The study was conducted to analyse the micro-climatic variables and the performance of Large White Yorkshire sows in three different farrowing housing systems, viz., conventional farrowing house with guard rail and one-third slatted floor (T1), farrowing house with guard rail and floor level...

Pressures from consumers concerned with sow well-being in gestation stalls have encouraged producers to consider how to transition from individual gestation stalls to pens in existing buildings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance and well-being of sows in pens that were...

Societal demands for group housing of social farm animals such as rabbits are increasing due to animal welfare concerns. When breeding does are housed in groups, maternal protective behaviour negatively affects the reproductive performance of the does. In part-time group housing, does are housed in ...

Loose farrowing pens have been considered as alternatives to crates to enhance sow welfare. A major concern with pen systems is often higher piglet pre-weaning mortality, especially due to crushing by the sow. An optimal management of light and mat surface temperature may promote greater piglet use ...

Female pigs in breeding herds can be managed through four phases - gilt development, breeding, gestation, and lactation - during which they may be housed in group or individual pens, stalls, or on pasture. In this review, we focus on housing environments that optimize outcomes during gestation and...

Farrowing crates are the most common housing for lactating sows throughout the world, despite known public opposition to housing systems that deprive animals' freedom to move. This study aimed to investigate Brazilian citizens' attitudes towards three farrowing housing systems (crates, loose pens, ...

To determine the effect of housing system on the performance traits of hens, three white Leghorn cross combinations (designated by Tetra LW1, LW2 and LW3) and 3 brown egg layer crosses (designated by Tetra Brown1, Brown2 and Brown3) were used in this study. The hens were housed for 19 month laying...

Although many factors affect the welfare of hens housed in cage and non-cage systems, welfare issues in cage systems often involve behavioural restrictions, whereas many welfare issues in non-cage systems involve health and hygiene. This review considers and compares the welfare of laying hens in ...

Many laying hen companies in the United States are pledging to move away from intensive conventional cages to extensive housing systems. Enriched colony cages (ECC) are a practical alternative to conventional cage systems. Scientific research is limited on the effects of ECC on hen production and ...

Individual gestation housing of pregnant sows in stalls from four weeks after mating is banned in the EU. Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of two gestation management and housing systems (STALL: gilts housed in stalls and PEN: gilts loose-housed in pens with increased feed ratio)...