Objectives

Evaluate the impact of improving comfort by adding rubber mats on the performance and welfare of lactating sows.

Specifically:
 

• Assess the impact of rubber mats on sows with locomotion issues, including changes in injuries/lameness, the number of therapeutic treatments, and the number of culls/euthanasia/mortality cases.
• Measure the effect of rubber mats on feeding behavior and zootechnical performance of sows according to the season.
• Evaluate lactation performance of sows and piglet growth performance, including litter weight gain, weaning weight, and piglet average daily gain (ADG).
• Measure the impact on sow zootechnical performance, including live-born piglets, birth-to-weaning mortality, causes and timing of mortality, return to estrus and fertility after weaning, and total piglets born in the subsequent litter.
• Assess the durability of rubber mats.
• Conduct a techno-economic analysis of using rubber mats in farrowing facilities.
• Develop deliverables and disseminate results.