How Much Room Does A Pig Need?

Let’s take a moment to consider one of the animal observations from the Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) Site Assessment and its impacts.

Animal Space

Recommendations exist in facility planning books about the square footage for an animal at each phase of production. However, these recommendations are simply a starting point at achieving animal comfort and maximizing the efficiency of your building. The challenge we sometimes forget is that recommendations are formed based on some assumptions and certain sizes of animals. What happens when our genetic selection and marketing strategies grow animals that are larger than the animals used to create those recommendations? We start to see animals with less actual space.

I think we can all agree that today’s genetics have improved and provide extra pounds on each animal, both market and breeding animals. There are also different types of housing systems that pigs can be raised in, and the type may change depending on the animal’s phase of production. Thus, a more functional indicator of acceptable animal space that is independent of housing type is defined in the PQA program. Animal space means ensuring an animal can fully lie down without having to be in contact with other animals, unless by choice. Additionally, sows in individual stalls should not have to rest their head on a feeder or have its rump touching the back of the stall while lying down. When we look at market animals, the animals should be able to lie down without piling and be able to get up easily. There should also be enough room in the pen so animals don’t have to be in contact with a feeder or waterer when resting.

Stall Size

When sows don’t fit well in stalls, we may observe minor sores or behavior changes. The most obvious indicators that stall size isn’t matched to sow size is the incidence of shoulder sores or minor abrasions to areas of the body that have frequent contact with the stall frame or feeder. Despite most of these sores needing minimal treatment, it is critical that we remember that this has a direct impact on the animal’s state of well-being. Sows may depress their feed and water intake in extreme cases of limited animal space because they find standing up and laying down difficult. We should take a step back and ask ourselves, what is best for the animal, to ensure we don’t let problems become normal.

Notice how these sows have over a foot of space behind them while laying down. The sow in the top picture has her head under the feeder by choice and while her back has contact with the stall side, her belly and legs are not in constant contact with the other side of the stall. Photos by Bob Thaler.
 
Group Pens

For sow herds housed in group pens, animal space is critical because of the social hierarchy of individuals. It is well understood that mixing sows leads to fights to establish their dominance structure, essentially determining who the boss is. Some herds may keep static groups to help minimize this fighting, but this does not eliminate all disputes. Adequate animal space in sow pens provides an environment where a pig that gets picked on has room to escape, which is one way to minimize conflicts and injuries.

Sows in group housing require more space per animal than finisher hogs to maintain their social hierarchy and minimize conflicts. Photos by Bob Thaler.