Optimize Nursery Space Allowance for Good Start

May 31, 2017 — 

Space allowances given to pigs can affect the economic viability of farms and also the health and welfare of animals. While there has been a significant body of research studying the effects of space allowances on grow-finish pigs, little information is available regarding the effects on nursery pigs. [Source: National Hog Farmer, May 30,2017 By Cyril Roy, Prairie Swine Centre]

Studies have shown that providing an optimal space allowance increases productivity by maximizing feed intake and the average daily gain of animals. However, optimum economic performance is influenced by high growth rates as well as by increasing the number of pigs per pen and overall barn throughput. The optimum for space allowance for maximum economic returns is lower than that for achieving maximum growth rate. As well as affecting ADG, providing space allowances below optimal recommendations can also negatively affect the welfare of the pig, with risk of immune suppression, increased disease susceptibility, restriction of normal behaviors and an increase in damaging behaviors.

As a result, establishing optimal space allowance requirements requires consideration of economic, health and welfare factors.

When recommending space allowances for farm animals, researchers use an "allometric" formula which uses the average body weight and a constant (k) to calculate the space allowance needed per animal. When this formula was used to estimate space allowances for grow-finish pigs, it was concluded that a k value of 0.0335 (equivalent to 0.7m2 of space for a 100 kilogram finisher pig) provided optimal space and maximum ADG. When pigs were given more space, no increase in ADG was found, but when space allowance was reduced below this value ADG dropped, in proportion to the crowding.

The same space allowance (k value) has been proposed for nursery pigs; however, young pigs behave very differently from older animals and may have different space requirements. For example, nursery pigs perform more overlying behavior, and thus may have a lower optimum space requirement than finisher pigs. With ongoing reductions in antibiotic use increasing concerns for animal welfare and getting the weaned pig off to a good start, finding appropriate space allowances based on animal behavior, health and performance considerations will be the way forward.

This column presents some initial results from research done at the Prairie Swine Centre on space allowances for nursery pigs. The studies were carried out on a research farm and on two commercial farms. Measures included productivity (ADG), feed efficiency, behavior and stress physiology, with the goal of identifying the critical cut-off at which crowding occurs and to address areas where uncertainty remains.