Comparison of Group and Individual Housing on Incidence and Severity of Feet Lesions, Productivity, and Survivability in First Parity Gilts

Incidence and severity of feet lesions, productivity, and survivability were assessed in gilts housed in an individual stall or group pen during first parity gestation to determine potential impacts of housing system on welfare and farm profitability. Two cohorts of gilts completed the experiment. Gilts were allocated to either an individual stall or group pen prior to breeding at 210 to 240 d of age until moving to farrowing crates at d 109 of gestation. Foot lesions, specifically heel overgrowth and erosion (HOE), heel sole cracks (HSC), and white line cracks (WL), were scored with the Zinpro scoring system on all 4 feet prior to breeding, at d 30, 60, and 100 of gestation, and at weaning in cohort 2. Parity 1 lactation feed intake, lactation weight loss, total number of piglets born, number of piglets born alive, pre-wean mortality, number stillborn and mummified piglets, litter birth weight, litter weaning weight adjusted for age at weaning, and wean-to-estrus interval were recorded in both cohorts. Culling occurred for failure to conceive, farrow, or wean a litter, failure to express estrus within 10 d of weaning, or for lameness or other animal welfare reasons. Date and reason for culling and medication administration were recorded in both cohorts. No differences existed between gestation housing systems for incidence of medication for structure-related reasons or culling for any reason nor any productivity trait analyzed (P > 0.05), except adjusted litter weaning weight. Individually housed gilts weaned heavier litters than group housed gilts (70.32±1.08 vs. 67.02±1.07 kg; P < 0.05). Gestation housing system, time, and their interaction had significant effects on all foot lesion traits (P < 0.03), except gestation housing on left rear HOE (P > 0.1). Group housed gilts had higher (more severe) scores than individually housed gilts for all lesions on all feet at d 30, 60, and 100 (P < 0.05) except left rear HOE and both rear HSC on d 30 and 60, and left rear HOE and front left HSC on d 100. At weaning, group housed gilts still had higher scores than individually housed gilts for both right HSC and all WL except front right (P < 0.05). Group gestation may have minimal effects on sow survivability through parity 1; however, proper management is important to prevent feet lesions and compromises in litter weaning weight, and thus maintain welfare and productivity in the pen environment.