Focus Field Animal Sciences and Aquaponics I

Steffi Wiedemann
Pig farming
 Overview of today‘s lecture

• Pig (swine, hog) husbandry systems

2 Focus Field Animal - Pigs

 Sustainable Animal Husbandry - Aims

Wool/Fibre
Transport Milk Meat Eggs
Nature conservation
Hobby
etc.

3 Focus Field Animal - Pigs

 Why are pigs important

• mainly for meat production – approximately 40% of total global

meat consumption
• skin and leather products
• pharmaceutical products
• pleasure and company
• other (eg. truffle pigs)

4 Focus Field Animal - Pigs

 Number of pigs worldwide (2022) in million heads

Recovered from 2019,

when China was struck
by the swine fever

Total number worldwide: 677 Mio. pigs

• statista
5 Focus Field Animal - Pigs
Pigs in the leading global pig farming countries between 2019 and 2021* (in 1,000 animals)
Schweinebestand in den führenden Erzeugerländern weltweit 2021

Numbers of animals in thousands

2021* 2020 2019

0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 400,000 450,000

340,000
China 310,410
428,070
147,300
EU 147,830
148,167
78,600
USA 79,048
75,070
37,350
Brazil 37,850
38,427
25,710
Russia 25,048
23,600

Hinweis(e): Weltweit
Weitere Angaben zu dieser Statistik, sowie Erläuterungen zu Fußnoten, sind auf Seite 81 zu finden.
13 Quelle(n): USDA Foreign Agricultural Service; ID 28803 Schweinehaltung
 Animal farming – pigs
piglet from birth until weaning

weaned pig from weaning until 3rd month of life

fattening female or (castrated) male pig used for meat

pig production from the 4th to 6th month of life

young pig pig for breeding (from 4th to 6th month of life)

boar male, not-castrated pig, > 6 months

sow female pig, > 6 months, after first insemination

7 from Dr. Elfers Lecture Energy & Agr. Eng.03, 3. Semester SAg Focus Field Animal - Pigs
Swine terminology - continued

• Piglet • gestation
• Weaned pig • litter
• Fattening pig • nursing
• Boar • farrowing
• Sow • weaning
• Barrow • carcass
• Gilt • colostrum

Please find the definitions yourself.

8 Focus Field Animal - Pigs

 Numbers

How many pigs are kept in Germany?

23.8 Mill pigs are kept on a total of 20.500 farms* in Germany
* farms with at least 50 pigs or 10 sows

breeding
pigs; 1.8

piglets; 7

fattening
pigs; 11
rearing
pigs; 4.2

Number in Mio

Source: Statistisches Bundesamt, Fachserie 3, Reihe 4.1, Mai 2018

9 destatis 2021
and Focus Field Animal - Pigs
Number of pig farms between 1950 and 2020
Number of pig farms in Germany until 2020

3,000,000

2,500,000 2,394,055
Anzahl der Betriebe

2,000,000
1,741,903

1,500,000

1,028,492
1,000,000

511,217
500,000
123,500 88,700
32,900 25,700 24,400 23,500 22,400 21,200 20,400
0
1950 1960 1970 1980 2000 2005 2010 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020*

Hinweis(e): Deutschland; ab 1990: gesamtes Bundesgebiet

Weitere Angaben zu dieser Statistik, sowie Erläuterungen zu Fußnoten, sind auf Seite 86 zu finden.
18 Quelle(n): Statistisches Bundesamt; ID 1175101 Schweinehaltung

In 2022 further decrease to 18 800 farms.

