The present trial verified the effects of spraying microbial agents on odor reduction in commercial pig farms of different operating sizes and barn types. Farms without microbial agent spraying and those sprayed with microbial agents at two different intervals were compared. The treatments included spraying of water alone every day or a mixture of water plus microbial agent at 24 and 72 h intervals. The experimental farms were divided according to size into 1,000-, 3,000-, and 5,000-head farms and according to barn type into gestation, farrowing, nursery, and grower-finisher farms. To compare odor concentration within each housing barn, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide gas levels were measured. The average concentrations of ammonia (p<0.01) and hydrogen sulfide (p<0.05) gas were the lowest in all types of farms sprayed with the microbial agent at a 24 h interval. In farms sprayed with the microbial agent at a 24 h interval, the decrease in ammonia concentration according to barn type was in the following order: farrowing (p<0.01) (11.0 to 1.8 ppm), nursery (p<0.05) (17.0 to 9.2 ppm), grower-finisher (15.3 to 8.8 ppm), and gestation (9.7 to 6.4 ppm) farms. Moreover, spraying the microbial agent at a 24 h interval significantly (p<0.01) decreased ammonia concentration from 19.9 to 10.4 ppm, from 11.1 to 4.1 ppm, and from 8.8 to 5.1 ppm in 5,000-, 3,000-, and 1,000-head farms, respectively. Overall, spraying microbial agents every day may be the most effective method to reduce odor in commercial pig farms.

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of toy provision for stress reduction, welfare improvement and toy preference in finishing pigs. Toy shape was expected to exert effects on stress related behaviors including fighting, bothering, and feed competition. Three different toy shapes (i.e. square, round, and oval) were given to groups of finishing pigs. A no toy control group was also included. The duration and frequency of abnormal behaviors and use time for toy preference were compared among groups. The duration and frequency of stress related behaviors was higher (p<0.01) among the non-toy-using finishing pigs on 20 minutes and 118 times than 16 minutes and 57 times of toy-using finishing pigs. Toy shape exerted no significant effects, however, toy use displayed a clear ability to reduce stress related behaviors among finishing pigs. Toy use time and shape both displayed no clear effect on the duration of stress related behaviors. These behaviors were most frequently displayed in the afternoons when the finishing pigs become most active, and were not affected by toy shape. Overall, the square shaped toy was used much longer (9.7 hours) and more frequently (566 times) in a 24 hour period by the finishing pigs (p<0.01). In conclusion, providing toys to finishing pigs reduces stress and stress related behaviors. This finding is expected to positively impact welfare and improve finishing pig productivity. Square shaped toys were most preferred by the finishing pigs, therefore adopting toys with square features is recommended.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of parity and lactation stage of sows on the behavior of nursing sows and their suckling piglets. In total 18 Yorkshire × Landrace F1 sows (range of parity: 1 to 6) and their litters (range of litter size: 10 to 14 piglets) were assigned according to the sow's parity (1-2, 3-4 and 5-6) and lactation stage (early, middle, and late). The sows were housed in farrowing crates (0.8 × 2.1 m) located in pens (2.1 × 1.75 m) with totally perforated flooring. The behaviors of the sows and their piglets were recorded over a 72-h period for each parity and lactation stage. The sows and piglets were conventionally managed. All nursing sows in both group showed lying behavior for more than 80% of the experimental period, regardless of parity and lactation stage. The behavioral frequency of sows was, in descending order, as follows: lateral lying, ventral lying, eating, standing, and sitting. The parity of sows did not affect their behavior, but the lactation stage did. Ventral lying showed decreased frequency in late stage compare to that in the early or middle stage. The lying, standing, sitting, and eating behavior of sows were not affected by their parity. Sow parity did not affect the behavior of suckling piglets, but the lactation stage did. The behavioral frequency of piglets for the whole lactation period was, in descending order, as follows: lying, suckling, and walking. The lying frequency of piglets was higher in the sow's middle lactation stage than in the early or late lactation stage. It is concluded that the sow parity did not affect the behavior of nursing sows and suckling piglets, but the lactation stage did.

The objective of this study was to comparatively analyze the vocalizations of farrowing sows and their piglets in a welfare certified farm and a conventional farm as they are useful parameters for animal welfare assessment. The conventional farm using the gestation stall, farrowing crate and nursery, grower‐finisher pigs were accommodated in small pens. On the other hand, in the welfare certified farm using the group feeding gestation sows, which allows them to turn around in the furrowing pens, unlike in the crates and nursery, grower‐finisher pigs were accommodated in large pens. Vocalization of farrowing sows and their piglets were recoded and acoustic parameters were analyzed. Eight vocalizations―screaming, fighting, playing, suckling competition, suckling, piglet call, frightened, and space competition―were recoded in the farrowing crate and classified; 4 ordinary and 4 non‐ordinary vocalizations were identified. However, frightened and space competition vocalizations were not detected in the farrowing pen. Screaming, fighting, playing, suckling competition, and suckling vocalizations were significantly (p<0.01) different in pitch, intensity and duration between the farrowing pen and the farrowing crate. Piglet call vocalization did not differ between the farrowing facilities. These findings will aid us in using the differences in vocalizations, under different conditions, as parameters of animal welfare assessment.

