[Ethologic selection studies with early weaned piglets kept in pens with different use of straw. 3. Results of studies of the position sequence of area size and stall air temperature].

In continuation of our earlier investigations on the range of environmental factors in housing systems with perforated floors and the experiments with or without free choice on litter or deep litter the effects of the size of the area and the environmental temperatures on the behaviour of early weaned piglets (8 kg to 30 kg) kept on litter and deep litter have been investigated. Both factors had a crucial but diametrical influence. While for the total activity of the pigs the size of the compartment proved more important than room temperature, for the total inactivity it was the other way around. Therefore some essential requirements have to be obeyed even for housing systems with litter or deep litter, which can be considered more suitable for the housing of pigs from the start on. Because of their different importance for the activity (20% of the total behaviour) and the inactivity (80%) the factors can't replace each other. For housing systems with litter size allocation shouldn't amount less than 0.45 m2/animal and with deep litter not less than 0.70 m2/animal with room temperatures starting at about 25 degrees C and 20 degrees C, respectively.