The health and welfare status of Swedish laying hens are favourable in an international perspective. Despite the high stocking density in non-caged hen flocks (7-9 hens/m² available area), increasing flock sizes, longer production periods and limited use of vaccines, the number of disease outbreaks ...

Reducing piglet mortality is important, often demanding a large part of the working time. The present study aimed to improve. piglet welfare and reduce workload by designing a prototype for free-farrowing sows aiming to influence the behaviour of the sows to simplify suckling for piglets and work...

The use of rubber slatted flooring in the rear part of the stall floor or in cattle pens was studied. The slatted floor was made of rubber strips placed in metal U-bars carrying the mechanical load. In the standard design the strips were 53 mm wide and the openings in between 32 mm. In the field...

The trial was conducted as a prospective cohort study in a piglet producing herd. Loose-housed sows farrowed in pens with partly slatted floors with different design. Sows body condition, presence of shoulder lesions and lying positions after feeding was registered before and during lactation....

The course of farrowing and the relationship between mother and offspring was investigated for 48 Swedish landrace sows in 6 types of accommodation: (1) fixed crates (conventional boxes), (2) fixed crates (movable heat lamp), (3) loose housing, (4) fixed crate in separate farrowing and neonatal...

This thesis is based on 3 papers, which are reproduced. The aim of the papers was to identify and quantify environmental, cow and calf factors affecting the time to first suckling in calves. 105 cow-calf pairs in 5 indoor partition environments were studied: (i) individual calving pen and loose-...

An account is given of recent trials in Sweden on the management of laying hens in aviaries in large sheds (accommodating up to 5000 hens in groups of 500-1200 birds), with open access to tiered shelves, perches and the floor. Egg production of hens housed in the aviary was 3-5% lower and feed...

The present study aimed to evaluate a novel module stable with an innovative design of the pen for fattening pigs (www.nyborghuse.dk). The stable was adapted for winter (snow and coldness), and also provided increased bio security measures for staff and for loading of pigs. The pens that housed 20...

In 3 trials, the laying performance of hens housed in modified cages, each containing 5-8 birds and supplied with a laying nest, perches and sand-bathing facilities, was compared with that of hens in conventional cages (4 birds per cage and allowing 600 cm² per hen). There were no significant...

Farmed mink often perform stereotypic behaviours which are considered to be a sign of reduced welfare. Previous studies have shown that enriched cages can reduce the frequency of performed stereotypies. Most studies on mink in Sweden have been done on adults. The aim of this study was to...