물리화학적 처리에 의한 양돈장 악취저감 효과를 분석 하기 위하여 물리적 처리 방법인 커튼과 화학적 처리 방법 인 오존수 분무를 병합처리 하는 오존수커튼 시스템을 상 업적인 양돈장에 설치하고 처리 및 설치 전․후의 악취발생 특성과 악취저감 효과를 조사한 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 오존수커튼 시스템은 돈사내부의 악취물질과 먼지를 배기구를 통해 커튼 내부로 포집 후 오존수의 강력한 산화 력으로 악취를 제거하는 안정적인 물리화학적 처리 방법 임을 확인하였다. 오존수커튼 시스템 설치 후 돈사 내부의 암모니아, 황화수소, 트리메틸아민, 휘발성 유기화합물 및 복합악취 농도가 높은 반면, 커튼 외부와 부지경계선에서 는 현저하게 감소되었으며, 악취발생량 또한 크게 감소되 었다(p<0.01). 측정위치별 악취물질농도와 악취발생량은 암모니아, 황화수소, 트리메틸아민, 휘발성 유기화합물 및 복합악취 모두 계절에 관계없이 돈사 내부, 커튼 외부 및 부지경계선 순으로 높았다(p<0.01). 돈사 내부의 악취물질 농도는 환기량이 적은 봄과 겨울에 높고 환기량이 많은 여 름과 가을에 낮았으나, 돈사 외부와 부지경계선에서의 악 취물질농도는 돈사 내부와 상반되는 결과를 나타내었다. 이상의 결과를 요약하면, 양돈장에서 배출되는 악취물질은 오존수커튼 시스템에 의한 물리화학적 처리로 90% 이상 저감 가능한 것으로 판단되며, 양돈장 외부로의 악취물질 확산을 효과적으로 차단함으로써 악취민원 제거를 위한 효율적인 악취저감시설로 활용 가능성은 충분한 것으로 사료된다.

악취저감과 분뇨의 액비화 및 돈사 환경개선을 위한 액비순환시스템을 적용한 양돈장의 악취저감 효과를 평가하기 위하여 액비순환시스템 적용 양돈장과 일반 양돈장에서 슬러리와 액비의 성상과 공기 중 및 액상시료 중 악취물질 농도를 조사하여 비교하였다. 일반농장에 비하여 액비순환시스템 적용 농장의 슬러리 성상이 현저하게 발효가 진행되고 있는 것으로 나타났으며 순환적용 농장 간에는 차이가 없는 것으로 나타났다. 돈사내부와 배출구 및 부지경계선에서의 직접관능법에 의한 악취강도 평가에서는 액비순환시스템 적용으로 분명한 악취저감 효과가 인정되었으며, 돈사내부 환경개선 효과 또한 분명하게 나타났다. 돈사내부와 배출구 및 부지경계선에서의 공기 중 암모니아와 황화수소 농도는 액비순환시스템 적용으로 50% 이상의 저감 효과가 나타났으며, 메틸머캅탄과 트리메틸아민 역시 비교적 낮은 수준으로 조사되었다. 순환단계별 액상시료 중 악취물질 차이는 분명하게 나타나지 않았다.

돼지의 행동을 조사하여 정상행동과 비정상행동으로 구분하고 이들 중 동물복지 수준평가 기준으로 활용 가능한 행동형을 선별하였으며, 이들을 농장동물의 복지수준 평가시스템 구축을 위한 유용 파라미터로 활용하고자 하였다. 국내 대부분의 양돈장에서 채택하고 있는 임신돈 스톨과 분만틀을 사용하고 있는 관행농장과 임신돈군사와 분만틀이 없는 분만방을 사용하고 있는 동물복지형 농장에서 임신, 분만, 자돈 및 육성비육 등 4단계로 구분하여 조사, 분석하였다. 총 92가지의 행동유형을 조사하였으며, 정상행동 57가지와 비정상행동 35가지로 분류하였다. 임신돈의 정상행동과 비정상행동은 각각 14가지와 8가지였으며, 대표적인 비정상행동은 스톨 내에서의 헛씹기, 철봉 물기 및 공격 등이었고 분만돈은 정상행동이 15가지, 비정상행동은 귀물기, 경련 및 공격 등 3가지였다. 자돈은 22가지의 정상행동과 17가지의 비정상 행동으로 조사되었으며, 대표적인 비정상행동은 괴롭히기, 밀어내기, 몸빨기, 짓밟기 등이었다. 육성비육돈은 정상행동 5가지와 괴롭히기, 밀어내기, 물기, 올라타기, 싸우기 등의 대표적인 비정상행동을 나타내었다.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of implementing a Liquid Manure Circulation System (LMCS) on the environmental improvement of swine farms. Bacterial counts at different circulation phases of the LMCS were measured. Air in the swine facility and the liquid manure in each step of LMCS were sampled and gaseous composition detected in swine farms both with and without LMCS to compare the environmental conditions in either case. There were no differences in the total bacteria count at any circulation phase in the LMCS. Escherichia coli were detected at a very low abundance only at the outlet of the slurry pit (1.5×102CFU/㎖). Salmonella were not detected at any phase. The LMCS clearly affected the odor strength of the swine farm and improved the air quality in the swine facility. On-site odor strength - inside, at the exhaust, and at the border of the swine facility - were clearly lowered in farms applying LMCS. Furthermore, the levels of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide were improved in swine facilities applying LMCS.