Research Article

BEHAVIOUR OF FATTENERS HOUSING ON STRAW BEDDING

Czesław Klocek, Tomasz Madej, Anna Mielczarek

Uniwersytet Rolniczy im. Hugona Kołłątaja w Krakowie

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 7(3-4), 2008, 35‒44

Abstract. The aim of his study was to compare the behavior of porkers maintained on deep bedding form sawdust and traditional straw. The observation of 36 individuals divided into 4 groups (two for each breeding system) was conducted. Time of duration of different forms of behavior (food and water intake, motion, fighting and playing, defecation, lying), frequency of changes in those forms in successive days of box homing and hours of the day were evaluated. Social behavior and the mass increase were monitored. Porkers spent 14% to 17% of the day actively. The reduction of the time of activity in successive days after box homing was faster when animals were maintained on deep bedding in comparison with the traditional straw. Also the time of food intake was shorter in porkers maintained on the deep bedding. This data shows that the maintenance on deep bedding from sawdust can be more beneficial for the porkers. Also the daily mass increase was higher in this system.

Keywords: behavior, pigs, straw bedding maintenance