Instant Insights: Improving the Welfare of Gilts and Sows

Professor Olli Peltoniemi is Professor of Domestic Animal Reproduction and Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He is also a board member of TINE, the Research Council of the University of Helsinki in 2014. He has been in charge of Helsinki One Health since its creation in 2017. His research interest include – reproductive health in all species and reproductive biology especially in the pig, cattle and dogs. Dr Sandra Edwards is Emerita Professor in the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences at Newcastle University, UK. Professor Edwards is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on pig welfare with over 200 publications in the field. She has won numerous awards, including from organisations such as UFAW, EAAP, RSPCA and BSAS. She is a former President of the British Society of Animal Science, a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, as well as a former member of the UK Farm Animal Welfare Council and the Animal Health and Welfare Panel of the European Food Safety Agency.

• Chapter 1 - Optimising the health of gilts and pregnant sows: S. Björkman, C. Oliviero and O. A. T. Peltoniemi, University of Helsinki, Finland; 1 Introduction 2 Biosecurity issues, vaccination and deworming 3 Production diseases causing fertility problems and reduced reproductive performance 4 Infectious diseases causing fertility problems and reduced reproductive performance 5 Non-infectious factors causing fertility problems and reduced reproductive performance 6 Parturition 7 Transfer of immunity 8 Microbiota involvement during pregnancy, parturition and lactation 9 Conclusions and clinical implications 10 ReferencesChapter taken from: Maes, D. and Segalés, J. (eds.), Optimising pig herd health and production, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2022, (ISBN 978 1 78676 883 4)Chapter 2 - Optimising pig welfare in breeding and gestation: Paul H. Hemsworth, University of Melbourne, Australia; 1 Introduction 2 Breeding and gestation of gilts and sows 3 Animal management 4 Conclusion and future trends 5 Where to look for further information 6 ReferencesChapter taken from: Edwards, S. (ed.), Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of pigs, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2021, (ISBN 978 1 78676 443 0)Chapter 3 - Optimising sow and piglet welfare during farrowing and lactation: Emma M. Baxter, Animal Behaviour and Welfare Team, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Research Group, SRUC, UK; and Sandra Edwards, Newcastle University, UK; 1 Introduction 2 Welfare challenges during farrowing and lactation 3 Mitigating welfare challenges 4 Conclusions 5 Future trends in research 6 Where to look for further information 7 ReferencesChapter taken from: Edwards, S. (ed.), Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of pigs, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2021, (ISBN 978 1 78676 443 0)Chapter 4 - Welfare of gilts and pregnant sows: Sandra Edwards, University of Newcastle, UK; 1 Introduction 2 Welfare issues of individual confinement systems 3 Nature and significance of stereotyped behaviour in gestating sows 4 Hunger in the pregnant sow 5 Pressure to adopt group housing systems for pregnant sows 6 Social organisation in sows 7 Aggression in stable groups and the method of feed provision 8 Extensive systems 9 Conclusion 10 Future trends 11 Where to look for further information 12 ReferencesChapter taken from: Wiseman, J. (ed.), Achieving sustainable production of pig meat – Volume 3: Animal health and welfare, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2018, (ISBN 978 1 78676 096 8)