Sow group housing during early gestation; room for improvement

In 1998 the Dutch government issued that from 2013 sows must be housed in social groups within 5 days after insemination, in addition to EC directive 2008/120. In 2014, the government issued a project to aid farmers, which had reported, on request, negative effects of group housing in the first 4 weeks on welfare and reproduction (n=347), to overcome these effects. Focus of the project was on the interventions to chronic physical stress, as this is an important risk factor for negative outcomes of reproduction.

The project is based on 3 pillars:

1) A multi-disciplinary project team of 8 independent swine professionals (3 vets, 3 welfare scientists, a feed and a swine management consultant), was asked to visit 222 farms that requested help from experts between mid-2015 and mid-2016. Firstly, an anamnesis was taken by phone to define the exact problem field ((re)production, aggression, lameness and sow mortality). Subsequently, 2 experts visited the farm and assessed farm and animal management and evaluated risk factors e.g.: body condition in the farrowing unit, hunger, feeding system, behaviour around feeding times, socialisation of gilts, seasonal effects, aggression, space allocation and grouping management, etc. The farmer was encouraged to invite their farm advisors to attend during the expert farm visit. A tailor made advice was given and the implementation of the advice was evaluated by phone 3 months later.

2) 4 regional meetings to disseminate knowledge on sow group housing for all swine farmers and farm advisors.

3) A website with public access to practical information: http://www.wageningenur.nl/nl/show/Groepshuisvesting-zeugen-in-de-vroege-dracht.htm

As of jan-2016 90/222 farms were visited. In 92% of visited farms, at least one or more risk factors could be identified. Advice varied from minor changes in farm management to significant changes in design of housing or feeding. Farms with through or floor feeding of sows are overrepresented in the latter group.

Literature has shown that group housing of sows in early gestation is feasible, but one should take into account sow’s needs to reduce chronic physical stress. Mid-term evaluation of the project shows that the design of the project enables to identify plausible causes of the problems in a majority of the farms as well as that some regular farm advisors needed to update their knowledge on individual sow’s needs in order to formulate effective advice on this matter.

This project is financed by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs

Disclosure of Interest: None Declared.