Abstract
To investigate the effect of the pen on the welfare of suckling piglets by comparing the behaviours of piglets in either crates or straw enriched pens, sixteen litter piglets in crates or straw enriched pens were used in the present experiment. In the 2–5 weeks after birth, the behaviours of suckling piglets from 07:00 to 9:00 and 13:00 to 15:00 on the third and sixth day of each week were observed to compare between different environments. The results showed that a straw pen can significantly reduce piglets’ directed behaviour toward penmates and the pen (p < 0.01), while piglets in crates had more standing (p < 0.01) and manipulating (p < 0.05), and fewer walking (p < 0.01) and lying (p < 0.05) behaviours. In straw pens, social interaction, straw- manipulating, manipulating in general, and non-sucking activities of piglets reached a peak in W3 (p < 0.05). In the crate, walking in piglets decreased with age (p < 0.05). Moreover, in the crates, piglets performed more lying, and less standing and walking in the morning observation period (p < 0.01), and all activity increased (p< 0.01) except suckling behaviour in the afternoon observation period, but there was a significant difference in only suckling behaviour for straw pen piglets (p < 0.01). In conclusion, straw reduced manipulating in suckling piglets toward the pen or penmates. Adding straw in suitable periods for suckling piglets could improve the behaviours of piglets.
