Performance of gestating sows in bedded hoop barns and confinement stalls

¹ Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames 50011
² Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames 50011

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: honeyman{at}iastate.edu.

	Abstract

Effects of gestation housing systems on sow and litter performance were evaluated for 2.5 yr in southwest Iowa. Gestation housing system treatments were 1) individual gestation stalls in a mechanically ventilated confinement building with a partially slatted floor and a manure flush system; and 2) group pens with individual feed stalls in deep-bedded, naturally ventilated hoop barns. In all, 957 litters from 353 sows were analyzed using mixed models. Number of pigs born alive per litter differed for the 2 housing treatments (P = 0.002). Sows gestated in hoop barns (10.0 ± 0.2 pigs) gave birth to more live pigs per litter that sows gestated in stalls (9.3 ± 0.2 pigs). Prewean mortality was not different for the 2 housing treatments (P = 0.70). Cross-fostering was done to equalize litter size within 24 h of birth, which resulted in an equal number of weaned pigs per sow (P = 0.50) regardless of gestation housing treatment. Wean-to-breed interval was different (P = 0.01) with sows kept in stalls (4.3 ± 0.6 d) returning to estrus sooner than sows gestated in hoop barns (6.0 ± 0.6 d). Results indicate that gestating sows can be housed as groups in deep-bedded hoop barns equipped with individual feeding stalls and perform comparably to gestating sows housed in confinement systems with individual gestation stalls.

Key Words: alternative swine housing, group gestation