The effect of feeding frequency on the behaviour patterns of group-housed dry Sows using an electronic sow-activated feeder

Extract

Pig husbandry systems in current use do not equally meet the physiological and behavioural needs of the animals. The aim of the study is to further develop on alternative system of housing/ feeding dry sows, in keeping with the Animal Welfare Codes. The system adopted allows sows housed in groups,individual use of an automatic concentrate dispenser which can be programmed to each sow'individual requirements. Two different feeding frequencies were adopted for the same daily feed allowance: 1 feed/day and 4 feeds/day (ie.1 feed/6 hours). Four groups of six sows in mid-pregnancy were placed on each regime for three weeks. During each trial the animals’ behaviour was observed on seven days, between 0700-1100 GMT, this having been previously established to be a period of high behavioural activity for sows on a number of different systems. Behavioural activity was recorded continuously for each sow with 29 various activities being noted. The behavioural activity associated with the feeder was observed over 24 hours for two further groups of six sows, on the 10th day after establishing the groups.