Number of pigs per farm in Germany between 1950 and 2020
Pigs per farm in Germany until 2020

1,400
1,222.17 1,243.63
1,173.62 1,200.45
1,200 1,122.13
Anzahl der Schweine pro Betrieb

1,075.88

1,000
805.78
800

600

400 302.82
207.29
200
69.25
7.35 13.84
0
1950 1960 1980 2000 2005 2010 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020*

Hinweis(e): Deutschland; ab 1990: gesamtes Bundesgebiet

Weitere Angaben zu dieser Statistik, sowie Erläuterungen zu Fußnoten, sind auf Seite 87 zu finden.
19 Quelle(n): Statistisches Bundesamt; ID 1174729 Schweinehaltung
Numbers of pigs per farm in the different
federal states of Germany (2020)

12 https://bzl-datenzentrum.de/tierhaltung/betriebe-und-
bestaende-in-deutschland-grafik
Animal Husbandry - Pigs
 Now, it‘s your turn…

• What else do you know about pig farming?

13 Animal Husbandry - Pigs

 Animal farming – pigs
Different areas of pig farming:

Pig breeding

Combination
of piglet Piglet production
production
and pig
fattening Pig
Farming

Pig rearing
Pig fattening

14 Focus Field Animal - Pigs

Types of pig farming

• Purebred (less than 1%)

• Commercial
• Feeder pig farming – produces piglets
• Buying and finishing feeder pigs – buys feeder pigs
• Complete sow and litter systems – farrow to finish
• pig farming can also be classified according to the type of housing
used
• Pasture, combination pasture and low-investment housing,
high-investment total confinement

http://www.horstmann-dach.de/
Focus Field Animal - Pigs 15
Structure of a Breeding System
great grand parents
purebreeding
testing and rigorous selection for desired traits (health, weight
Nucleus gain, meat quality

grandparents
Multiplier cross-breeding (different breeds)
Expansion and selection

parents (sow herds)

maximum flexibility for different end
markets
Commercial

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 16

 Conventional pig farming management
Reproductive goals

Gestation Farrowing Weaning Breeding

115 d 3 – 4 weeks 1 week Sow – 2.6 litters per year

8 – 20 Piglets Birth to slaughter (5 – 6 months)

born
~ 12 raised
Farrow (21-28 d) Nursery ( 42 d) Grow-finish (16-20 wks)

Slaughter
(100 – 120 kg)

>25 pigs fattened per sow per year

17 Focus Field Animal - Pigs
 Pig farming
waiting area

pregnant sows service center

not pregnant
sows
after 12 weeks
(1 week before farrowing)
farrowing area
www.landwirtschaftskammer.de

sell/culling
after 4 – 6 weeks

piglet rearing
www.erber-stalltechnik.at gilt breeding
sell to fattening farm
own fattening
18 Focus Field Animal - Pigs
 Piglet farming

Performance indicators in piglet production

• producer rings („Erzeugerringe“) collect data from their member farms within the unit
branch evaluations („Betriebszweigauswertung“)
• results are published in the journal „Schweinezucht und Schweinemast“ and online on
www.erzeugerring.info

financial year 20/21 goal

live born 15.7 minimum 12
piglets/litter

piglet losses (%) 15.1 < 10

before weaning

litters/sow/year 2.30 2.4

weaned 30.8 > 25
piglets/sow/year

21 source: www.erzeugerring.info Focus Field Animal - Pigs

 Piglet farming
waiting area

pregnant sows service center

not pregnant
sows
after 12 weeks
(1 week before farrowing)
farrowing area
www.landwirtschaftskammer.de

sell/culling
after 4 – 6 weeks

piglet rearing
www.erber-stalltechnik.at gilt breeding
sell to fattening farm
own fattening
22 Focus Field Animal - Pigs
 Husbandry of sows – service center
Design of single box stands for insemination
• Legal basis: TierSchNutztV § 24
• General requirements:
• no risks for injuries
• sows needs to be able to lie down, stand up, stretch their head and legs
(when lying in lateral position)
• floor: lying area shall be slatted to a maximum of 7% (rest: solid)

23 Focus Field Animal - Pigs

 Amendment of the TierSchNutztV § 24 in 2021

• Fixation of sows in the reproductive cycle will only be

allowed at the time of insemination.
• After insemination, the sow must be transferred
immediately to group housing in the waiting area.
• Transition period of reconstruction of the barn of 8
years – after 3 years a concept has to be provided and
after 5 years a building application has to be
submitted.

