The influence of different social and physical environments on the incidence of lactational oestrus in sows (1990)

Stolba, A., Henderson, R., Wechsler, B.

Abstract

The family pens contain an activity area with straw and a rooting area with peat and bark. This environmental enrichment increases the foraging activity of the sows and probably further reduces the amount of time they spend in close contact with the piglets. The reduced contact between the sow and the piglets may account for regular occurrence of lactational oestrus in the family pen system. The sows in the family pen system are very familiar to one another as they remain group-housed for several gestation and lactation periods in sequence. .. This familiarity seems to enhance physiological mechanisms that induce a synchronous lactational oestrus in all 4 sows of the family group.