In 2029, Canadian pork producers will need to make the transition to group sow housing, following the updates to the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs. This project addresses the timely issue of assisting producers in making the transition to group housing, improving sow welfare and maintaining productivity at the same time. The first study focuses on utilizing retrospective and longitudinal data comparing sow and gilt productivity in group and stall-housed herds, under the same management, identifying production benefits and risks associated with each housing system. The second study will focus on the analysis of data collected from electronic sow feeders alongside observations recorded on dam parity, productivity, social status, and feeder behavior, In this way, we can identify sows/gilts requiring attention and design intervention strategies to improve sow welfare and productivity. The goal of the project is to identify management practices that can benefit sow health and production in Canadian sow herds. The results will ease the transition and promote success in the adoption of group housing in Canada and Saskatchewan.
Improving sow management and performance using precision feeding records (full article)