24 Focus Field Animal - Pigs

 Service center – some facts

Physiological data – sowsʼ fertility

Sexual maturity: 6th – 8th month

Breeding maturity: 7th – 9th month
First insemination*: 220 – 250 days (~ 8th month)
Cycle interval: 21 days
Ovulation: 32 – 48 hrs after start of heat
(heat duration: 24 – 72 hours)
Best time for insem.: 12 h before to 4 h after ovulation
Gestation: 114 – 115 days (3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days)

*proportion of artificially inseminated sows?

> 90 %
25 Focus Field Animal - Pigs
 Husbandry of sows – service center
www.landwirt.com

http://en-sta.de

http://en-sta.de
26 Focus Field Animal - Pigs
 Animal Husbandry – piglet production
waiting area

pregnant sows service center

not pregnant
sows
after 12 weeks
(1 wk before farrowing
farrowing area
www.landwirtschaftskammer.de

sell/culling
after 4 – 6 weeks

piglet rearing
www.erber-stalltechnik.at gilt breeding
sell to fattening farm
own fattening
27 Focus Field Animal - Pigs
Sow housing systems in the EU

Not pregnant Pregnant Lactating

Service center Waiting area Farrowing area

not allowed since 2013

Single housing

very common –
duration will change
Single housing Group housing Single housing

law for organic farms

Group housing Single housing

Group housing

28
Focus Field Animal - Pigs
Waiting area – husbandry of pregnant sows
Group building of pregnant sows

problem: farmers are (justifiably) afraid of increasing numbers of not pregnant sows
due to fights for ranking

Solution?
pre-grouping directly after weaning

Advantage of pre-grouping (prior to insemination)?

ranking fights taking place in a less vulnerable phase (not yet pregnant)

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 29

waiting area – husbandry of pregnant sows
Pre-grouping directly after weaning
arena
• ofen located between 2 stables (outside)
• rectangular (side length: 14 m)
• 5 to 6 m² per sow
• duration: 2 – 3 days
• insulated lying area
• no dead ends
• feeding from the ground

stimulation pen
• concreted ground with straw
• 3 m²/sow => forced ranking fights
(hierarchy is clarified after 48 hours)
• can be integrated within the stable (less
space demand) www.dlg.org
Focus Field Animal - Pigs 30
waiting area – husbandry of pregnant sows
group housing system – pen with self-catching feeding boxes/stands

• separate box/stand for every sow (retreat, feeding)

• usually 2 area pen: lying area and running + dunging area
• sometimes: 3 area pen (e.g. outdoor climate stable) with insulated lying area
• feeding of the whole group by automatic dispenser

www.duraeumat.de

2 area pen Focus Field Animal - Pigs 3 area pen 31

Animal Husbandry – piglet farming
waiting area

pregnant sows service center

not pregnant
sows
after 12 weeks
(1 week before farrowing)
Farrowing area
www.landwirtschaftskammer.de

sell/culling
after 4 – 6 weeks

piglet rearing
www.erber-stalltechnik.at gilt breeding
sell to fattening farm
own
Focusfattening
Field Animal - Pigs 32
Amendment of the German Animal Welfare
regulation in 2021

• In future, sows are to be restrained in the farrowing pen for a

maximum of 5 days around the birth of the piglets.
• The conversion to the universal pen must have taken place in 15
years at the latest. After twelve years at the latest, a concept must be
presented and a building application for the adaptation measures must
have been submitted. In cases of hardship, the authorities may give a
further two years.

