Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-22-2000

Abstract

A preference testing apparatus was used to provide sows with continuous access to three identical farrowing crates, each with a different floor temperature. The concrete floor under each crate contained copper pipe through which temperature-controlled water was circulated to achieve unoccupied floor temperatures of 22°C (± 3.5), 29°C (± 1) and 35°C (± 1). Eighteen sows were tested in the apparatus. Video recording was used to determine sow position from 7 days before farrowing (Days ‒7 to ‒1) to 14 days after (Days 1 to 14). On Days ‒7 to ‒1, sows showed no significant preference among the three temperatures when selecting a resting area. Once farrowing had begun, there was a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the use of the 35°C floor and it became the most preferred resting area for Days 1 to 3. After this interval, use of the 35°C floor declined significantly (P < 0.01), and use of the cooler floors increased, resulting in no significant thermal preference during Days 4 to 6. There was a further decline in the use of the 35°C floor after Days 4 to 6 (P < 0.01) to the extent that the coolest floor (22°C) became the most preferred from Days 7 to 14. In summary, sows showed a pronounced increase in preference for a warm floor during the 3 days after the start of farrowing. This change in preference may explain how free-living sows select a suitable thermal environment for their young, and why sows try to avoid metal flooring at the time of farrowing.

Comments

In compliance with the publisher’s copyright and archiving policies, this is a post-print version of the document. Post-print materials contain the same content as their final edited versions, but are not formatted according to the layout of the published book or journal.

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