Staveley Lauren M, Plush Kate J, Lines David S, Hemsworth Lauren M, D'Souza Darryl N, van Barneveld Robert J
SunPork Group, Eagle Farm, QLD, Australia.
Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Front Vet Sci. 2025 Jul 23;12:1579263. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1579263. eCollection 2025.
Societal attitudes suggest low support for confinement housing in livestock farming, such as the farrowing crate. The attitudes of stockpersons working in these systems are yet to be understood but should be prioritised as their human-animal interactions have significant effects on animal welfare. The aim of this investigation was to explore the attitudes of stockpeople employed on pig farms with experience working in both free-farrowing and farrowing crate systems, and to better understand the contributing factors that shape these attitudes. An anonymous survey was conducted across four pig breeder farms with both Maternity Rings (MR) and farrowing crates (FC) installed. A total of 86 stockpeople volunteered to participate. The survey consisted of an opinion-based rating of sow welfare that considered four specific behaviours, and two attitude-based questionnaires. The composite score of sow welfare was higher in a MR when compared to a FC (39.8 ± 0.87 versus 28.0 ± 0.87, < 0.05), regardless of attitude towards working with sows in different lactation housing systems. Stockpeople that believed FC systems would always be necessary were more likely to avoid interactions with difficult pigs (r() = 0.327, = 0.005), and more likely to rate piglet welfare as more important than sow welfare (r() = 0.380, = 0.001). In contrast, stockpeople that were confident in their abilities and understandings of sow behaviour were more likely to rate the sows welfare higher in a MR (r() = 0.339, = 0.002) and believed that it provided an environment that enabled the sow to better interact with her piglets (r() = 0.434, < 0.001). Stockpersons that were more likely to interact with pigs (r() = 0.322, = 0.011) and were more satisfied with their job ( = 0.341, = 0.003) were more likely to rate sow welfare higher in a MR. Overall, stockpeople rated sow welfare higher in a MR in comparison to a FC. The main driver of negative attitudes towards a MR appeared to be a lack of understanding of sow behaviour. If we can develop ways to modify stockperson behaviour to improve sow and piglet welfare outcomes, we have a better chance of introducing alternative farrowing systems.
社会态度显示出对畜牧业中圈养方式（如产仔箱）的支持度较低。在这些养殖系统中工作的饲养员的态度尚不清楚，但鉴于他们与动物的互动对动物福利有重大影响，应将其作为优先研究对象。本调查的目的是探究在自由分娩和产仔箱系统中都有工作经验的猪场饲养员的态度，并更好地理解形成这些态度的影响因素。在四个同时安装了产妇围圈（MR）和产仔箱（FC）的种猪场进行了一项匿名调查。共有86名饲养员自愿参与。该调查包括一项基于观点的对母猪福利的评分，其中考虑了四种特定行为，以及两份基于态度的问卷。无论对在不同泌乳期饲养系统中与母猪打交道的态度如何，与产仔箱相比，产妇围圈中母猪福利的综合得分更高（39.8±0.87对28.0±0.87，P<0.05）。认为产仔箱系统始终必要的饲养员更有可能避免与难处理的猪互动（r( ) = 0.327，P = 0.005），并且更有可能将仔猪福利评为比母猪福利更重要（r( ) = 0.380，P = 0.001）。相比之下，对自己对母猪行为的能力和理解有信心的饲养员更有可能在产妇围圈中给予母猪更高的福利评分（r( ) = 0.339，P = 0.002），并认为它提供了一个能使母猪更好地与仔猪互动的环境（r( ) = 0.434，P<0.001）。更有可能与猪互动（r( ) = 0.322，P = 0.011）且对工作更满意（P = 0.341，P = 0.003）的饲养员更有可能在产妇围圈中给予母猪更高的福利评分。总体而言，与产仔箱相比，饲养员对产妇围圈中的母猪福利评分更高。对产妇围圈持负面态度的主要驱动因素似乎是对母猪行为缺乏了解。如果我们能够找到方法来改变饲养员的行为以改善母猪和仔猪的福利状况，那么我们引入替代产仔系统的机会就更大。
