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Forskningsartikel2013Vetenskapligt granskad

Inclusion of grass/clover silage in the diet of growing/finishing pigs Inclusion of grass/clover silage in the diet of growing/finishing pigs – Influence on pig time budgets and social behaviour

Höök Presto, Magdalena; Rundgren, Margareta; Wallenbeck, Anna

Sammanfattning

This study investigated how inclusion of grass/clover silage affected the time budgets and social behaviour of growing/ finishing pigs. The behaviour of 128 pigs was observed through video recordings. Pigs fed intact or chopped silage spent a larger proportion of their time active compared with pigs fed silage in pelleted form or fed only cereal-based feed. There was a trend for pigs fed silage in pelleted form or fed only cereal-based feed to respond strongly to social interactions more often than pigs fed intact or chopped silage, irrespective of initial performing pig behaviour. Pigs in groups fed intact silage had a lower number of wounds from violent social interactions on their bodies. Thus, additional provision of silage in an environment enriched with straw can further improve pig welfare.

Publicerad i

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A - Animal Science
2013, Volym: 63, nummer: 2, sidor: 84-92
Utgivare: Taylor & Francis