Welfare indicators
Dossier: Farrowing housing and management
Indicators to monitor pig welfare related to farrowing housing and management.
The pigs’ physiological and behavioural needs are described under “Knowledge”. Based on these needs, five key areas regarding welfare of sows and piglets are identified. For four key areas, indicators are suggested to facilitate welfare inspections on farm:
- Space and freedom to move
- Comfortable climate
- Nest building and exploration
- Litter size and competition
An overview of indicator factsheets for this topic can be found on the "Indicator factsheets" webpage.
Space and freedom to move
Indicators to assess space and freedom to move:
- Body lesions including shoulder sores, and space allowance in the crate (sows).
- Udder and teat lesions, and space to suckle for piglets.
- Facial and carpal joint lesions (piglets).
Relevant links
- Body lesions: indicator of space restriction of farrowing sows, indicator factsheet EURCAW-Pigs, 2020
- Teat lesions: indicator of lack of space and large litter sizes in pigs, indicator factsheet EURCAW-Pigs, 2020
- Facial and carpal joint lesions: indicators of lack of space and large litter sizes in pigs, indicator factsheet EURCAW-Pigs, 2020
- Space restriction during suckling, video YouTube, EURCAW-Pigs, 2020
- Associations between lying-down behaviour problems and body condition, limb disorders and skin lesions of lactating sows housed in farrowing crates in commercial sow herds, Bonde et al., Livestock Production Science 87: 179-187, 2004
- Housing of sows during farrowing: a review on pen design, welfare and productivity, Pedersen et al., In Livestock housing: Modern management to ensure optimal health and welfare of farm animals (pp. 93-112), 2015
Comfortable climate
Indicators related to climate control are:
- Cold stress (piglets): Huddling (lying on top of pig(s)) and shivering (vibration of body), and size of nest area and temperature in nest area.
- Heat stress (sows): Panting (high-frequent, open-mouth breathing), and temperature of the room. [factsheet in prep.]
Relevant links
- Huddling and shivering: indicators of hypothermia and cold stress in piglets, indicator factsheet EURCAW-Pigs, 2020
- Panting, indicator factsheet, EURCAW-Pigs, [in prep.]
- Neonatal piglet traits of importance for survival in crates and indoor pens, Pedersen et al., Journal of Animal Science, 89(4), pp. 1207-1218, 2011
- Development of thermoregulation and neonatal survival in pigs, Herpin et al., Livestock production science 78(1), pp. 25-45, 2002
- Influence of high ambient temperature on performance of reproductive sows, Prunier et al., Livestock Production Science, 52(2), pp. 123-133, 1997
Nest building and exploration
Check of nest building materials for sows and exploratory materials for piglets:
Relevant links
- Nest building material for sows: Types, availability and signs of use, indicator factsheet EURCAW-Pigs, 2020
- Effects of loose housing and the provision of alternative nesting material on peri-partum sow behaviour and piglet survival, Bolhuis et al., Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 202, 28-33, 2018
- Benefits of prepartum nest-building behaviour on parturition and lactation in sows—a review, Yun and Valros, Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 28(11): 1519, 2015
- Large quantities of straw at farrowing prevents bruising and increases weight gain in piglets, Westin et al., Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 115(3-4): 181-190, 2014
Litter size and competition
Indicators for inspecting welfare issues related to litter size and competition include:
- Sows in poor body condition (underconditioned).
- Udder and teat lesions.
- Facial and carpal joint lesions (piglets).
- Runts and mortality (piglets). [factsheet in prep.]
Relevant links
- Underconditioned sows: indicator of a large litter size, indicator factsheet EURCAW-Pigs, 2020
- Teat lesions: indicator of lack of space and large litter sizes in pigs, indicator factsheet EURCAW-Pigs, 2020
- Facial and carpal joint lesions: indicators of lack of space and large litter sizes in pigs, indicator factsheet EURCAW-Pigs, 2020
- Runts and mortality, indicator factsheet, EURCAW-Pigs, [in prep.]
- Piglet mortality and morbidity: Inevitable or unacceptable, Baxter and Edwards, In Advances in Pig Welfare (pp. 27-72), 2018
- High physiological demands in intensively raised pigs: impact on health and welfare, Prunier et al, 2010, Animal, 4(6): 886-898, 2010