Environmental and Physiological Aspects of Prepartum Behavior in the Sow

Experiments were conducted to identify some environmental and physiological factors involved in the prepartum behavior of sows. Eight of 12 penned sows offered 3 kg straw from a wire basket took substantial amounts of straw and used it to construct farrowing nests during the 24 hours preceding birth of first piglet. Most activity was directed at straw and was much the same for all sows. Manipulation of a cloth tassel by 13 prepartum sows in farrowing crates increased significantly during the 24 hours preceding birth. Prepartum behavior of 16 penned sows given straw in a basket (or no straw) and a cloth tassel (or no tassel) were compared. Sows offered straw took straw from the basket and directed most activity at it. Sows provided a cloth tassel only nosed and pulled the tassel significantly more than sows given both straw and tassel and often ripped pieces of cloth from it and directed rooting and pawing at it, suggesting that the tassel served as a substitute for nesting material. All sows engaged in similar durations of typical prepartum activity.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Animal Sciences

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Widowski, Tina Marie

Contributors dc:contributor

• Curtis, Stanley E.

• Agriculture, Animal Culture and Nutrition

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8823288

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/70061