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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Livestock Issues Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #102093
Title: BEHAVIOR AND PERFORMANCE OF LACTATING NEWSHAM SOWS AND PIGLETS REARED INDOORS OR OUTDOORS

Author
item JOHNSON, A - TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
item Morrow, Julie
item WILSON, S - TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
item RACHUONYO, H - TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
item GENTRY, J - TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
item MCGLONE, J - TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Lactating Newsham sows and their litters (n=125) were used to determine the effects of intensive indoor and outdoor production systems on sow and litter productivity and behavior. Outdoor sows were heavier at farrowing (212.9 plus or minus .75 and 204.7 plus or minus 81 kg) and lighter at weaning (164.7 plus or minus 171.1 plus or minus 2.15 kg) than indoor sows (P<.05). Outdoor sows lost more (P<.05) weight during lactation than indoo sows (32.9 plus or minus and 28.3 plus or minus 9 kg). While weaning weight per piglet and numbers weaned per litter were similar between environments, outdoor sows weaned litters with a lighter (P<.05) total litter weaning weight than indoor sows (49.4 plus or minus 1.2 and 56.3 plus or minus 1.3 kg). Outdoor lactating sows (n=16) were more (P<.01) active than indoor (n=14) lactating sows (30.6 plus or minus 3.6 and 11.5 plus or minus 4.0% of time observed). Outdoor sows spent less (P<.05) time nursing than indoor rsows (28.8 plus or minus 3.4 and 42.6 plus or minus 3.8% of time observed) The interval between nursing bouts was higher (P=.01) for outdoor sows than for indoor sows (42.6 plus or minus 1.9 and 32.8 plus or minus 2.2 min). The variation in nursing interval (nursing interval standard deviation) was greater (P<.05) for outdoor litters than for indoor litters (12.7 plus or minus 1.3 and 5.2 plus or minus 1.5 min). Piglets spent less time lying when housed outdoors than indoors (60.2 plus or minus 2.5 and 72.8 plus or minus 2.8%). Outdoor piglets also spent more (P<.01) time not in contact with the sow than indoor piglets (63 +/- 3.7 and 39.2 plus or minus 4.1%). In conclusion, outdoor-kept Newsham sows lost more weight during lactation, weaned lighter litters, and both sow and piglets were more active and nursed in a less synchronized manner than indoor-housed sows.