Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 September 2010
The effects of type of housing (outdoors on earth v. confinement on concrete) and system of rearing (single v. group) on age at puberty and expression of libido in boars were examined. Boars kept on earth lots and reared in groups reached puberty earlier and demonstrated greater sexual aggressiveness compared with contemporary boars maintained under other treatment combinations. Additionally, the effect of rearing boars either in all-male groups or withprepubertal gilts was examined. Age at puberty was not affected by the presence of females, but boars reared without females attained a higher libido score.