Legislative efforts to ban farrowing crates for sows have been introduced and the debate about free farrowing continues, although existing regulations have not been changed yet. In the European Union farrowing crates will be banned by 2036. So, farmers have to deal with the question: Do my sow genetics fit this system? Experience from Spain shows that with the right management strategy and the right sow, high performance is certainly possible in these housing systems.
What is the situation in Spain?
In Spain, free farrowing is not yet a legal requirement, but due to growing social pressure, more and more farms are switching to free stall pens. Spain has a highly integrated pig production – around 80% of farms are part of large integrations. This structure makes it easier to collect extensive data and gain valuable insights into the management of free farrowing systems.
A major advantage of Spanish farms is their size. Many farms with several thousand sows provide an excellent database to compare different housing systems and their effects. As PIC works together with several integrators, it was possible, for example, to utilise information from over 20,000 sows, including 6,500 purebred animals.
Experimental findings from a practical farm
To obtain reliable information on the effects of free farrowing, a structured trial concept was drawn up. Three farrowing variants were analysed:
- completely closed farrowing pens (classic system with crate)
- completely free farrowing (before, during and after birth)
- free before farrowing and from the fourth day after farrowing
The following parameters were recorded:
- Litter weight
- Weaning weight: weaned under the sow, weight of the weaned litter, average individual and total weight of the litter (including dead and removed piglets).
- Average daily gain of piglets
- Feed intake of the sow during lactation: daily average and total consumption.
- Percentage of piglet losses (before and after foster on/off).
- Body condition of the sows at weaning.
- Other:
- Constipation of the sow at farrowing (Y/N).
- Delayed parturition (Y/N).
- Postpartum metritis(Y/N).
- Neonatal piglet diarrhoea (Y/N).
The results showed that piglets from the group in which the sow was released after four days had higher weight gains and better weaning weights. At the same time, crushing losses were, as expected, higher in the completely free farrowing group than in the other groups. It was interesting to note that piglet diarrhoea occurred significantly more frequently as a cause of loss in the conventional system than in the groups with more freedom of movement.
Management is crucial
A central point for successful free farrowing is the layout of the farrowing pen. The separation between a warm piglet nest and a cooler area for the sow is crucial. This encourages the piglets to stay in the nest, which reduces crushing losses.
In addition, the trial showed that gilts that already had more freedom of movement before farrowing acclimatised to the system more quickly and had a higher feed intake during lactation. This had a positive effect on body condition at weaning and reduced the need for obstetric care.
What does this mean for genetics?
The results from Spain show that not every sow copes equally well with free systems. Some sows are more agile, have better maternal characteristics and cope better with more freedom of movement. For geneticists, this means that there is variance, i.e. the possibility of selection.
* before foster on/off
A sow that is suitable for free farrowing should have the following characteristics:
- Good legs, feet and mobility
- High number of viable and robust piglets
- Strong motherliness
- High milk yield and good feed intake during lactation
- Calm behaviour and careful handling of the piglets
These requirements are also reflected in the change in breeding objectives. In addition to traditional performance traits such as litter size and growth rates, more and more emphasis is being placed on traits such as maternal health, piglet survival rate and behaviour.
For many years now, PIC’s breeding programme has considered almost all the key traits required for successful free farrowing. Traits such as foundation strength, high piglet survival rate, milk yield and maternal behaviour are firmly anchored in the selection and have been continuously improved. Today, PIC sows already fulfil over 90 % of the requirements placed on a sow in free farrowing systems.
One of the few remaining challenges is the behaviour of the sow in these systems. While it is now possible to objectively measure and specifically improve many performance and health characteristics, behaviour is much more difficult to record. On the one hand, a reliable, objectively measurable selection criterion must be found; on the other hand, the optimisation of behaviour must not have a negative impact on the already established strengths of the PIC sows. To ensure this, PIC is investing more in research and the use of modern technologies such as AI-supported video analyses and movement profiles.
More freedom to move? No problem with PIC sows!
PIC sows are already suitable for free farrowing – and research is continuing.
Intensive research is being carried out, particularly around behaviour, to identify genetic markers for maternal behaviour and calm behaviour in the farrowing pen. Camera technologies and artificial intelligence are used to analyse sow movement profiles to determine which animals are particularly well suited to free systems.
Another important aspect is the sow’s body size and weight. A compact but robust sow with good feed conversion and stable foundations has clear advantages in systems with more freedom of movement. This is another focus of PIC’s breeding work.
Conclusion
The experiences from Spain show: Free farrowing works if the conditions are right. In addition to the right barn design and customised management, choosing the right genetics is crucial. PIC sows already offer many of the characteristics that are necessary for successful implementation.
The combination of targeted selection, modern breeding methods and international practical experience also helps sow farmers to optimally prepare for future requirements. So, if you’re wondering whether your animals are suitable for this system – it’s worth taking a look at the genetics!
