Creep heating in outdoor farrowing huts may increase piglet welfare without impacting survival and growth

IF 2 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE

Applied Animal Behaviour Science Pub Date : 2025-08-19 DOI:10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106794

Jens Malmkvist , Cecilie Kobek-Kjeldager , Lene Juul Pedersen

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Newborn piglets are prone to hypothermia, and higher mortalities are suggested in outdoor farrowing huts. Therefore, we investigated whether creep heating during the first 7 days after parturition improves piglet survival and welfare. Data (location, behaviour, weight, mortality) were collected from birth to weaning at 7 weeks from 88 litters across seasons. Each hut contained four pens, half with a heated (HEAT) piglet creep area and half of these had a metal bar (‘pendulum’) to support the sow's lying-down movement. The position of the sow at birth influenced the first piglet entry to the creep (rump facing creep: median 87 min vs snout facing creep: 191 min after the birth of the first piglet; P = 0.037). During the first day of life (D0), creep usage was low (2.6 ± 0.65 % of observations) regardless of heating (P = 0.20) and season (P = 0.38; spring: 1.5 %, summer: 2.7 %, autumn: 1.8 %, winter: 3.1 %). Most piglets on D0 were at the udder (71.5 ± 1.83 %) or in the pen, away from the sow (25.9 ± 1.87 %). Creep usage increased after D0, with more piglets inside if heated (D2, HEAT: 28.0 ± 3.16 % vs not: 6.8 ± 1.85 %; P < 0.001), at the expense of being in the pen without sow contact (HEAT: 16.6 ± 2.76 % vs unheated: 32.5 ± 3.06 %; P < 0.001). HEAT did not influence piglets in udder contact (e.g. on D2, P = 0.21). We found no effect of HEAT on piglet survival (P = 0.54) and growth (P = 0.35) based on weighing individuals D1, D21, and D49. From D1 to weaning, 16.2 % of liveborn piglets died. The risk of piglet dying tended to higher in piglets being fostered by another sow (in contrast to their biological mother; P = 0.085) and higher for males (Hazard ratio vs females: 1.4; P = 0.004). Piglet Average Daily Gain (ADG) decreased with increasing litter size at weaning (P < 0.001) and was positively associated with the parity of the sow (P = 0.042). Season influenced the piglet ADG (P < 0.001), being higher during spring (g/day: 321 ± 12^a) and autumn (338 ± 12 ^a) than summer (272 ± 11^b; winter: 297 ± 14^ab). Piglets fostered by another sow had lower ADG (283 ± 13 vs native piglets of the litter: 331 ± 5 g/day; P < 0.001). In conclusion, heating resulted in more piglets using of the creep early in life on postnatal day 2, especially in cold weather (mean outdoor temperature effect; P = 0.030), indicating a need for more thermal zones inside the hut. These results suggest that additional hut features like heating may increase piglet welfare.

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室外猪舍蠕变加热可提高仔猪福利，但不影响仔猪的生存和生长

新生仔猪容易体温过低，建议在室外产房中死亡率较高。因此，我们研究了分娩后7天的蠕变加热是否能提高仔猪的存活率和福利。数据（地点、行为、体重、死亡率）从出生到7周断奶从88窝不同季节收集。每个小屋包含四个猪圈，一半有加热（HEAT）仔猪爬行区，一半有金属杆（“钟摆”），以支持母猪躺下的运动。母猪出生时的体位影响了首头仔猪进入蠕变（首头仔猪出生后臀面蠕变：中位数87 min vs鼻面蠕变：191 min； P = 0.037）。在生命的第一天(D0)蠕变使用率很低(2.6 ±0.65  %的观察)无论加热(P = 0.20)和季节(P = 0.38;春天:1.5 %,夏天:2.7 %,秋天:1.8 %,冬天:3.1 %)。大多数D0仔猪在乳房（71.5 ± 1.83 %）或猪圈内，远离母猪（25.9 ± 1.87 %）。蠕变后使用增加D0,有小猪里面如果加热(D2、热:28.0 ±3.16  % vs不: 6.8±1.85  %;P & lt; 0.001),在笔的费用没有播种接触(热:16.6 ±2.76  % vs常温: 32.5±3.06  %;P & lt; 0.001)。HEAT对仔猪乳房接触无影响（如D2， P = 0.21）。根据D1、D21和D49的体重，我们发现HEAT对仔猪的存活率（P = 0.54）和生长（P = 0.35）没有影响。从D1到断奶，16.2 %的活产仔猪死亡。由另一头母猪饲养的仔猪仔猪死亡的风险往往更高（与其生母相比，P = 0.085），公仔猪的风险更高（与母仔猪的风险比：1.4;P = 0.004）。断奶仔猪平均日增重（ADG）随着产仔数的增加而降低（P <； 0.001），与母猪胎次呈正相关（P = 0.042）。季节影响小猪ADG (P & lt; 0.001),被高在春季(321克/天: ± 12 a)和秋季(338 ± 12 a)比夏天(272 ± 11 b;冬天:297 ± 14 ab)。其他母猪饲养的仔猪平均日增重较低（283 ± 13），与窝中本地仔猪相比：331 ± 5 g/天；P <； 0.001)。综上所述，加热导致仔猪在出生后第2天早期更多地使用蠕变，特别是在寒冷的天气（室外平均温度效应；P = 0.030），这表明需要更多的小屋内热区。这些结果表明，额外的小屋功能，如加热，可能会增加仔猪的福利。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Applied Animal Behaviour Science 农林科学-行为科学

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

21.70%

发文量

191

审稿时长

18.1 weeks

期刊介绍： This journal publishes relevant information on the behaviour of domesticated and utilized animals. Topics covered include: -Behaviour of farm, zoo and laboratory animals in relation to animal management and welfare -Behaviour of companion animals in relation to behavioural problems, for example, in relation to the training of dogs for different purposes, in relation to behavioural problems -Studies of the behaviour of wild animals when these studies are relevant from an applied perspective, for example in relation to wildlife management, pest management or nature conservation -Methodological studies within relevant fields The principal subjects are farm, companion and laboratory animals, including, of course, poultry. The journal also deals with the following animal subjects: -Those involved in any farming system, e.g. deer, rabbits and fur-bearing animals -Those in ANY form of confinement, e.g. zoos, safari parks and other forms of display -Feral animals, and any animal species which impinge on farming operations, e.g. as causes of loss or damage -Species used for hunting, recreation etc. may also be considered as acceptable subjects in some instances -Laboratory animals, if the material relates to their behavioural requirements