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 33

Farrowing pen – husbandry of lactating sows and piglets

• 1 week prior to farrowing

• all-in-all-out system

general things to consider:

1. different temperature 2. danger of piglet crushing by the

requirements of sows (16 – 18°C) sow
and piglets (32 – 34°C during the
first days)

Solutions?

heated piglet/farrowing nests farrowing pen with farrowing crates

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 34

Farrowing pen – husbandry of lactating sows and piglets
a) Single-housing in farrowing pens with farrowing crates

Legal basis: TierSchNutztV (§ 23 + 24)

• in farrowing pens protection of the piglets from crushing by the sow needs to be
ensured
• all piglets need to be able to rest and eat undisturbed at the same time
• resting area for piglets needs to be insulated and heated or bedded; perforated
floor needs to be covered
• there needs to be enough space behind the sow for farrowing assistance

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 35

Farrowing pen – husbandry of lactating sows and piglets
a) Single-housing in farrowing pen with farrowing crate
• pen area: 5 m²
• at best: size-adjustable farrowing crates
• floor within the pen: synthetic floors or plastic-mounted metal floors
• resting area for piglets: heated (infrared heaters, floor heating)
www.agrico.cz

www.landwirtschaftskammer.de

Focus Field Animal - Pigs

http://stallbesuch.de 36
Farrowing pen – husbandry of lactating sows and piglets
a) Single-housing in farrowing pen – impressions from the EURO Tier 2016

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 37

Farrowing pen – husbandry of lactating sows and piglets
Piglet nest – temperature

Legal basis: TierSchNutztV § 27

• temperature in the lying area of piglet < 10 days: 30°C
• temperature in the lying area of piglet > 10 days:

live weight (kg) with bedding without bedding

up to 10 16°C 20°C
10 – 20 14°C 18°C
> 20 12°C 16°C

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 38

Farrowing pen – husbandry of lactating sows and piglets

How to check for the right temperature for the piglets?

resting/lying behaviour!

lateral position prone position lying at the side scattered lying crowded lying
of the nest

ideal still okay too hot far too hot too cold

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 39

Housing of piglets
- Temperature

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 40

http://vsp.lf.dk/
Housing of piglets
- Temperature

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 41

http://vsp.lf.dk/
Swine health management
- Colostrum supply -
• Maximizing the intake of colostrum in the first 6 hours is vital to piglet
survival (200 to 400 g of colostrum)

- Colostrum is needed for

- Energy
- Passive immunity
- Sows only produce colostrum within the first 24-
48 hours
- Amount dependent on parity, nutrition, litter
size, piglet vigour at birth

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 42

 Fostering

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 43

farrowing pen – husbandry of lactating sows and piglets
b) Single-housing in farrowing pen with freedom of movement
• sows can move freely or are only fixed during farrowing
b1) universal pen
• resting and dunging area not separated
• piglet protection tubes (distance from wall: 20 cm, height: 25 cm)
• not bedded
• piglet nest located across the corner with fence

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 46

www.tierhaltung.at
Farrowing pen – farming procedure
farrowing
• sows should be housed in the farrowing pen ~ 7 days prior to farrowing
• sows should be washed and treated against ectoparasites
• duration of parturition: 3 – 4 hours
• time lag between 2 piglets to be born: 10 – 30 minutes

No intervention during normal farrowing!!

Intervention/farrowing assistance only necessary if…

…time lag between …no piglet is born yet …no piglet is born
2 born piglets > 30 6 hours after onset of yet 2 hours after
min milk production onset of contractions

https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=469HeE4jIfY
Focus Field Animal - Pigs 47
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=469HeE4jIfY

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 48

Farrowing pen – farming procedure
Treatment/management of newborn piglets
some facts on the new borns:
• optimal birth weight: 1.4 – 1.6 kg
• stillbirth rate should be < 7%
• piglet losses: goal < 10%
• most important reasons for piglet losses:
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

crushing
60% of piglet
losses occur in the weakness
first 3 days of life!
stunted growth

deformaties, spay leg

diarrhea
Focus Field Animal - Pigs 49
Farrowing pen – farming procedure

What happens to the piglet within the first 2 weeks of life?

