Effect of early and split weaning on behaviour of large white Yorkshire piglets

Abstract

A study was carried out in 30 large white Yorkshire piglets to find out the effect of early and split weaning
on behaviour of piglets. Four weaning age groups, 56 days of conventional weaning age as group 1 (n=8),
early weaning of entire litter at 28 days as group 2 (n=10), split weaned piglets with heavy litter weaned
at 28 days as group 3 (n=6), weak litter left with sow up to 56 days as group 4 (n=6) were compared.
Based on weights piglets were categorised into light and heavy and were housed in groups of same litter.
Behavioral observations were made among four weaning groups which included different behavioral
patterns like playing, fighting, feeding, water intake, locomotion, sleeping, belly-nosing and tail biting of the
piglets. These were observed for 24 hrs with the help of closed circuit camera for 15 days. The time (min)
spent for locomotion (58.10±3.09) with 6.34% (P<0.05) and belly nosing (2.93 ± 0.48) with 0.32% (P<0.01)
were significantly more in split weaned heavier piglets. Feeding (80.62±5.46) with 7.90% (P<0.01), fighting
(2.69±0.24) with 0.26% (P<0.05) were significantly more in early weaned piglets and sleeping (873.04 ±
4.76) with 85.63% was significantly (P<0.01) more in conventionally weaned piglets compared to other
group piglets. Significant differences were not observed in time (min) spent for playing, water intake, and
tail biting of the piglets. However the time spent for playing and tail biting in piglets was 3.52% and 0.02%,
respectively more in early weaned piglets compared to split and conventionally weaned groups, whereas
the time spent (%) for water intake is 0.20% which was more in conventionally weaned group.