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The diet selection of weaned piglets in different group sizes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 November 2021

J.A. Dalby ,
M.A. Varley ,
J.M. Forbes  and
S. Jagger
J.A. Dalby
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, U.K.
M.A. Varley
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, U.K.
J.M. Forbes
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, U.K.
S. Jagger
Affiliation:
Dalgety Agriculture Ltd., 180 Aztec West, Almondsbury, Bristol, BS12 4TH, U.K.
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Extract

The diet selection of weaned piglets may vary according to the social environment in which they are housed. Many choice feeding experiments have been performed with pigs housed individually, in order to monitor their food intake and preferences effectively (e.g. Kyriazakis and Emmans, 1990; Kyriazakis, Emmans and Whittemore, 1991). However commercial animals are usually housed in groups and their feeding behaviour may differ from that of individual animals as a result of social interactions (Haer and Merks, 1992). This could have associated effects on the diet selection of pigs. The intention of this experiment was to observe the behaviour and production information of pigs offered a choice of foods, that differed only in their crude protein (CP) levels, and compare this with pigs offered a single food. Pigs were housed individually, in groups of two or eight.

Type
Pig Feeding Behaviour
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 1996 , March 1996 , pp. 9
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 1996

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References

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