Behaviour of weaned piglets in an experimental house with kennels and straw bedding in dunging-exercise area

The main aim of the study is to test housing systems based on straw use for weaned piglets. The experimental pig house was obtained rebuilding a facility for loose dairy cows. It has 15 pens for weaned piglets, from 5-7 kg to 25-30 kg. Each pen consists of a dunging area with straw bedding, an exercise area with concrete sloped floor and a feeding-dunging area. The latter is realized in kennels, provided with a localized heating system (2 infrared lamps per pen) and with plastic transparent strips placed between the lying and the exercise area. A straw dispenser and two multi-space hopper feeders are placed inside each kennel. Therefore this housing system greatly differs from ones normally used in Italian intensive pig farms, generally based on totally metal or plastic slatted flooring. During the experimental trials the following parameters were analysed: A) productive performances; B) managerial parameters; C) behavioural parameters; D) environmental parameters.