[A comparison of different farrowing systems - Part 1: Effects on the activity of the sow]

The aim of this study was to determine whether a 3-axis accelerometer (MSR^® 145B V5.106, MSR Electronics GmbH, Seuzach, Switzerland) can continuously record and display the activity behaviour of sows over the farrowing period. A standing position was defined as activity and non-standing positions as rest.

The field trial was conducted from April 2016 to January 2017 (six successive runs, 39 sows). The sows were either maintained in an alternative farrowing system with an openable crate ("Petra" [P] and "Freya" [F]) or in a conventional crate (K). The temporary fixation from the day of stabling was opened in P and F at a mean of 10 days (± 2.9) after the birth of the piglets. With the logger, the behaviour (standing/non-standing) was recorded and the data was used to create an individual raw data profile with more than 2.5 million measured values for each sow over a period of 5 weeks (measurement every second). During this period, five phases were compared (three in fixation, day of opening the crate and one phase after opening the crate).

The sows in F displayed the greatest mean activity in each phase (except day of farrowing). During phase 2 (farrowing), all sows showed an increased activity independent of the housing system (P: 9.5 %, F: 8.1 %, K: 8.8 %). After farrowing (phase 3), the activity fell sharply, but increased again during this phase. On the day of opening the crate (phase 4), the activity of sows in P and F increased dramatically (P: 7.9 %, F: 8.0 %). After opening of the crate (phase 5), the sows in F displayed the greatest mean daily activity (8.3 %).

This study demonstrates that data collection using an accelerometer sensor was possible. In the alternative farrowing systems, the sows displayed a greater degree of activity in all defined phases in comparison with the K. Following opening of the crate, a larger space became available, enabling the sow to turn, which can be considered a progress towards a behaviourally more appropriate accommodation.