Health conditions of growing-finishing pigs in fully-slatted pens and multi-surface systems.

The health status of finishing pigs was investigated in 97 farms with either fully-slatted pens (SF, n = 39) or littered multi-surface systems with outdoor yard (MS, n = 58). Pigs (11,194) were checked twice by one person at the beginning and the end of the fattening period in summer or winter. Animal health was determined by the presence of skin and tail lesions, lameness, coughing and sneezing. Housing and management practices were recorded by answering a detailed questionnaire. After merging health information with the questionnaire the data were analysed using generalised mixed linear models. Prevalence rates of health disorders were low (tail = 0.9%; skin = 2.6%; lameness = 0.6 %, coughing = 2.2 %; sneezing = 9.5 %). Pigs exposed to MS showed a lower odds ratio (OR) for tail (OR = 0.22; p < 0.0001) and skin lesions (OR = 0.29; p = 0.002) compared to pigs on SF (OR = 1.0). Conversely, pigs kept in MS had a 3.0 times higher risk of lameness than pigs on SF. No significant housing effects were found for any of the respiratory disorders. Health disorders were strongly affected by the random herd effect (p < 0.0001) indicating the impact of farm layout, management practices and motivational aspects for the animal health status at farm level.