Effect of Floor Condition on Pig Gait, a Kinematic and Kinetic Study

Unhealthy legs and claws in pig production are a persistent problem, a primary reason for which seems to be inappropriate floor properties in the pig pen. Inadequate frictional properties or low coefficient of friction (COF) may result in slippery floors and slip injuries to pigs.
This thesis presents basis of design criteria for pig house floors with the aim of minimising the number of claw disorders. Parameter values were determined by pig gait studies in a gait analysis laboratory, where the pigs walked a straight or a curved test aisle. The gait was recorded by a force plate and a perpendicularly placed digital video camera as the pigs walked the test aisle.

Keywords: pig, gait, floor, concrete, rubber mat, friction, kinematics, kinetics, slip.

Project funding: The project was funded by FORMAS and Crafoord Foundation
Project time period: - 2009

Project leader: Hans von Wachenfelt.

Other associates: Christer Nilsson main supervisor, Stefan Pinzke and Ove Olsson co-supervisors.

Publications
von Wachenfelt, H. 2009. Effect of floor condition on pig gait : a kinematic and kinetic study. Doktorsavhandling, SLU.
von Wachenfelt H., Nilsson C., Pinzke S. 2010. Gait and force analysis of provoked pig gait on clean and fouled rubber mat surfaces Biosystems Engineering vol. 106 86-96
von Wachenfelt H., Pinzke S., Nilsson C., Olsson O., Ehlorsson C-J. 2009.Force analysis of unprovoked pig gait on clean and fouled concrete surfaces Biosystems Engineering vol. 104 250-257
von Wachenfelt H., Pinzke S., Nilsson C. 2009. Gait and force analysis of provoked pig gait on clean and fouled concrete surfaces Biosystems Engineering vol. 104 534-544
von Wachenfelt H., Pinzke S., Nilsson C., Olsson O., Ehlorsson C-J. 2008. Gait analysis of unprovoked pig gait on clean and fouled concrete surfaces Biosystems Engineering vol. 101 nr 3 376-382