Mixing early post-service lowers pregnancy and farrowing rates

Researchers from Italy and Ireland evaluated the effects of mixing time post-service on sow welfare and performance. They found a strong tendency for a lower pregnancy and farrowing rate of sows mixed 2 days post-service compared to sows mixed 28 days post-service. Sows are kept in individual gestation stalls for the first month post-service. Pig farmers do this to protect them from stressors related to grouping and social competition during the embryo-implantation phase in the uterine wall.