Previous research has shown that the productivity of sows housed in an Electronic Sow Feeding (ESF) system is affected by the housing management (static vs. dynamic), stage of gestation at mixing and parity. Familiarity has also been shown to affect the behaviour of group-housed sows. Thus, the objective of this experiment was to determine how the previously mentioned social factors affect the behaviour, physiology and productivity of sows housed in an ESF system. Sows were regrouped into either the static and dynamic pens. Within an introduction group, a subgroup of up to 24 focals sows was observed. The focal sows were chosen based on whether they were mixed pre vs. post-implantation (<12 vs. >46 days post-breeding), familiar vs. unfamiliar with group mates and parity (1st vs. 2nd and 3rd vs. 4th +). Aggression at mixing and at the feeder, injury scores, feeder entry order, space usage, salivary cortisol and farrowing productivity was recorded. The data was analyzed using Proc-Mixed and the General Model for SAS. Housing did not have a significant effect on the any of the parameters examined. Young sows had significantly more piglets born alive when housed in a dynamic system, while old sows had more piglets born alive when housed in a static system (p=0.03). Pre-implant sows initiated more aggressive encounters than post-implant sows (p=0.01). Post-implant sows ate later in the feeding cycle (p=0.03), rested on the slats more (p<0.001) and had higher salivary cortisol concentrations (p=0.0008). However, the cortisol concentrations increased throughout gestation for all sows (p<0.001). Familiarity did not have an effect on any of the variables examined except, familiar sows spent more time lying against the wall (p=0.03) and unfamiliar sows spent more time lying in the centre of the solid area of the pen (p=0.02). Old sows were involved in more aggressive encounters (p=0.04), spent more time fighting at mixing (p=0.02) and laid against the wall more (p<0.001). Young sows tended to received more scratches (p=0.07), ate later in the feeding cycle (p<0.001) and spent more time lying on the slats (p<0.001). Intermediate sows had significantly lower salivary cortisol concentrations (p=0.003). There was not a difference between the static and dynamic management systems. Sows should not be mixed until after embryonic implantation because they are more docile. The intermediate sows underwent the least amount of social stress due to their intermediate position within the dominance hierarchy.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:SSU.etd-03062006-132405 |
| Date | 07 March 2006 |
| Creators | Strawford, Megan Leah |
| Contributors | Thacker, Philip A., Stookey, Joseph M., Gonyou, Harold W., Connor, M. L. (Laurie), Buchanan, Fiona C. |
| Publisher | University of Saskatchewan |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-03062006-132405/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Saskatchewan or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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