Bassols Teixidó, Anna Maria

Baucells Sánchez, María Dolores

Chapinal i Gómez, Núria

Coma, Jaume

Devant Guille, Maria

Manteca Vilanova, Xavier

Ruíz de la Torre, José Luís

Saco Rodriguez, Yolanda

Coma Subirà, Jaume

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Title: PRELIMINARY RESULTS COMPARING PHYSIOLOGICAL MARKERS OFSTRESS IN DIFFERENT HOUSING SYSTEMS FOR PREGNANT SOWSAuthors:Núria Chapinal1, Maria Devant2, Jose Luis Ruiz-de-la-Torre5, Yolanda Saco3, Anna Bassols3,Jaume Coma4, MaDolores Baucells1, Xavier Manteca51 Unitat de Nutricio Animal, Dpt de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments2 Rotecna S.A. Pol Ind. Nau.3, 25310 Agramunt (Lleida) Spain3 Servei de Bioquímica Clínica Veterinària, Dpt. Bioquímica i Biologia Mol·Iecular4Grup Vall-companys, Pol Ind "El Segre" Parcel·la 604 - 605, 25191 (Lleida) Spain5 Unitat de Fisiologia Animal, Dpt. de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologial"3,5 Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona) SpainIntroduction:In 2013, only group housing of pregnant sows, between day 29 of pregnancy and 1 week beforeparturition, will be allowed in EU Member States (European directive on the protection of pigs,2001/88/EC).This will affect the production (management and feeding) as well as welfare. Lastone can be assessed by behavioural measurements and physiological parameters like Cortisol,creatine kinase and acute phase proteins (APP). Haptoglobin and Pig-MAP are two APPproposed as possible indicators of pig welfare (stress and health status).Aims:The aim of this study was to analyse different physiological markers of stress in two differentgroup housing systems, compared to sows kept in individual stalls.Materials and methods:Sixty pregnant sows Lw x Ld (153-288 kg) from first to eighth parity, were housed between day29-30 of gestation and 1 week before parturition in three different systems: twenty sows werekept in individual feeding stalls (group 1), 20 sows were housed in two pens (10 per pen) withslow feeding system (Biofix®, group 2), and 20 sows were housed in one pen with electronicfeeding system (Fitmix®, group 3). Blood samples were obtained the ninth and the fourteenthweek of pregnancy from 6 to 9 sows per housing system. For statistical test, repeated measuresANOVA, paired t-test and Spearman correlation test were applied. Pig-MAP and haptoglobinplasma levels were analysed by inmunodiffusion. Sample were processed at the VeterinarySchools of Barcelona and Zaragoza (Spain).Results:Number of animals were reduced due to problems in blood sampling. Repeated measuresANOVA showed no differences in Pig-MAP. Haptoglobin plasma levels were lower in group 3than in groups 1 and 2 (p=0.050). When comparing samples for each group separately, pig-MAP and haptoglobin were reduced in group 1 (p=0.014 and 0,030 respectively) but not ingroups 2 and 3. Pig-MAP and haptoglobin correlations among samples were significant (0.679and 0.686 respectively).Conclusions:Statistical tests' significance could be affected by reduction in number of animals sampled (notall animals were sampled because of handling procedures). Haptoglobin shows that animals ingroup 3 (Fitmix) could be less stressed than animals in groups 1 and 2. However, results in Pig-MAP plasma levels shows no differences. So, behavioural data (not presented) will be needed toachieve decisive conclusions about housing systems. Furthermore, if fitmix is a less stressantsystem, haptoglobin is a better welfare indicator than Pig-MAP. Decreasing pig-MAP values ingroup 1 (stalls) may show some degree of adaptation.

Preliminary results comparing physiological markers of stress in different housing systems for pregnant sows

https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/posters/2013/166844/mdbaucells_55.pdf

Preliminary results comparing physiological markers of stress in different housing systems for pregnant sows

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