Group suckling

Background and Objective

Group housing of lactating sows is close to natural behaviour and is often favoured by organic farmers and advisors. But there is no scientific information about advantages or disadvantages of group housed sows in organic agriculture, especially with regard to the imponderability of the longer suckling period of organic piglets compared to conventional piglets.

The study will contribute to an evidence-based recommendation concerning group housing of lactating sows in organic agriculture.

Approach

To generate respective information a study was designed with the following characteristics: single housed lactating sows (n=74 litters), groups with 3 lactating sows (n=51 litters) and groups with 6 lactating sows (n=39 litters) over a period of more than 3 years, trial start with litter grouping 14 days post natum, trial end at day 63 p. n., 49 days suckling period, grouping rules: maximal difference of 5 days between piglets’ grouping age, no grouping of diseased sows and no sole primiparous sow together with multiparous sows.

Results

The following results were obtained: Group housing is connected with a higher level of activity and disturbance compared to single housing; grouping at three or grouping at six results in nearly the same total level of agonistic behaviour; group housing is leading to specific behavioural adaptions of the sows; there are no differences in piglets’ live weight gain, health status, and loss rates between the three systems; group housing of organic lactating sows causes higher work load and higher construction costs.

It is concluded that the biologic results do not argue against the implementation of a group housing system when it is required by the farmer. For a successful implementation the strict obedience of the above mentioned grouping rules is essential.