Loading and Unloading Weaned Pigs: Effects of Bedding Types, Ramp Angle, and Bedding Moisture

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Agricultural Engineering
• Animal Welfare

Background:

• Non-slip surfaces are crucial for weaned pig welfare and pork industry economics.
• Current guidelines recommend ramp angles below 20° for loading/unloading.
• Limited research exists on the efficacy of various bedding materials and conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of different ramp angles, bedding materials, and moisture levels on pig slips, falls, and vocalizations.
• To determine optimal conditions for minimizing stress and injury during pig transport.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for improving animal handling practices.

Main Methods:

• Assessed three ramp angles (0°, 10°, 20°).
• Evaluated five bedding materials (none, sand, feed, wood shavings, wheat straw hay).
• Tested two moisture levels (dry, wet >50%) across two seasons (summer >23.9°C, winter <23.9°C) with 6,000 pig observations.

Main Results:

• All bedding materials, except feed, significantly reduced slips, falls, and vocalizations (P < 0.01).
• Bedding, regardless of moisture, decreased scores (P < 0.05), while higher slopes increased them (P < 0.01).
• Bedding and ramp angle influenced total loading/unloading time (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Non-feed bedding materials are effective in mitigating slips, falls, and vocalizations on ramps.
• Optimizing bedding and ramp angle enhances pig welfare and handling efficiency.
• Findings support improved guidelines for non-slip surfaces in swine transport.