Effects of perforated rubber mats in the lying and walking area of pregnant sows on claws and joints

• Main Authors: Christina Jais, Peter Oppermann, Josef Schwanfelder, Miriam Abriel
• Format: Article
• Language: deu
• Published: Kuratorium für Technik und Bauwesen in der Landwirtschaft e. V. 2016-12-01
• Series: Landtechnik
• Online Access: http://www.landtechnik-online.eu/ojs-2.4.5/index.php/landtechnik/article/view/3143

In a group pen for pregnant sows the floor was covered with perforated rubber mats in the lying and in the walking area. In a reference pen the lying area had hole-perforated concrete elements and the walking area conventional concrete slatted floor. The experiment lasted from November 2011 to June 2014 and included 6 trial runs. To detect the effects of the rubber mats, claws and joints of the sows were evaluated regularly. The sows were stabled in their second pregnancy and passed, depending on their lifespan and their entry into the trial, up to six pregnancies in the experiment. For evaluation of the recorded traits of claws, joints and lameness of the sows, data of 630 pregnancies of 199 sows could be used. The results of the evaluation of the claws showed that the claws of the sows on rubber floor were significantly longer than those of the sows on concrete floor. The traits wall horn abrasion and horn wall cracks were rated significantly worse on concrete floor. No differences were found in the evaluation of lameness.