EVALUATION OF METHODS TO REDUCE FIGHTING AMONG REGROUPED GILTS

The objectives of this study were to evaluate practical methods to reduce fighting among unacquainted pigs after regrouping. One hundred and forty-four gilts of 95–120 kg body weight were assigned to groups of four previously unacquainted gilts and housed in slatted pens of 9.71 m2 floor area for 4 d. At grouping, the animals were assigned to one of the following six treatments: (1) Control. (2) Gilts were washed and Vicks was applied to their nostrils. (3) A boar of 150 kg body weight was housed with the gilts for 2 d after grouping. (4) 2.2 mg kg−1 of Azaperone (Stresnil) was injected intramuscularly 20 min prior to grouping. (5) The pen was equipped with partitions over the feed trough and one partition in the back. (6) Gilts were not fed that morning and were floor fed at grouping. Gilts were weighed and scored for body lesions at the beginning and end of the trial, and were monitored by video recording for 3 d after grouping. The dependent variables were body weights, lesion scores, and time spent st...