Welfare and Performance of Post-Weaning Sows and Piglets Previously Housed in Farrowing Pens with Temporary Crating on a Spanish Commercial Farm: A Pilot Study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Social pressure, especially in Europe, towards the ban of farrowing crates has driven research on alternative farrowing systems. However, few studies comparing the welfare and performance of pigs in different types of farrowing pens with temporary crating have been carried out under commercial conditions. Additionally, the weaning stress response of pigs that are previously housed in alternative farrowing systems is overlooked. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare how the sows and piglets from three types of farrowing systems adapt to the weaning challenge. Behavioral observation, number of skin lesions, and salivary stress biomarkers were carried out at different time points around weaning, to assess the adaptability of sows and piglets to weaning. Our results found that the post-weaning aggression level in piglets from three farrowing systems was similar. Piglets’ saliva samples from one of the alternative farrowing systems showed a reduced stress response at weaning, which may suggest better weaning adaptability of these pigs. Sows from the same alternative farrowing system vocalized most on the day of weaning and decreased drastically over time. This vocalization frequency pattern after weaning might indicate a greater effect of abrupt separation from the piglets in this type of farrowing system. ABSTRACT: The study investigated the effect of farrowing environment on the weaning adaptability of sows and piglets. One farrowing crate (FC) and two farrowing pens with temporary crating (TC: SWAP and JLF15) were compared. Sixty-four sows and 663 piglets were followed until 5 days post-weaning. At weaning (D24), sows and piglets were moved to group pens and nursery pens, respectively. Sows and piglets’ behaviors were observed on D24, D25, and D26. On D23, D25, and D26, piglets’ skin lesions were counted, and sows and piglets’ saliva samples were collected for stress biomarkers (cortisol and chromogranin A, CgA). Piglets were weighed on D23 and D29. All the piglets’ skin lesions increased on D25 and decreased on D26 (p < 0.05). Compared to D23, cortisol of JLF15 and CgA of FC piglets increased, whereas those of SWAP piglets remained similar after weaning (p < 0.05). Post-weaning performance in piglets was similar across farrowing systems. SWAP sows vocalized more than FC and JLF15 on D24 and D25 (p < 0.001). Results suggested that SWAP piglets showed a lower weaning stress response. Frequent post-weaning vocalization in SWAP sows might be linked with a negative effect of the abrupt separation from the piglets.