QS-Fachtagung Verzicht auf
betäubungslose Ferkelkastration

www.vgt.at www.agrarheute.com

www.topagrar.com www.landwirt.com

www.vet-magazin.com

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 50

Farrowing pen – farming procedure
weaning
TierSchNutztV § 27
 piglets shall be weaned at 4 weeks of age earliest
 weaning prior to this time point only allowed if:
• its necessary for protection of sow or littermates from pain, suffering or
harm
• piglets are brought to clean and hygienic stables or to completely separated
areas where no sows are kept

Piglets should weigh 6 – 8 kg at weaning

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 51

Animal Husbandry – piglet rearing

daily weight gain: ~ 400 g

weight (kg) 6–8 25 – 28
fattening
age (weeks) 4 11

Different systems:

one phase two phases

• sow is shuffled • special rearing pens/flat deck (new
• piglets stay in farrowing pen groups)
• crate is removed • seperated unit on the same farm
(closed operating system)
• no change of environment or group
composition • on a different farm

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 52

Animal Husbandry – piglet rearing

Two phases piglet rearing

closed system 2 side farming 3 side farming multi-side farming

piglet Sow + Sow + piglets Sow + piglets Sow + piglets

production piglets
piglet
piglet
rearing
piglet piglet production
fattening
rearing rearing
fattening piglet
rearing
fattening

fattening

= one farm Focus Field Animal - Pigs 53

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 54
Piglet rearing – husbandry
Legal basis: animal protection regulation for farm animal husbandry
(„Tierschutznutztierhaltungs-VO“)

§ 28: specific requirements for husbandry of weaners

• weaners must be kept in (stable) groups

• weight of weaners shall be 5 kg on average => weight of a single weaner shall
not differ from the group average weight by > 20%
• space/animal: average weight (kg) space (m²)
> 5 – 10 0.15
> 10 - 20 0.20
> 20 0.35

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 55

Piglet rearing – husbandry

Husbandry
• thermally insulated stables
• small groups (~ 12 pigs) or big groups (up to 200 pigs)

Challenges for the weaned piglet?

• separation from mother and littermates

• new environment and social partners

• feed change

• new bacterial environment and sometimes not sufficient temperatures

• fights for ranking!

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 56

Piglet rearing – husbandry

Possibilities to reduce stress by fights for ranking after weaning?

• small groups (fast and clear establishment of ranking)

• minimal mixing of different litters
• enough space
• farrowing in groups => piglets from different litters get to know each other
already during suckling period

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 57

Piglet rearing – husbandry
Rearing pens

bedded systems not bedded systems

„Nürtinger“ system deep bedded pens fully or partly slatted floors

Koomans pen (gap width maximal 14 mm)

www.aid.de

https://cdn.bigdutchman.de

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 58

Piglet rearing – pens
1) Pens with fully or partly slatted floor
• arranged on both sides of a control passsage
• pens should be structured into different areas: feeding, activity, resting, dunging
• thermally insulated stables
• weaned piglets => great requirements regarding temperature:
• at weaning (day 21 – 28): 28 – 31°C
• after 3 – 6 days: 22°C
• at best: different temperature zones (e.g. heated resting area)
• maximum gap width: 14 mm (§ 22 TierSchNutzt-VO)

http://en-sta.de Focus Field Animal - Pigs 59

http://en-sta.de
Piglet rearing – pens
2) Bedded pens – „Nürtinger“ system
• outdoor climate stable (not insulated; inside temperature moderately follows
outside temperature)
• boxes (bedded or heated) with slats = resting area
• areas for eating, resting, dunging separated:
• between 2 rows of oppositely arranged boxes: eating & activity
• at the end of box row: dunging (slatted floor)

slatted floor resting area feeding automat

rubbing bar activity area

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 60

www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch
Piglet rearing – pens
3) Bedded pens – Koomans pen (2 areas pen)
• developed in the Netherlands
• 1 covered, bedded resting area => box with a cap
• 1 bedded activity area with a 3 – 4° slope

aisle

feeding

protected resting area

activity area

drinkers
Focus Field Animal - Pigs 61
www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch
Piglet rearing – feeding

Consider: (feeding) period after weaning is a critical one!

