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Gudrun Illmann presents Poster 60 during the poster sessions in the Aula.
Session theme 6: Free topics
132
Poster 60
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PIGLET-SOW BEHAVIOUR DURING LYING
DOWN TO PREVENT PIGLET’S CRUSHING
G. Illmann, M. Šimečková, K. Neuhauserová, H. Chaloupková, Z. Pokorná, P. Kratina
Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic
This study focused on the flexibility of sows pre-lying behaviour and her reactivity to piglet’s
vocalization during lying down, both of which are supposed to be crucially linked to piglet
crushing. We assess (i) whether sows modify their pre-lying behaviour in relation to the piglets’
location and/ or clustering and its effect on piglets’ behaviour and (ii) whether the sows reacted to
playbacks and real scream vocalization of crushed piglets during lying down.
18 Sows were videotaped 24 h post-partum (pp). A pre-lying score was calculated involving
sniffing, rooting and pawing. Playbacks with trapped screams were provided during birth, 12 h pp
and 24 h pp in 15 sows. (i) Sows changed their pre-lying behaviour independently from the time
period but not from piglet position as sows showed more and longer pre-lying behaviours (GLMM,
F1,138=18.09, p < 0.001) when piglets were in the sow area and/or when piglets were already
clustered at the start of the pre-lying behaviour, independent of where they clustered. Although the
pre-lying behaviour increased the probability of clustering (NLMIXED, T17=3.6, p < 0.01), it did
not affect the probability that piglets moved from the sow to the creep area immediately before
lying down (NLMIXED, T17=-0.96, NS). (ii) Playbacks and real screams were similarly effective in
evoking a response (NLMIXED, T14=0.03, NS). However, sows reacted only in 50 % towards
screams of crushed piglets. There was no significant association between the sows’ pre-lying
behaviour (NLMIXED, T17=-0.5, NS) nor responsiveness to screams of trapped piglets on piglet
mortality (NLMIXED, T13=-1.31, NS).
In conclusion the results emphasize that sows are flexible in the pre-lying behaviour during this
early piglet age. Further research should focus on sow and piglet’s communication during pre-lying
behaviour and the sound characteristics of piglet screams related to the sows’ response.
Contact information: Gudrun Illmann or email Illmannova@vuzv.cz
Complete address: Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic
Species: Pig