Mortality, morbidity, and external injuries in piglets housed in two different housing systems. I. Farrowing house.

An investigation was undertaken to study two different types of farrowing pens, use being made of well characterized veterinary parameters for the well-being of piglets. A housing system with a solid floor and straw-bedding was compared with a partly metal-slatted floor system. The veterinary parameters we used were mortality, morbidity, and external injuries in piglets. There were slight differences in mortality and morbidity rates between the two housing systems. There were big differences with regard to the piglets' 'injury-index' of the two housing systems. The straw system was more favourably. The studies show that observations of external injuries ('Method of Ekesbo') can be used to judge housing systems of piglets in the farrowing house.