MATERNAL-BEHAVIOR IN SOWS OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL RANK

The maternal behaviour of domestic sows in intensive husbandry has been studied in relation to their social rank during the second half of pregnancy when they were kept in groups. The sows dominant during pregnancy were more active immediately before farrowing but not after it. The low-ranking sows showed much more restlessness from the early days after farrowing and many stereotyped / redirected patterns. Those sows voluntarily interrupted nursing in the early days of lactation more often, while the dominant sows were more likely to allow piglets to suckle freely.