Peripartum sows in three farrowing crates: Posture patterns and behavioural activities

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Volumn 58, Issue 1-2, 1998, Pages 77-86

  Lou, Zhensheng ^a   Hurnik, J Frank ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH   (Canada)

Author keywords

Crate; Farrowing; Housing; Maternal; Parental; Parturition; Pig; Sow; Welfare

Indexed keywords

EID: 0031850947     PISSN: 01681591     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/S0168-1591(96)01144-6     Document Type: Article

References (31)

1. Baxter, S.H., 1981. Welfare and the housing of the sow and suckling pigs. In: Sybesma, W. (Ed.), The Welfare of pigs. Martinus Nijhoff, Boston, MA, pp. 276-311.
2. Baxter, S., 1984. Intensive Pig Production: Environmental Management and Design. Granada Technical Books, New York, pp. 210-316, 344, 382-472.
3. Blackshaw, J.K., 1983. Prostaglandin F2 (alpha) induced nest building behavior in the non-pregnant sow and some welfare considerations. Int. J. Stud. Anim. Probl. 4, 299-304.
4. Blackshaw, J.K., Blackshaw, A.W., Thomas, F.J., Newman, F.W., 1994. Comparison of behaviour patterns of sows and litters in a farrowing crate and a farrowing pen. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 39, 281-295.
5. Castren, H., Algers, B., de Passille, A.M., Rushen, J., Uvnas-Moberg, K., 1993. Preparturient variation in progesterone, prolactin, oxytocin and somatostatin in relation to nest building in sows. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 38, 91-102.
6. Cronin, G.M., Smith, J.A., 1992. Effects of accommodation type and straw bedding around parturition and during lactation on the behaviour of primiparous sows and survival and growth of piglets to weaning. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 33, 191-208.
7. Cronin, G.M., Schirmer, B.N., McCallum, T.H., Smith, J.A., Butler, K.L., 1993. The effects of providing sawdust to pre-parturient sows in farrowing crates on sow behaviour, the duration of parturition and the occurrence of intrapartum stillborn piglets. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 36, 301-315.
8. Curtis, S.E., Hurst, R.J., Widowski, T.M., Shanks, R.D., Jensen, A.H., Gonyou, H.W., Bane, D.P., Muehling, A.J., Kesler, R.P., 1989. Effects of sow-crate design on health and performance of sows and piglets. J. Anim. Sci. 67, 80-93.
9. Fraser, D., 1975. The effect of straw on the behaviour of sows in tether stalls. Anim. Prod. 21, 59-68.
10. Fraser, D., Thompson, B.K., 1986. Variation in piglet weights: relationship to suckling behaviour, parity number and farrowing crate design. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 66, 31-46.
11. Gotz, M., 1991. Changes in nursing and suckling behaviour of sows and their piglets in farrowing crates. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 31, 271-275.
12. Hartsock, T.G., Barczewski, R.A., 1985. Prefarrowing behaviour of sows. J. Anim. Sci. 61 (Suppl. 1), 215. (Abstr.).
13. Hecket, W.L., Widowski, T.M., Curtis, S.E., Gonyou, H.W., 1988. Prepartum behaviour of gilts in three farrowing environments. J. Anim. Sci. 66, 1378-1385.
14. Hines, W.G.S., Hurnik, J.F., Mullen, K., 1983. Analysing qualitative behavioural data: A Markov chain aid. Appl. Anim. Ethol. 11, 111-121.
15. Hurnik, J.F., Webster, A.B., Siegel, P.B., 1985. Dictionary of Farm Animal Behaviour. University of Guelph Press, Ont., p. 46.
16. Hurst, R.J., Curtis, S.E., Taylor, I.A., Gonyou, H.W., Jensen, A.H., Muehling, A.J., 1986. An ergonomic study of various farrowing crate. J. Anim. Sci. 63 (Suppl. 1), 375. (Abstr.).
17. Hutson, G.D., 1992. A comparison of operant responding by farrowing sows for food and nest-building materials. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 34, 221-230.
18. Jensen, P., 1993. Nest building in domestic sows: the role of external stimuli. Anim. Behav. 45, 351-358.
19. Kurz, J.C., Marchinton, R.L., 1972. Radiotelemetry studies of feral hogs in south Carolina. J. Wildl. Manage. 36, 1240-1248.
20. Lou, Z., Hurnik, J.F., 1991. Paired circular crates - an ideal alternative for farrowing. Misset-Pigs, Dec. 31.
21. Lou, Z., Hurnik, J.F., 1994. An ellipsoid farrowing crate: Its ergonomical design and effects on pig productivity. J. Anim. Sci. 72, 2610-2616.
22. McFarlane, J.M., Boe, K.E., Curtis, S.E., 1988. Turning and walking by gilts in modified gestation crates. J. Anim. Sci. 66, 326-333.
23. McGlone, J.J., Salak-Johnson, J.L., Nicholson, R.I., Hicks, T., 1994. Evaluation of crates and girth tethers for sows: reproductive performance, immunity, behaviour and ergonomic measures. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 39, 297-311.
24. Phillips, P.A., Fraser, D., 1993. Developments in farrowing housing for sows and litters. Pig News Inf. 14, 51N-55N.
25. Schmid, H., 1993. Influence of domestication and housing conditions on the behaviour of lying down in sows. In: Nichelmann, M., Wierenga, H.K., Braun (Eds.), Proc. Int. Congr. Appl. Ethol., Humboldt University Press, Berlin, pp. 462-464.
26. Schmid, H., Hirt, H., 1993. Species specific behaviour of sows and piglets that prevent crushing. In: Nichelmann, M., Wierenga, H.K., Braun (Eds.), Proc. Int. Congr. Appl. Ethol., Humboldt University Press, Berlin, pp. 465-467.
27. Statistical Analysis Systems Institute Inc., 1990. User's Guide, version 6, 4th ed. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.
28. Stolba, A., Wood-Gush, D., 1989. The behaviour of pigs in a semi-natural environment. Anim. Prod. 48, 419-425.
29. Terlouw, E.M.C., Lawrence, A.B., Ladewig, J., de Parssille, A.M., Rushen, J., Schouten, W.G.P., 1991. Relationship between plasma cortisol and stereotypic activities in pigs. Behav. Prog. 25, 133-153.
30. Thompson, B.K., Fraser, D., 1986. Variation in piglet weights: development of within-litter variation over a 5-week lactation and effect of farrowing crate design. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 66, 361-372.
31. Widowski, T., Curtis, S.E., 1989. Behavioral responses of periparturient sows and juvenile pigs to prostaglandin F2a. J. Anim. Sci. 67, 3266-3276.