limb, and claw lesions; and lying-down behavior of lactating sows, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 92, Issue 4, April 2014, Pages 1675–1685, https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2013-6279
Abstract
This study evaluated the influence of
housing system during gestation and floor type during
lactation on the welfare and lying-down behavior of
lactating sows. Multiparous sows (n = 85) were housed
either in individual gestation stalls (n = 42) or loose (n
= 43) in a single dynamic group with 2 electronic sow
feeders moved to farrowing crates on either slatted steel
(n = 48) or cast iron (n = 37) flooring. Lameness (0 =
normal to 5 = severely lame) was scored on transfer
to the farrowing crate (-5 d). Limb and body lesions
were recorded on -5 d, 24 h after entering the farrowing
crate (-4 d), 10-d postpartum, and before weaning.
Claw lesions were recorded on -5 d and before weaning,
whereas all behavioral observations were made on
-5, -4, and 10 d. Median (Me) scores were calculated
for claw, body, and limb lesions and classified as either
less than or equal to the Me or greater than the Me lesion
scores. Sows were classified as nonlame (£ 1) or lame
(³ 2). Loose-housed sows had an increased (P < 0.01)
risk of lameness; a reduced (P < 0.05) risk for claw
lesions, particularly white line damage, horizontal wall
cracks, and dewclaw injuries; and a reduced (P < 0.05)
risk for calluses and bursitis on the limbs compared
to stall-housed sows. Sows housed on cast iron floors
during lactation had a reduced (P < 0.01) risk for heel
overgrowth and erosion and heel-sole cracks compared
with sows on slatted steel floors. There was no (P >
0.05) association between flooring type during lactation
and body lesion score. On -4 d, loose-housed sows had
a shorter latency to lie down (P < 0.01), spent more
time inactive (P < 0.05), and shifted weight between the
limbs more often (P = 0.05) while standing compared
with stall-housed sows. Lame sows had a shorter (P <
0.01) latency to lie down compared to nonlame sows on
-5 and -4 d. In conclusion, there was an increased risk
of lameness in sows housed loose compared to those
housed in gestation stalls on transfer to the farrowing
crate. Claw health deteriorated in the farrowing crate
regardless of gestation housing or floor type but the
deterioration in claw health was increased on slatted
steel compared to on cast iron