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Views are being expressed that recent legislation in the UK pig industry (a ban on stalls and tethers has forced producers to change their dry sow housing to loose-housed systems) is leading to increased levels of disease. My experience, based on the experiences of a large client base of sow herds housed both outdoors and indoors in loose-housed systems, does not confirm this .
Certainly, the dynamics of how disease behaves changes when a radical alteration occurs in the housing system, but it could be argued that there are as many benefits as disadvantages.
For instance, a key objective in breeding herd management is to ensure that young piglets receive good levels of colostral protection from their mother against diseases that are endemic within the herd they are born into. Loose-housing has the potential to achieve more uniform immunity within the adult population, which therefore helps this objective.
Have we forgotten that the sow has a perfectly adequate immune system? Surely our role as veterinary advisors is to assist in making the most of this? Well managed sows, in a comfortable environment, with adequate nutrition, will be able to cope with disease challenges far more effectively than sows that are under stress.
My view is that the veterinary surgeon's role in pig production is to tilt the balance in favour of strong immunity, whilst minimising the need to rely on medication or extreme housing systems.
I would argue that there are as many diseases and injurious conditions of sows that were encouraged by confinement housing in stalls or tethers, as may be seen now in loose-housed sows. Examples that come to mind are:
- prolapses in sows close to farrowing
- increased stillbirths when sows show poor muscle tone as a result of inactivity
- lameness problems associated with inadequate maintenance of floors and stalls
- cystitis/pyelonephritis following urinary stasis
Undoubtedly, there are challenges associated with any new housing system, but my experience has been that these are manageable if handled correctly. There seems no point in harking back to a housing system that is no longer allowed and blaming all of the ills of the U.K. pig industry on the fact that this change has occurred. Certainly, any herd where sows are changed from a confinement housing system into loose-housed buildings will experience problems during the transitional phase.
Sows that have spent their entire life in confinement will find it very difficult, if not impossible, to adapt to group management. However, younger sows and gilts will readily learn the new system and a higher gilt replacement rate will be required during the transition, in order to minimise problems during this phase.
It is likely that the temperament of the sow we see on farms in the UK will change as a result of selection pressure for animals that are more able to cope with living in groups. This is no different to the change that occurred when sows were first put into stalls, where selection pressure tended to favour animals that would accept total inactivity! This need not be a problem, as there are genotypes already widely available that work very well in group housing systems outdoors.
In summary, could I encourage my veterinary colleagues to take a more positive stance, and look forwards rather than backwards. Our clients need some encouragement! Am I alone in these views? "I hope this is of value, although I realise that it may well stir up some strong views amongst my colleagues!
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