Maximising the welfare of sows in group housing

Loose or group housing of sows, or mixing groups of sows post-weaning or post-insemination comes with many challenges which can affect productivity, sow nutrition and welfare, and can increase stress and aggression.

The mixing sows manual presents guidelines on how sows may be moved into groups after weaning and post-insemination to ensure optimal welfare.

Value for producers:

• By implementing best practice management for mixing sows, producers can reduce the injuries and stress which occur as a result of aggression, thus improving welfare and reducing the impact on production costs and reproductive productivity.

Recommendations:

• Sows should be introduced in a setting that allows timid sows to avoid aggressive ones, while also allowing the dominance grouping to quickly form with minimal risk of injury and stress.
• Groups should be established based on size, and parity, and sows should have ~4m2 per sow of space allowance within the pen.
• Sows should have easy access to feed and be fed slightly more in the first days after mixing as the feeling of fullness reduces physical movement and may reduce aggression.
• Ensure there are no protruding objects or ridge edges which may cause injury, and no tightly confined areas where a sow could be cornered.