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Collaborative project: Development of comfort mats for the lying and walking area of sows (PigComfort) - subproject 1
Project
Project code: 2813701810
Contract period: 01.10.2010
- 30.09.2013
Budget: 130,084 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development
The aim of this project is to develop rubber mats for the lying and the walking area in sow housing systems in order to improve the comfort of sows even in absence bedding material such as straw. It is expected that an improved comfort will reduce leg problems and skin lesions and will increase the productivity of sows. Furthermore, this will lead to an improvement of the economic situation in piglet production. The development of rubber mats will be based on the biological requirements of sows during lying and walking. Throughout the study we will observe the behaviour and we will monitor the health of sows kept in pens quipped with different prototypes of rubber mats. In addition, preference tests will be done in which sows can choose between different types of rubber mats. Moreover, measurements of the pressure distribution of lying sows will give information with respect to the necessary softness of lying mats. In order to develop rubber mats for the walking area gait analyses will be done with different prototypes of mats and the effects on sows’ claws will be examined. In addition to these welfare related aspects we will focus on environmental aspects by analysing the volatilization of ammonia from the different rubber mats. The most promising prototypes of rubber mats will be validated on farm. This will allow a cost-benefit analysis of the rubber mats by comparing the costs for the mats with the benefits with respect to the sows’ health, productivity and veterinary costs. The aims are rubber mats of a high durability which fulfil the behavioural requirements of sows, which can be offered to a reasonable price, and which can be upgraded in existing stables.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal Husbandry
- Farm animal behaviour
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute - Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI)
