Biomedical subjects

G van Putten

Publications and source records attributed to G van Putten.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1990

[The raising of pigs--modern and fair to the animals].

A sow can cope better with a husbandry system if a new situation is in accordance with her expectations and if she has been prepared sufficiently for the social and technical problems, she will have to face. In relation with applied ethology this means, that a sow should be prepared adequately for a group-housing system of pregnant sows, by a previous establishment of the social hierarchy in her (sub)group; a previous training in operating the feeding station; providing a part of the house where she is safe for aggressive other sows; providing two simultaneous and undisturbed meals of roughage per day for all sows; providing appropriate possibilities for locomotory and for exploratory behaviour. For a farrowing house are the following provisions required: the lying places (farrowing nest) shall be clearly distinguishable for the sows; sufficient long straw for allowing satisfactory nest building shall be present in the nests; a sow shall be able to turn around in the farrowing nest; the sows shall be able to ly in a position with their heads close together; the feeding station shall be in the nearest proximity; the piglets shall be able to mix gradually after their first week of life.

Animal Husbandry↗

PubMed1990

[The role of behavioral science in animal welfare, in teaching and practical application: behavior of swine].

The regulation for the keeping of pigs from 1988 acknowledges in principle only results of research, induced by long term problems in pig husbandry. Therefore it is only relevant for problems, that became apparent at least ten years earlier. Group housing for sows is not taken into consideration in the regulation. However, in the near future veterinarians will be expected to produce an opinion about the welfare of sows kept in group housing systems. In the houses for pregnant sows and in the ones for farrowing sows and for sows with piglets, problems can be expected resulting from group housing. Practice is not always according the nice theory, telling us, that sows want a place on their own for farrowing. Thus it can be difficult to end up with one sow in one farrowing nest. If piglets leave the farrowing nest to early, they will not be able to recognize their own sow amidst the group of others. This results in "multisuckling", with its large number of runts. However, group housing expects every piglet to stay with its own sow. In considering the welfare of sows kept in group housing systems a veterinarian will have to ask himself again and again, whether the sows are able to cope with the presented situation. The same counts for the piglets.

Animal Husbandry↗

PubMed1985