Development of comfort mats for the lying and walking area of sows (PigComfort)

The aim of the project is to develop and test rubber mats for the lying and walking area in sow housing systems. The aim is to improve lying comfort for sows, ensure safer movement and thereby reduce housing-related injuries, even in housing systems without straw. It is expected that enhanced animal comfort will also have a positive impact on production performance and, consequently, on profitability.

During development process, the biological needs of the animals for lying and walking surfaces will be considered. To this end, behavioral observations and health assessments will be conducted on sows housed in the pens equipped with different mat prototypes, alongside choice tests. In addition, pressure measurements will be carried out while the animals are lying down to help determine and optimize mat softness.

For the walking mats, gait analyses will be conducted on various mat prototypes, and their effects on hoof health will be examined. Moreover, the mats’ potential for ammonia emission will be investigated to ensure that the surfaces remain as low-emission as possible. The effects of the developed rubber mats will be validated on a commercial farm. As part of an economic analysis, the costs of the mats will be compared to the operational benefits. The ultimate objective is to develop cost-effective yet high-quality products with a long service life, suitable for retrofitting into existing housing systems.

Project partners:

• Boxberg Education and Knowledge Center - State Institute for Pig Breeding

• Gummiwerk KRAIBURG Elastik GmbH