Drinking water hygiene and its effects on the welfare of pigs in Norwegian pig farms

Abstract

Water is a fundamental part for all living creatures. It is important that the animals receive water of proper quality and quantity adequate for their physiological status. In pig production little focus has been put on the quality of water that the pigs drink and how it affects their physiological and mental state. Especially for weaned piglets the water quality is important, and improper water has been shown to lead to disease problems like diarrhea. 10 different farms with pig production for sale and slaughter were used in this research. A total of 3147 LZ growing/finishing piglets took part in the survey with some occasional D and H mixed breeds. The farms were all visited and inspected in the same way. A questionnaire was used to get information about the production, disease history and treatment protocol. Own observations were done to find occurrence of diarrhea, behavioral problems and assess the water system.