Improving piglet raising performance by modif, ying the housing system during the nursing period

Group housing systems for lactating sows where piglets are socialized with non-littermates in order to establish a new dominance hierarchy already before weaning have generally not been accepted in practice so far. The main reasons are increased numbers of crushed piglets, decreased piglet performance caused by the appearance of cross-suckling, as well as the larger workload involved by such systems. On the Relliehausen experimental farm the solid partitions between the farrowing pens were removed, while the sows remained confined in their crates. The influence of grouping on the performance and the behaviour of the piglets before and after weaning was examined. The aim of the study was to reduce the stressors which attend weaning and to realize higher weight gains after weaning.