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Objective: This study investigated the effects of lairage conditions on the welfare and meat quality of pigs during lairage periods.
Methods: A total of 3070 finishing pigs were assigned to one of six groups arranged in two trials in a 2 × 3 factorial design according to the illuminance (under 40 lux (LX), over 40 lux (HX)) and stocking density (low density, higher than 0.83 m2/100 kg; normal density, 0.50–0.83 m2/100 kg; high density, lower than 0.50 m2/100 kg) with high temperature, higher than 24 °C; low temperature, lower than 10 °C.
Results: Pigs stocked with high density showed lower aggression behavior and overlap behavior than those stocked with low density at low temperature. Pigs stocked with high density showed higher standing, sitting, and aggression behavior than those stocked with low density at high temperature. Pigs stocked with high density showed higher pH than those stocked with low density at low temperature. At high temperature, pigs stocked with low density showed higher pH, water-holding capacity, drip loss, and cooking loss than those stocked with high density. At low temperature, pigs stocked with low density showed higher cortisol levels than those stocked with high density. However, pigs stocked with low density showed lower cortisol levels than those stocked with high density at high temperature.
Conclusion: Based on the obtained results, stocking of too-high (lower than 0.50 m2/100 kg) density at high temperature and stocking of too-low (higher than 0.83 m2/100 kg) density at low temperature are generally not good for meat quality and animal welfare.
Song D-C, Lee J-H, Yun W, Chang S-Y, Park S-H, Jeon K-H, Kim H, Cho J-H. Effects of Stocking Density and Illuminance in Lairage of Fattening Pigs in Different Temperatures. Animals. 2024; 14(15): 2145. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14152145