General requirements for feeding of weaners

• weaned piglet should start eating as fast as possible
 avoiding growth depression and diarrhea
• feeding (system) needs to be hygienic
• system should be easy to use by the piglets (fast familarization)
• it should be possible to implement ad libitum feeding at any time
• system with low susceptibility
• possibility to use different forms of feed (powder, pellets)
• at best: restricted feeding of several, small portions over the day

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 62

piglet rearing – feeding
Legal basis: animal protection regulation for farm animal husbandry
(„Tierschutznutztierhaltungs-VO“)
§ 28: specific requirements for husbandry of weaners

• required feeding place/animal ratio:

• restricted feeding: 1:1 (all animals need to be able to eat at the same time)
• ad libitum feeding: 1:4
• No regulations for on-demand feeding and feeding with mash feeders.
• if self-drinkers are used: 1/12 piglets

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 63

piglet rearing – feeding

Feeding systems

Dry feeding Mash feeding Liquid feeding

dry feeder mash feeders sensor-controlled long
(„Trockenfutterautomat“) („Breifutterautomat“) trough („Längstrog“)
mash tube automat sensor-controlled short
(„Rohrbreiautomat“) trough („Kurztrog“)
sensor-controlled feed sensor-controlled feed
pan („Rundtrog“) pan

most common systems in Germany

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 64

Modified from Knoop 2007 (Dissertation)
piglet rearing – feeding

1) Dry feeder

• distinct distance to pen corner (0,5 – 1 m) => avoiding pollution by faeces

• close proximity to drinkers => avoiding loss of feed
• margins of troughs should be ~12 cm high => avoiding feed losses by rooting

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 65

DLG Merkblatt 358, Fütterungstechnik in der Ferkelaufzucht
piglet rearing – feeding
2) mash feeders
• differentiated by kind of dosage mechanism and trough design

dosage mechanism

similar to dry feeder feed is provided feed flows into sensor-controlled

+ water source by moving e.g. a trough by a small
swinging bar slot
(piglet needs to
operate a certain
mechanisms [e.g.
rotation mechanim]
to get feed)

• trough design: feed and water seperated or combined in the trough

different combinations
Focus Field Animal -are
Pigs possible! 66
piglet rearing – feeding

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 67

DLG Merkblatt 358, Fütterungstechnik in der Ferkelaufzucht
piglet rearing – feeding

Rondomat
Focus Field Animal - Pigs 68
DLG Merkblatt 358, Fütterungstechnik in der Ferkelaufzucht
Piglet rearing – feeding
3) liquid feeding

system

feed + water are dry feed is dry feed is

mixed in a mixing transported transported to the
tank and into the water section but
transported in filled trough centrally mixed
liquid form to the with water (enters
troughs by pipes trough liquid)

• liquid feed is well accepted by the weaned piglets

• small portions can be mixed freshly several times per day => esp. important
during the 1st phase after weaning!
Focus Field Animal - Pigs 69
 Focus Field Animal - Pigs 70
DLG Merkblatt 358, Fütterungstechnik in der Ferkelaufzucht
Animal Husbandry – pigs

Pig fattening

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 71

Animal Husbandry – pig fattening

daily weight gain: ~ 700 g

weight (kg) 25 – 28 105 – 120
slaughter
age (weeks) 11 27 – 28
(~ 6 months)

Goals: high efficiency!

fattening performance 700 – 800 g weight gain/day

feed conversion 2.5 : 1
animal losses < 2.5%
health no objections at slaughter

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 72

pig fattening – husbandry
Legal basis: animal protection regulation for farm animal husbandry
(„Tierschutznutztierhaltungs-VO“)

§ 29: specific requirements for the husbandry of fattening pigs

• must be kept in (stable) groups

• space/animal: average weight (kg) space (m²)
> 30 – 50 0.50 at least 50%
> 50 - 110 0.75 needs to be
> 110 1.0 resting area

