EFFECTS OF SINGLE AND GROUP HOUSING OF PREGNANT SOWS ON REPRODUCTION TRAITS, GENERAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR .1. EVALUATION OF THE HOUSING SYSTEMS BY REPRODUCTION TRAITS AND GENERAL HEALTH

Current German law on animal rights requires protection and appropriate treatment of animals. However, information on breeding and raising swine is incomplete, and comparison studies of alternative housing systems are needed. Therefore, the effects of single and group housing of pregnant sows on piglet production were investigated in the 120-sow herd of the Institute for Animal Breeding and Husbandry of the University of Kiel. Reproductive traits and general health were evaluated over one year. Type of housing system was found to have no effect on number of piglets born alive or dead or on days open. Daily gain was influenced. Daily gain of single-housed sows increased but without any difference in feed intake. General health was measured by nutritional condition, soiling, callosity, and injuries at time of evaluation. Single-housed sows had more callouses and were more soiled compared with group-housed sows. Injuries occured more often in group housing, especially when new animals were integrated into the group. However, injuries were not serious.