Effect of Playing Recording of Sow Vocalization on Behaviour and Performance of Post Weaned Pigs from a Different Dam

Abstract

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effect of playing recordings of sow
vocalization from a different dam to suckling piglets on the behaviour and performance of post
weaning piglets. That was conducted in RCBD included of treatment 1, those raised in nursery
house and listened to a playing recordings of sow vocalization from a different dam, treatment 2,
those raised in gestation house which sow was moved to matting house, and treatment 3, those
raised in nursery house, were determined. Twenty four days age of weaned pigs of each 12 litters,
108 weaned pigs. They were divided to 3 treatments. The playing recording was turned on before
feeding when 3 days post of weaning on 06.00 a.m., 09.00 a.m., 12.00 a.m., 03.00 p.m., and 06.00
p.m. After 3 days of weaning, pigs in gestation house were moved to nursery house. Nursery house
or gestation house are not hearing to another a playing recordings of sow vocalization from a
different dam. The behaviour of post weaning pigs were observed at 2, 7, 10, and 14 days on 1.00-
4.30 p.m., recorded to frequency of behaviour every 5 minutes that were recorded to 1 minute
and recorded to performance every weekly. Among treatment of frequencies and percentage of
time of belly-nosing behavior at 2 and 7 days were highly significantly but at 10 and 14 days were
not significantly, nosing pen-mates behavior and live weight were highly significantly, weight gain
and feed intake were highly significantly but at 1-2 and 2-3 weeks were not significantly, and feed
conversion rate were not significantly. This result suggested that post weaning piglets are raised in
nursery house and listened to a playing recordings of sow vocalization from a different dam that
improve welfare behaviour and performance more than those raised in nursery house without the
sow vocalization but they were not different when compared with those raised in gestation house.