The Effect Of Management System For Sow

To verify the effect of velos system in practice production, we studied on velos system and intensive operation in the same commercial hoggery, and compared velos system with intensive operation for searching their effect on sow’s reproductive performance and behavior.Jinde Agri Co., Ltd provided their hoggeiy’s area3and1for this study. Area3had the Velos system while the area1still remains in using intensive operation to manage sows. In experiment1, we recorded sow’s feed intake during pregnancy28days to112days, back fat and level of cortisol in these areas. In experiment2, we recorded sow’s reproductive perfonnance, feed intake in lactation, back fat and breeding performance after weaning. In experiment3, we recorded the percentage of sow’s posture which including standing, lying and sitting in observation time within2days under three environments:Velos system’s pen, gestation stall, gestation pen. We also recorded their activities including bar-bitting, vacuum-chewing, dabbling, normal activities, walking, exploring, licking and other activities.The results showed that:1. Base on sow’s feed intake during pregnancy28days to112days, back fat and level of cortisol, we found that sow’s back fat at112days of pregnancy had significant difference between loosed in Velos system’s pen and kept in gestation stall (p<0.05). There were not significant difference in feed intake, leve of cortisol, back fat at28days,56days,84days of pregnancy between loosed in Velos system’s pen and kept in gestation barn, however the sows loosed in Velos system’s pen had a lower level of cortisol which decreased by5.98ng/ml. 2. Base on reproductive performance, feed intake in lactation, back fat and breeding performance after weaning, we found that there were not significant difference in labor course, pigs born, live pigs born, litter weight at brith, weight at birth, age of weaning, piglets reared between two groups. Litter weight at21days, weight at21days, back fat difference and feed intake in lactation had significant difference (p<0.05), the group of sows kept in gestation house was greater than group of loosed in Velos system’s pen. And the latter group’s indexes in weaning to heat interval and weanning to breeding interval were better than the former (p<0.05).3. Base on the records of sow’s behavior in three condictions, we found the sows in gestation stall spent longer time in standing (p<0.05), and they spent longer time in lying when loosed in the Velos system’s pen (p<0.05). The sows in gestation stall took more time in bar-bitting, vacuum-chewing and dabbling (p <0.05), while they prefer to take normal activities and walking in Velos system’s pen (p<0.05). Licking mostly took in gestation pen (p<0.05). Besides, sows in gestation pen inclined to vacuum-chewing and licking, and sows in gestation stall were apt to take more time in bar-bitting, vacuum-chewing, dabbling and licking. Sows loosed in Velos system’s pen prefered to spend their time in walking and exploring besides vacuum-chewing.4. The Velos system without any negative impacts on production, and it can reduce the opportunities that human directly contact to sows. Besides, it can also brings low labor cost, improves work efficiency and minimizes the payment of production cost.Therefor, Velos system is suitable for extension and application in commercial hoggery.