PhD Position: Influence of Roughage on Animal Welfare
and Health in Pigs
Animal Production Systems and Animal Health, Agroscope
Posieux, Switzerland
The 'Farm Animal Welfare' Research Group conducts projects for assessing and refining housing systems for cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, processes applications as part of the testing and approval process for mass-produced housing facilities, and advises employees of the Cantonal Animal Protection Agencies in the implementation of animal protection legislation for ruminants and pigs. Weaning is stressful for the piglets, as they are not only separated from the mother sow, but also have to change their diet from milk to solid feed. The aim of this three-year project is to clarify how feeding roughage affects the behaviour and health of suckling and weaned piglets. Several trials will be carried out to optimise roughage feeding and intake. Parameters will be recorded to measure the effects on animal welfare in the short and long term. The findings should lead to recommendations on how weaning stress can be reduced in practice.
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