[The humane conditions of swine housing--a summary of various results]

First a general survey about our ethological, endocrinological, histological and clinical investigations is given, carried out for more than 15 years with the objective to elaborate housing systems, which fulfill the requirements of the animals as well as the requirements of the producers. On one side free choice and accustoming experiments under standard conditions on the other side investigations on farms, to prove the results of the first as well as to prove how far new housing systems, which are in development in South Germany at present (housing of large groups, labor partitioning pig production), include a melioration in the sense of animal rights even when housing large numbers of animals. In the special part the following points are stressed: - endogenenously-implemented biphasic activity-rhythm of pigs and its influencing by light, room temperature, size of area and the inability of lying comfort. - different ranges of the influencing factors for the animals, in case of activity: 1. stimulus, 2. floor type, 3. size of area; in case of resting: 1. floor type, 2. stimulus, 3, size of area with a minimal size of area fitting to the different housing details in both cases - lying comfort depending on floor type, possibility to trample down faeces respectively to separate places of lying and faeces, room temperature - effects of stimulus - different minimal sizes of area. Results of the investigations in the agricultural practice of housing of piglets during and after the time of suckling and of fattened pigs are reported.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)