Reproductive Performance of Young Sows from Various Gestation Housing Systems

Overall, the reproductive performance for two parities of sows (litter size and sow weight and condition) from various gestation housing systems was similar. The study was conducted at the Iowa State University L. Christian Swine Research and Demonstration Farm, Atlantic, IA. The gestation housing systems were individual crates in a mechanically ventilated confinement building (CRATE) and group-housed sows in a modified-open front building (MOF) or a bedded hoop structure (HOOP). All sows were fed individually. The group-housed sows were fed with either feeding stalls (FS) or electronic feeders (EF). The data analyzed were for litters born from April through December 1998. The trial was terminated because of a pseudorabies outbreak and subsequent depopulation of the farm. Therefore, the results of this study are only partial and should be interpreted with caution. A similar trial is planned after repopulation of the farm