Effects of stress during gestation and enrichment during lactation on the behaviour of sows

Maternal behaviour was studied in sows to determine whether an enriched environment during lactation could modulate the effects of a stress during gestation. Sows were assigned to a social stress or a control treatment during gestation and housed in straw enriched pens or standard crates during lactation. A methodological study was first conducted to validate the use of accelerometers to automatically detect sow postures. Maternal behaviour was then evaluated using this new technology and behavioural observations. Stress in gestation resulted in decreased maternal responsiveness to recorded piglet squeals, less time spent with the udder exposed and decreased use of enrichment. The enriched housing resulted in sows performing more social contacts and exposing their udder more than sows in crates. Social stress in gestation may thus negatively impact maternal behaviour while an enriched housing during lactation allows more opportunity for its expression although it was not directly counteractive to the stress.