Influence of A Cooled, Solid Lying Area on the Pen Fouling and Lying Behavior of Fattening Pigs
Increasing demands on animal welfare and the higher temperatures in summer due to climate change make it necessary to adapt conventional pig husbandry systems. A cooled, solid lying area has the potential to increase lying comfort and reduce the heat stress, which improves animal welfare. In the pre...
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/7/307 |
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| author | S. Opderbeck B. Keßler W. Gordillio H. Schrade Hans-Peter Piepho Eva Gallmann |
| author_facet | S. Opderbeck B. Keßler W. Gordillio H. Schrade Hans-Peter Piepho Eva Gallmann |
| author_sort | S. Opderbeck |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Increasing demands on animal welfare and the higher temperatures in summer due to climate change make it necessary to adapt conventional pig husbandry systems. A cooled, solid lying area has the potential to increase lying comfort and reduce the heat stress, which improves animal welfare. In the present study, the effect of a cooled, solid lying area on lying and elimination behavior was investigated. In two fattening compartments, eight pens with 28 pigs each were rebuilt. Two pen designs, different in feeder place and type, were tested. The floor was cooled from 24.5 to 20 °C by cool water in half of the pens. A total of 672 fattening pigs were tested over three fattening periods. The lying behavior was recorded by video analysis three times per week and three times per day. In the pens with a cooled lying area, 14% (SED 2.9; <i>p</i> = 0.002), respectively 12% (SED 0.9; <i>p</i> = 0.0382) more pigs were lying on the solid lying area. Additionally, the fouling of the animals was reduced by the cooling in one pen design; the results were derived from weekly scores (0.42 vs. 0.67; SED 0.058 <i>p</i> = 0.0006). The fouling of the pen was not affected by the floor cooling, however, the fouling in all pens was very low. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:20:23Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-f4440ede0a5245bb9b6a78e9e292c1d92023-11-20T07:22:47ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722020-07-0110730710.3390/agriculture10070307Influence of A Cooled, Solid Lying Area on the Pen Fouling and Lying Behavior of Fattening PigsS. Opderbeck0B. Keßler1W. Gordillio2H. Schrade3Hans-Peter Piepho4Eva Gallmann5Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 9, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyBildungs- und Wissenzentrum Boxberg, Seehöfer Str. 50, 97944 Boxberg-Windischbuch, GermanyBildungs- und Wissenzentrum Boxberg, Seehöfer Str. 50, 97944 Boxberg-Windischbuch, GermanyBildungs- und Wissenzentrum Boxberg, Seehöfer Str. 50, 97944 Boxberg-Windischbuch, GermanyInstitute of Crop Science, Biostatistics Unit, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyInstitute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 9, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyIncreasing demands on animal welfare and the higher temperatures in summer due to climate change make it necessary to adapt conventional pig husbandry systems. A cooled, solid lying area has the potential to increase lying comfort and reduce the heat stress, which improves animal welfare. In the present study, the effect of a cooled, solid lying area on lying and elimination behavior was investigated. In two fattening compartments, eight pens with 28 pigs each were rebuilt. Two pen designs, different in feeder place and type, were tested. The floor was cooled from 24.5 to 20 °C by cool water in half of the pens. A total of 672 fattening pigs were tested over three fattening periods. The lying behavior was recorded by video analysis three times per week and three times per day. In the pens with a cooled lying area, 14% (SED 2.9; <i>p</i> = 0.002), respectively 12% (SED 0.9; <i>p</i> = 0.0382) more pigs were lying on the solid lying area. Additionally, the fouling of the animals was reduced by the cooling in one pen design; the results were derived from weekly scores (0.42 vs. 0.67; SED 0.058 <i>p</i> = 0.0006). The fouling of the pen was not affected by the floor cooling, however, the fouling in all pens was very low.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/7/307cooled lying arealying behaviorpen foulinganimal foulingfattening pigssolid lying area |
| spellingShingle | S. Opderbeck B. Keßler W. Gordillio H. Schrade Hans-Peter Piepho Eva Gallmann Influence of A Cooled, Solid Lying Area on the Pen Fouling and Lying Behavior of Fattening Pigs Agriculture cooled lying area lying behavior pen fouling animal fouling fattening pigs solid lying area |
| title | Influence of A Cooled, Solid Lying Area on the Pen Fouling and Lying Behavior of Fattening Pigs |
| title_full | Influence of A Cooled, Solid Lying Area on the Pen Fouling and Lying Behavior of Fattening Pigs |
| title_fullStr | Influence of A Cooled, Solid Lying Area on the Pen Fouling and Lying Behavior of Fattening Pigs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of A Cooled, Solid Lying Area on the Pen Fouling and Lying Behavior of Fattening Pigs |
| title_short | Influence of A Cooled, Solid Lying Area on the Pen Fouling and Lying Behavior of Fattening Pigs |
| title_sort | influence of a cooled solid lying area on the pen fouling and lying behavior of fattening pigs |
| topic | cooled lying area lying behavior pen fouling animal fouling fattening pigs solid lying area |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/10/7/307 |
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