Housing solution with straw bedding for weaned piglets

Weaned piglets can be housed in different kinds of systems. Recently several new solutions have been adopted by pig breeders to improve animal welfare and specially sanitary conditions. The experimental house with kennels and straw bedding in dunging-exercise area has 15 pens for weaned piglets (5-7 to 25-30 kg). Each pen consists of different areas: a dunging area with straw bedding, an exercise area with concrete sloped floor, a feeding-resting area. The latter consists of kennels, provided with a localized heating system. During the experimental trials productive, managerial, behavioral and environmental parameters were analyzed. On the basis of results the proposed solution proved to be interesting. Piglets enjoy straw supply and spend the 27-27.5% of the time to the activities both connected to straw (play, running, grubbing) and to feeding. However changes must be made in the planning pattern especially as for the use and placing of kennels.