Research to date is limited on how best to house and manage sows during the post-weaning and early gestation periods from a welfare perspective. A systematic literature review (part 1) on this topic found only a small number of studies (n = 27) that met our systematic search criteria. Compared to stalls, group housing requires mixing of animals and always triggers more aggression and skin lesions at the time of mixing. What type of housing yields the best overall welfare outcome remains unclear as none of the studies explored the mental wellbeing of sows during this period. Therefore, a research trial was set up (part 2) with sows in individual stalls, individual pens, or group pens for 8 days post=weaning, comparing postures and behaviour in a modified novel arena test (MNAT) where they were presented with a novel object or a stall. Housing type did not affect MNAT behaviour or salivary cortisol, suggesting short term confinement may not have a negative effect on how sows perceive stalls. Sows in stalls spent the longest time sitting, whereas sows in individual pens spent the longest standing. Housing treatment had no effect on sows’ lying behavior. The hormonal cycle seemed to have a bigger impact on posture than housing style.
Sow housing during the post-weaning and early pregnancy periods (link to the full article)
