The influence of the post-weaning social environment on the weaning to mating interval of the sow

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Abstract
Two studies were conducted at commercial farms on a total of 1117 sows to investigate the role of social environment on the weaning to mating interval of the sow. In one of the two studies, group housing and intense boar stimulation, achieved by daily introduction to a boar, were associated with significant reductions in the weaning to mating interval of the sow (P<0·05 and P<0·01, respectively): these two factors together produced increases of 0·18 and 0·22 in the proportion of sows mated within 10 and 28 days of weaning, respectively. In addition, parity and temperature during the week of weaning were significantly associated with the weaning to mating interval in both studies (P< 0·005 and P<005, respectively). It is concluded that the post-weaning social environment will influence the onset of oestrus in the sow.