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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 November 2017
It is well recognised that the current move towards group housing for sows can put the welfare of individuals at risk if the method of feeding is inadequate. In a study of the levels of competition at feeding, Stewart et al (1993) showed that specialised fibrous diets could, successfully, be fed ad libitum to group housed gilts. It was, however, suggested that longer term effects on welfare and longevity should be investigated. This paper describes the growth characteristics and social rank variation of young sows over the first two parities on three feeding systems.