Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, 104 00 Praha Uhřiněves, Czech Republic.
J Anim Sci. 2011 Feb;89(2):531-7. doi: 10.2527/jas.2010-2854. Epub 2010 Oct 1.
Nest building is an important part of maternal behavior in domestic pigs. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of nesting material sawdust vs. straw on sow behavior 24 h before and after birth of the first piglet (BFP) and piglet production. Sows, housed in farrowing crates, were randomly divided into 2 treatments: sawdust (n = 12) and straw (n = 13). Sawdust and straw were provided during the pre- and parturient period; after parturition, straw was given to both experimental groups. The prepartum nesting period (the time interval between the first and last nest-building records, including all other activity and resting before BFP), the nesting records (number of nesting records), nesting duration (duration of all nesting records), the start and termination of nesting, and the frequency of prepartum postural changes were collected 24 h before BFP. After BFP, number of nesting records and time to first sucking of the litter were collected. Frequency of postural changes and duration of udder access were collected 24 h after BFP during 3 time periods (during parturition, from the end of parturition to 12 h after BFP, and 12 to 24 h after BFP) and the frequency of nursing during 2 time periods (from the end of parturition to 12 h after BFP, and 12 to 24 h after BFP). Piglet BW gain and mortality were estimated 24 h after BFP. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED and the probability of the piglet mortality using PROC GENMOD in SAS. Nesting material did not affect (P > 0.10) most of sow prepartum nesting behavior and had no effect (P > 0.10) on the prepartum frequency of postural changes. Sows from the sawdust treatment had a longer nesting period (P < 0.05), and nest building tended to start sooner (P < 0.10) than in the straw treatment. Nesting material had only a small effect on later maternal behavior. Sows from the straw treatment tended to have more nesting records after BFP (P < 0.10). The frequency of postural changes was affected by the interaction (P < 0.01) between treatments and time period: sow from the straw treatment had more postural changes during parturition compared with other time periods and sawdust treatment. No effect (P > 0.10) of the nesting material on piglet BW gain and mortality was found. The results suggest that sawdust compared with straw as nesting material provided to sows before and through parturition does not negatively affect maternal behavior during the 24 h before and after parturition or piglet production. Therefore, sawdust can be recommended as a suitable nesting material for farrowing sows when straw is not available.
筑巢是家猪母性行为的重要组成部分。本研究的目的是评估在第一头仔猪（BFP）出生前和出生后 24 小时内，木屑与秸秆作为筑巢材料对母猪行为的影响，以及对仔猪生产的影响。母猪被安置在分娩栏中，随机分为 2 个处理组：木屑（n = 12）和秸秆（n = 13）。在分娩前和分娩期间提供木屑和秸秆；分娩后，两组都提供秸秆。在产前筑巢期（从第一次筑巢记录到最后一次筑巢记录的时间间隔，包括 BFP 前的所有其他活动和休息），记录筑巢次数（筑巢记录数）、筑巢持续时间（所有筑巢记录的持续时间）、筑巢开始和结束时间以及产前姿势变化频率，在 BFP 前 24 小时收集。在 BFP 后，收集筑巢记录次数和仔猪第一次吮吸的时间。在 BFP 后 24 小时内的 3 个时间段（分娩期间、从分娩结束到 BFP 后 12 小时、BFP 后 12 至 24 小时）以及 2 个时间段（从分娩结束到 BFP 后 12 小时、BFP 后 12 至 24 小时）内收集乳房接触时间和哺乳频率。在 BFP 后 24 小时估计仔猪 BW 增重和死亡率。使用 SAS 中的 PROC MIXED 和 PROC GENMOD 分析数据，计算仔猪死亡率的概率。筑巢材料对母猪产前筑巢行为的大多数没有影响（P > 0.10），也没有对产前姿势变化频率产生影响（P > 0.10）。来自木屑处理的母猪筑巢期更长（P < 0.05），筑巢开始时间也更早（P < 0.10）。筑巢材料对后期的母性行为影响很小。来自秸秆处理的母猪在 BFP 后有更多的筑巢记录（P < 0.10）。在 BFP 后，母猪的姿势变化频率受到处理和时间段之间的相互作用（P < 0.01）的影响：与其他时间段相比，来自秸秆处理的母猪在分娩期间有更多的姿势变化，而与木屑处理相比。筑巢材料对仔猪 BW 增重和死亡率没有影响（P > 0.10）。结果表明，与在分娩前和分娩期间提供给母猪的秸秆相比，木屑作为筑巢材料，在分娩前和分娩后 24 小时内不会对母猪行为或仔猪生产产生负面影响。因此，当没有秸秆时，可以推荐木屑作为分娩母猪的合适筑巢材料。
