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Electronic sow feeders (ESFs) are often used to feed pregnant sows. They collect detailed information on feeding behaviour which could potentially relate to sow welfare status.
Objective: This study investigated associations between patterns of gilt feeding behaviour during pregnancy, specifically between non-nutritive visits to the ESF, and welfare indicators (performance of oral stereotypy behaviour; skin lesion counts; locomotory ability, and hair cortisol concentrations).
Methods: Study gilts (n = 51; 8 replicates) were housed in a dynamic group (total group size range: 15–33 gilts; day 30–108 of pregnancy) and fed by an ESF which automatically recorded nutritive and non-nutritive visit start and end times. These data were used to calculate the average duration of non-nutritive visits (these took place after a gilt consumed her daily feed ration), the coefficient of variation (CV) of daily non-nutritive visits, the total number of non-nutritive visits throughout pregnancy, and the order of entry to the ESF four days post-mixing (a proxy metric of dominance status). Oral stereotypy behaviours (30 instantaneous scans/gilt/day; 3 hr/gilt/day) were observed directly 72 hr post-mixing, in mid and late pregnancy. Skin lesions were counted 24 hr and three weeks post-mixing, and in late pregnancy. Locomotory ability was scored using a visual analogue scale (0–150 mm) in mid and late pregnancy. Hair was shaved from gilts in late pregnancy, and cortisol concentration determined.
Results: Gilts that spent less time in the ESF and made fewer non-nutritive ESF visits performed more oral stereotypies 72 hr post-mixing and in mid-pregnancy. They also had lower skin lesion counts three weeks post-mixing and in late pregnancy, and worse locomotory ability in mid-pregnancy. Gilts which showed more variability in the number of daily non-nutritive visits to the ESF performed more oral stereotypies 72 hr post-mixing and in mid-pregnancy, and had lower skin lesion counts in late pregnancy. Gilts that entered the ESF earlier in the entry order four days post-mixing had higher locomotion scores in mid-pregnancy.
Conclusion: There were no associations between feeding behaviour patterns and hair cortisol concentrations. However, given the numerous other associations, patterns of non-nutritive visits to the electronic sow feeders may help inform on the welfare status of pregnant gilts.
Lagoda ME, Boyle LA, Marchewka J, O’Driscoll K. Welfare implications of non-nutritive visits to an electronic feeder by pregnant gilts. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 292, 2025, 106758, ISSN 0168-1591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106758
