Alternative housing for sows and litters: 1. Effects of sow-controlled housing on response to weaning (1999)

Pajor, E. A., Weary, D. M., Fraser, D. et al.

Abstract

We examined whether a sow-controlled housing system [sow can leave their piglets at will and express her natural tendency to spend time away from her offspring as lactation advances] would ameliorate production and welfare problems resulting from the abrupt separation of piglets from sows at [artificial] weaning. .. The get-way [sow-controlled] housing resulted in decreased nursing frequency, increased piglet solid food consumption before separation (Pajor, 1998), and it accustomed piglets to be separated from the sow; after separation [artificial weaning], piglets from sow-controlled housing gained more weight, suggesting that the animals' welfare was improved.