2003 Southern Section ASAS meeting
Anthony Rudine, Leslie Dabovich, Lindsey Hulbert, Jeff Dailey, Julie Morrow, and John McGlone.
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409 and USDA-ARS, Livestock Issues Research Unit, Lubbock, TX 79409.
Pig performance, health and behavior may be influenced by the production system. A conventional indoor system was compared with an outdoor system for system effects on pig growth performance and behavior. Contemporary litters were born indoors on standard farrowing crates with woven wire flooring or outdoors on alfalfa pasture in the Spring and Summer months. Indoor pigs were weaned into a conventional nursery with slatted flooring or outdoors into pastures with alfalpha and a straw-bedded hut. After weaning, pigs were kept with 2 littermates per pen. A total of 6 replicate pens were evaluated per treatment. Pig dominance order was determined by a feed competition test during the post-weaning period. Pig behavior was recorded for 24 h using a scan sample technique which included walking, standing, sitting, feeding, waterer manipulation (apparent drinking), rooting, oral-nasal-facial chewing/manipulating (ONF), and lying down behaviors. Performance data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with effects of production system, dominance status (dominant or submissive) and their interaction. Behavior data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with a split plot over time. Pig performance measures (ADG, feed intake, feed:gain ratio) were not different (P > 0.10) among treatments. Indoor and outdoor pigs were similarly inactive during the evening, but they differed in the level and distribution of active behaviors. The production system by time effect was significant (P < 0.05) for walking, drinking, ONF, and lying down. Outdoor born and reared pigs were more active overall and showed increased walking, ONF, and reduced lying compared with pigs born and reared indoors. Indoor pigs expressed more apparent drinking during most times of the day. In conclusion, pigs born and reared indoors and outdoors had generally similar performance but very different behavioral profiles.