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Both diet and days of gestation had an effect on sow immune status; with neutrophil phagocytosis and plasma cortisol being greater (P < 0.05) for sows fed a control diet when compared with sows fed a high-fibre diet. Whereas, concanavalin-A induced lymphocyte proliferation was greater (P < 0.05) for sows fed high-fibre compared with sows fed a control diet. On d90 of gestation, lymphocyte proliferation was greater (P < 0.01) for sows fed a high-fibre diet than for sows fed a control diet. Sow behaviour was also affected by diet; with sows fed the high-fibre diet being engaged in more (P < 0.001) agonistic encounters than sows fed a control diet. Durations of oral-nasal-facial (ONF), standing, and eating behaviours were all greater (P < 0.05) for sows fed the control diet compared with sows fed the high-fibre diet. Moreover, sow behaviour was affected by floor space allowance; sows kept at 1.7m2/ sow performed more (P < 0.05) ONF, standing, and eating behaviours than did sows kept at 2.3m2/sow.
These results indicate that fibre and floor space allowance can influence sow physiology and behaviour which may ultimately impact sow well-being.
AE DeDecker, AR Hanson, PM Walker, and JL Salak-Johnson, 2010. Journal of Animal Science. 88:461.
