Abstract We investigated how providing chewable materials to piglets during the early weeks of life affect sow behaviour, sow and piglet interaction and sow health in pens with farrowing crates. We divided 59 pregnant sows into two treatment groups: the Control group (C, n = 29) and the Rope-Paper group (RP, n = 30). Piglets in the C group had the minimum enrichment required by Finnish legislation. For the RP group, we added sisal ropes and non-glossy newsprint paper. We recorded the behaviour of sows and their litters for a four-hour period during the first 7– 18 days of life of the piglets. Skin and udder damage of the sow was recorded once a week five times. Behavioural data was divided into two categories according to the age of the litters. The first group contained litters aged from 7 to 13 days (n(RP) = 22 n(C) = 22) and the second group litters aged 14 days or older (n(RP) = 24 n(C) = 24). Younger piglets (age 7– 13 days) in the RP group manipulated the udder more frequently (p Older piglets (age ≥ 14 days) in the RP group touched the sows´ body more frequently (p Sows in the C group were standing (p = 0.01), eating (p = 0.04) and performing oral-nasal manipulation (p In the C group, repeated measures of skin lesions differed significantly between observation days (p = 0.00), sows tending to have a higher skin lesion score in observation week 5, with a median score of 1.5 (1– 3), than in observation week 4, with a median score of 1 (1–2) (p = 0.06). In conclusion, piglets that had access to chewable materials after birth made more contact with the sow during lactation. However, sows in the C group, performed more active behaviour. The behavioural mechanisms underlying these changes are not yet clear. Further investigations of the usage of chewable materials in farrowing units equipped with crates and their effects on the behaviour of sows and piglets are therefore warranted.

中文翻译：

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在哺乳期间获得咀嚼材料会影响母猪行为和与仔猪的互动

摘要 我们调查了在生命的最初几周为仔猪提供咀嚼材料如何影响母猪行为、母猪与仔猪的互动以及母猪在带有分娩栏的围栏中的健康。我们将 59 头怀孕母猪分为两个治疗组：对照组（C，n = 29）和绳纸组（RP，n = 30）。C组中的仔猪具有芬兰立法要求的最低丰容。对于 RP 组，我们添加了剑麻绳和无光新闻纸。我们在仔猪出生后的前 7-18 天内记录了四小时内母猪及其窝的行为。每周记录一次母猪的皮肤和乳房损伤五次。行为数据根据窝的年龄分为两类。第一组包含 7 至 13 天龄的窝 (n(RP) = 22 n(C) = 22)，第二组包含 14 天或以上的窝 (n(RP) = 24 n(C) = 24)。RP 组中年幼的仔猪（7-13 日龄）更频繁地操作乳房（p RP 组中年长的仔猪（≥14 日龄）更频繁地接触母猪的身体（p C 组中的母猪站立（p） = 0.01)、进食 (p = 0.04) 和进行口鼻操作 (p 在 C 组中，观察天数之间皮肤损伤的重复测量有显着差异 (p = 0.00)，母猪在观察中倾向于具有更高的皮肤损伤评分第 5 周，中位评分为 1.5 (1–3)，而观察第 4 周时，中位评分为 1 (1–2) (p = 0.06)。总之，仔猪出生后能够获得可咀嚼材料在哺乳期间与母猪有更多接触。然而，C组的母猪表现出更积极的行为。这些变化背后的行为机制尚不清楚。因此，有必要进一步研究可咀嚼材料在配备板条箱的分娩单元中的使用及其对母猪和仔猪行为的影响。