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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2017
Whilst the lying space requirements for housed pigs have been scientifically defined (Petherick, 1983) it may not be appropriate to extrapolate these directly to the hut space requirement in the outdoor situation, where understocking carries a potential thermal penalty. However, it is important that hut space is adequate for all sows to obtain shelter when desired. The objective of this study was therefore to determine the preferred hut space requirements for outdoor sows, with the rationale that an inadequate hut space allowance would increase the number of animals forced to rest outside in a suboptimal thermal environment.