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- Title
Use of a crush-reducing device to decrease crushing of suckling piglets by sows.
- Authors
Jeon, J. H.; Kim, D. J.; Han, J. H.; Yeon, S. C.; Bahng, S. H.; Myeong, B. S.; Chang, H. H.
- Abstract
Weanling pigs tend to avoid wind, and suckling piglets are thought to be more sensitive to wind than weanlings, owing to their thinner s.c. fat layer. We developed a crush-reducing device based on the anticipated behavior of suckling piglets toward wind and evaluated the performance of the device through field testing. The crush-reducing device consisted of six photo sensors, a controller, six solenoid valves, and an air compressor. In this study, 206 sows and their suckling piglets (Landrace x Yorkshire) were investigated to ascertain the individual effects of several factors. Some of the newborn piglets were cross-fostered before the crush-reducing device was implemented. Litter weights were measured on d 0 and 4 to determine the influence of the crush-reducing device on the weights of suckling piglets. The crushing of suckling piglets by sows was affected by season (P < 0.01) and litter size (P < 0.05), but not by the parity of the sows; however, the number of crushed piglets per litter was less (P < 0.01) in the crush-reducing device group (0.05 ± 0.02 crushed piglets/litter) than in the control group (0.23 ± 0.04 crushed piglets/litter), regardless of litter size or season. The BW gain of suckling piglets did not differ between the control and the crush-reducing device groups. Based on these results, the crush-reducing device is expected to decrease the number of crushed piglets per litter without influencing the BW gain of suckling piglets, thereby greatly contributing to the productivity of pig breeders.
- Subjects
PIGLETS; SOWS; ANIMAL young; SWINE
- Publication
Journal of Animal Science, 2005, Vol 83, Issue 6, p1397
- ISSN
0021-8812
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2527/2005.8361397x