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 73

pig fattening – husbandry

fattening pens

separated resting and activity area combined resting and activity area

bedded not bedded bedded not bedded

danish system partly slatted floor deep bedded pen fully slatted
sloped floor resting boxes floor
resting boxes

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 74

pig fattening – husbandry
1) Fully slatted floors www.landtechnik.uni-bonn.de

• most often: concrete

• maximum gap width: 18 mm
• minimum stepping area: 80 mm (§ 22
TierSchNutztVo)

advantages disadvantages
high functional reliability (animal animal welfare?
health, emissions) resting area close to manure
low working time required (ammonia!)
animals are seperated from offering of roughage is difficult
faeces and urine
Focus Field Animal - Pigs 75
pig fattening – husbandry
2) partly slatted floors
• slatted dunging/activity area, solid resting area => problem?

www.lfl.bayern.de

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 76

pig fattening – pens
3) bedded pens – danish pen/system
• 2 areas: bedded resting area, dunging area
• if arranged in two rows: dunging area in between

feeding alley feeding area feeding alley

resting area dunging area

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 77

www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch
pig fattening – pens
4) bedded pens – deep bedded two-area pen
• 2 areas: bedded resting and dunging area, raised feeding area
• problem? heat development if no cooling area is avaible
deep bedded
resting area rubbing bar

drinkers dry feeder raised feeding area

automat
Focus Field Animal - Pigs 78
www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch
pig fattening – pens
5) bedded pens – sloped floor pen
• system with little bedding
• resting area with a 8 – 10° slope to dunging area (slatted)
• straw rack => pigs pull straw into the pen

drinkers

slatted
dunging area
sloped resting area

www.oekl-bauen.at
straw rack feeding automat

Focus Field Animal - Pigs 79

pig fattening – pens

In Germany on (conventional) pig farms keeping of pigs in thermally insulated

stables in pens with slatted foors is most common

potential problems connected with keeping in bedded systems?

• high concentrations of harmful gases (e.g. ammonia)

• parasites
• high straw consumption
• great(er) workload

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pig fattening – husbandry
Further requirements: § 26 TierSchNutzt-VO

All pigs must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of material to enable
proper investigation and manipulation activities, which does not compromise the
health of the animals

material(s) need to be moveable and modifiable/destructible

satisfying pigs exploring behaviour

why is it important to satisfy pigs exploring behaviour?

avoiding unpleasant behaviour esp. tail biting!

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pig fattening – environmental enrichment

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pig fattening – environmental enrichment
 enrichment materials should allow pigs to perform their natural foraging
behaviour which includes investigating their environment by rooting, sniffing, biting
and chewing (Studnitz et al., 2007)

rooting chewing sniffing

Furthermore it needs to be considered:

• amount of material/enrichment
• position of material
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pig fattening – environmental enrichment
Easiest enrichment/material: straw (bedding)

edible, chewable, rootable, destructible

To be considered:
• hygiene (clean and dry straw)
• regularly replenished

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pig fattening – environmental enrichment

Alternative for non-bedded systems: offering straw/hay in feeders or racks:

straw rack free-hanging hay ball (Switzerland) Düsser rooting tower

(Haus Düsse, LWK NRW)

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pig fattening – environmental enrichment

Potential problem(s): soiling of the pen, negative effects on slurry removal

placing racks over mangers or clean mats can help restrict enrichment falling directly
onto the slats and allows pigs to continue eating it

hay rack over a manger straw rack with mats on slat

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pig fattening – environmental enrichment

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pig fattening – environmental enrichment

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pig fattening – feeding

Feeding systems similar to those in piglet rearing

Dry feeding Mash feeding Liquid feeding

dry feeder mash feeders sensor-controlled long
(„Trockenfutterautomat“) („Breifutterautomat“) trough („Längstrog“)
mash tube automat sensor-controlled short
(„Rohrbreiautomat“) trough („Kurztrog“)
sensor-controlled feed sensor-controlled feed
pan („Rundtrog“) pan

