The effects of different housing technologies on welfare of piglets in rearing

Abstract

During two consecutive years the effects of introduction of new technology i.e. boxes of new dimensions in rearing of piglets compared to conventional type of boxes, on animal welfare through production results were investigated and economical parameters relating to introduction of investigated technology in rearing piglets. Research was carried out on experimental pig farm of the Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun, Serbia. Obtained results demonstrated that introduction of new box, with 14 instead of 6 heads per box, influenced increase in gain by 7,9%, higher feed consumption by 6,7% and better feed conversion by 0,9% compared to production results in control group housed in conventional cages. In the structure of expenses, due to higher share of cost of material in total costs, also relative equal reduction of share of labour and depreciation costs for buildings and equipment, but also regardless of that, since cost of material is directly correlated to the production value, mentioned change can be characterized as positive, therefore by application of the new technology of piglet housing the amount of total cost decreased by over 7%, and in general total positive financial effect of 10,6% can be considered as very satisfactory. In general, obtained results showed that by application of new technology of piglet housing positive effects are achieved in regard to production and financial results, and also to welfare of this category of pigs.

Tokom dve uzastopne godine istraživani su efekti uvođenja nove tehnologije odnosno boksa novih dimenzija u odgoju prasadi u poređenju sa klasičnim starim tipom boksa, na dobrobit životinja preko proizvodnih rezultata i ekonomske pokazatelje uvođenje ispitivane tehnologije kod prasadi u odgoju. Istraživanja su izvedena na eksperimentalnoj farmi svinja Instituta za stočarstvo, Beograd-Zemun u Srbiji. Dobijeni rezultati su pokazali da je uvođenje novog boksa, sa 14 u odnosu na 6 grla u boksu, imalo efekte izražene boljim prirastom za 7,9%, većom konzumacjom hrane za 6,7% i povoljnijom konverzijom hrane za 0,9% u poređenju proizvodnim rezultatima kod kontrolne grupe držane u klasičnim kavezima. U strukturi troškova većim udelom troškova materijala u ukupnim troškovima, zbog relativno ravnomernog smanjenja udela troškova zarada i troškova amortizacije objekata i opreme, i bez obzira na to, budući da utrošak materijala ima direktnu korelaciju sa vrednosti proizvodnje navedenu promenu je moguće okarakterisati kao pozitivnu tako da se primenom nove tehnologije držanja prasadi iznos ukupnih troškova smanjio za preko 7%, te se u celini ostvareni ukupan pozitivan finansijski rezultat od 10,6% može tumačiti kao veoma zadovoljavajući, U celini dobijeni rezultati su pokazali da se primenom nove tehnologije držanja prasadi u odgoju ostvaruju pozitivni efekti na proizvodne i finansijske rezultate a time i na dobrobit kod ove kategorije svinja.