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Effects of feeder space allowance on behavior of slow growing pigs during the nursery period

Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Grand Ballroom - Foyer (Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center)
Yijie He , Dept. of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Shiquan Cui , West Central Research and Outreach Center, University of Minnesota, Morris, MN
John Deen , Dept. of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
G. C. Shurson , Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Yuzhi Li , West Central Research and Outreach Center, University of Minnesota, Morris, MN
Abstract Text:

Pigs that grow slower than their contemporaries may be subject to complications in animal welfare. Competition at the feeder due to limited feeder space allowance and behavior of pigs may partially contribute to this slow growth. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeder space allowance on behavior of pigs during the nursery period. Pigs (n = 440) were monitored for growth performance from birth to market. Pigs were categorized as slow (SG) or fast growers (FG) based on their market weight adjusted to 170 d of age (SG ≤ 105 kg, FG > 125 kg). During the nursery period (4 to 9-wk of age), 8 pigs were housed in pens that provided either a 2-space or a 5-space feeder. The behavior of pigs (n = 192) in 24 pens (12 pens for each feeder space treatment) was video-recorded for the first 4-d after entering nursery and on d 21 in the nursery, respectively. Marking chalk was used to mark the backs of pigs with different patterns for individual identification during video recording. Behavioral time budgets were calculated for each pig by scan-sampling of the videos at 5-min intervals for 23 h each d during the recording period. In addition, 96 focal pigs (4 pigs from each of 24 pens) were identified and measured for feed consumption rates individually at 9-wk of age. Data were analyzed using the Glimmix Procedure of SAS. Pigs provided with 5-space feeders spent more time eating (5.0 vs. 4.7%, SE = 0.2%; P = 0.05) than pigs provided with 2-space feeders, indicating that providing more feeder space may increase feeding motivation of pigs. Compared with their counterparts in pens with 2-space feeders, SG pigs in pens with 5-space feeders spent less time standing (8.7% vs. 9.9%, SE = 0.7%; P < 0.05) and tended to spend more time lying (84.7% vs. 83.9%, SE = 0.59%; P = 0.08). Feeder space treatments did not affect feed consumption rate, and time spent drinking or fighting (P> 0.10). These results suggest that providing more feeder space may improve the welfare of SG pigs due to the increased eating and resting activity. 

Keywords: feeder space, pigs, slow growth

See more of: Animal Behavior, Housing and Well-Being
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