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pig fattening – hygiene
Directive on hygienic requirements connected with the keeping of pigs (SchHaltHygV)

Hygiene lock => mandatory for holdings with > 700 fattening pigs or > 150 sows!
• changing room close to the stable
• room must contain:
• washbasin
• installation for cleaning and desinfecting shoes
• installation for separated storage of street and protection clothing
• persons entering the stable must pass the changing room and need to put on in-
house protection clothing

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 Feeding of pigs

• Must balance nutrient requirements, but costs have to be considered

• requirements of the animals differ according to their stage of development
(pregnant sows, lactating sows, piglets, weaners, growers, finishers)
• Some factors affecting nutrient requirements:
• Quality of the diet: energy, by-products, molds, etc…
• Breed, sex, and genetics of pigs
• Stage of development of pig
• Amount of time to finish pig

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What else ?
Water

• Water is the most essential nutrient required by a pig

• Always provide fresh, clean water
• If pigs are kept outdoors, haul warm water to them during cold
weather

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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
Animal welfare definition (World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE):
An animal is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is
healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behaviour, and if
it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress.

feed resting
intake behaviour
social
behaviour excretory
behaviour
mother-
child- behaviour
behaviour patterns in locomotion
pigs behaviour

playing
behaviour
grooming
sexual exploring behaviour
behaviour behaviour
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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
1) social behaviour in pigs
• show distinctive social behaviour
• most activities (eating, resting) are performed jointly and are synchronized!
• live in female-leaded groups
• communication mainly based on acoustic (grunting) and olfactory signals
• cohabitation regulated by ranking => very stable once determined by fights
• fights can already be observed between piglets
www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch

www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch

Fighting behaviour in piglets:

https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=XD5lkPCmN_U
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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
2) Feed intake behaviour in pigs
• distinct demand for foraging (~ 70% of active time)
• rooting most important foraging behaviour
• omnivores
www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch

• drinking behaviour: drinking from standing waters

• sucking drinker („Saugtrinker“) => water is absorbed with the snout

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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
3) resting behaviour in pigs
• 2 activity peaks: in the morning and afternoon
• one longer resting period during midday and main resting period at night
• duration of resting period: 13 – 16 hours (wild pigs), 17.5 – 19 hours (kept in
stable)
• joint resting (often in head-to-tail-position)

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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
4) Excretory behaviour in pigs
• innate aversion towards their own feces and urine => strict separation of dunging
and resting area (if possible)
• favourite place: border to the neighbouring pen
• defecation and urine dropping often after resting period

www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch

www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch

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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
5) locomotion behaviour in pigs
• active animals
• show pace, trot and even (short time) gallop
• special: swimming (if its hot and they have got the possibility)
• swimming pigs on Bahamas

https://youtu.be/zMhYxoEzK7o

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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
6) grooming behaviour in pigs
• wallowing („suhlen“)
• protection from: hyperthermia, sun burn, insects, parasites
• pigs are not able to sweat!

www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch

www.ign-nutztierhaltung.ch

• rubbing

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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
7) exploring behaviour in pigs
• very curious animals
• exploration with eyes and (very important) snout
• very well developed olfactory sense (comparable with dogs!)
 truffle pigs 

watch video here

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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
8) mother-child behaviour in pigs
a) preparations prior to farrowing
• sows isolate from group
• show distinct nest-building behaviour (important
for piglets => vulnerable to hypothermia)

b) suckling
• tight ranking between the piglets (every piglet has its
own teat)

c) weaning
• after 10 days of intensive sow-piglet contact sow
returns to the group
• weaning in the wild after 13 – 17 weeks

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Pig husbandry and animal welfare – a current discussion
9) playing behaviour in pigs
• patterns shown (if pig feels comfortable):
• running
• jumping
• mounting
• pushing

watch video here

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Thanks for attention!

Questions?

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