Thesolution,ofcourse,istotakethepigsoffbareconcrete
floors.OneBritishpigfarmerwiththreehundredsowsdid
justthat,puttinghispigsinoutdoor,straw-linedyardswith
kennels. He reported:
Duringthetimethatallourpregnantsowswereclosehoused,
wesufferedconsiderablelossesduetoabrasion,twistedgut,
lameness,soresandhipproblems....Wecandemonstratethat
wehavefewlamesowsandminimaldamageduetofighting
in the [outdoor] group.^82
Veryfewpigshavetheluxuryofstrawyards,andtheoverall
trendisstillinthewrongdirection.Takingaleadagainfrom
thepoultryindustry, pig farmersinHolland,Belgium, and
Englandhave begunrearing baby pigsin cages.American
producersarenowtryingit.Apartfromtheusualdesirefor
fastergains onlessfeedand moretender meatbecause of
restricted opportunities to exercise, the main advantage of
cagesisthatthepigletscanbeweanedfrom theirmothers
earlier.Thismeansthatthesow’s lactationwillcease,and
withinafewdaysshewillbecomefertile.Shewillthenbe
made pregnant again, either by a boar or by artificial
insemination.Theresultisthatwithearlyweaningasowcan
produce an average of 2.6 litters a year, instead of the
maximumof2.0thatcanbeproducedifthepigsareallowed
to suckle for three months as they would naturally do.^83
Mostcagepigrearersallowthepigletstonursefrom their
mothersforatleastaweekbeforemovingthemtocages;but
Dr.J.FrankHurnick,aCanadianagriculturalresearcher,has
recently developed a mechanical sow. According to one
report, “Hurnick’s success could allow intensive breeding
effortsto bedirectedatincreasing littersize.Sofar,litters