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Table 1 Number and percentage of female and male pigs with ear and tail lesions according to severity scores upon transfer to the first grower (12 weeks old), second grower (14 weeks old), and finisher (18 weeks old) stage. Average body weight (BW, in kg) within each lesion score category is also reported

From: Description of patterns of ear and tail lesions during the grower-finisher period in a commercial pig farm

  

First grower

  

Second grower

  

Finisher

 

Female

 

Male

 

Female

 

Male

 

Female

 

Male

 

n (%)

BW, kg

 

n (%)

BW, kg

 

n (%)

BW, kg

 

n (%)

BW, kg

 

n (%)

BW, kg

 

n (%)

BW, kg

Ear

lesions1

                 

0

448 (26.7)

26.2 ± 5.31

 

569 (34.0)

25.5 ± 5.37

 

519 (31.6)

34.6 ± 6.85

 

652 (39.8)

33.8 ± 6.94

 

479 (29.5)

61.3 ± 7.62

 

600 (36.9)

61.2 ± 7.99

1

113 (6.7)

23.9 ± 5.64

 

122 (7.3)

23.9 ± 5.41

 

29 (1.8)

26.5 ± 6.83

 

24 (1.5)

27.8 ± 5.82

 

0 (0)

-

 

0 (0)

-

2

72 (4.3)

23.2 ± 3.86

 

75 (4.5)

22.9 ± 4.45

 

8 (0.5)

28.6 ± 4.96

 

16 (1.0)

29.6 ± 4.17

 

0 (0)

-

 

1 (0.1)

70

≥ 3

140 (8.4)

23.5 ± 5.04

 

136 (8.1)

22.7 ± 4.55

 

199 (12.1)

31.8 ± 7.37

 

193 (11.8)

31.5 ± 6.42

 

271 (16.7)

57.8 ± 7.34

 

275 (16.9)

57.8 ± 7.95

Tail lesions2

                 

0

755 (45.0)

25.1 ± 5.34

 

878 (52.4)

24.6 ± 5.33

 

676 (41.2)

33.7 ± 7.25

 

760 (46.3)

33.2 ± 6.96

 

661 (40.7)

60.1 ± 7.72

 

774 (47.6)

60.1 ± 8.10

1

17 (1.0)

25.9 ± 4.83

 

23 (1.4)

25.3 ± 4.69

 

74 (4.5)

32.4 ± 6.74

 

104 (6.3)

32.4 ± 6.47

 

72 (4.4)

59.9 ± 7.81

 

67 (4.1)

60.9 ± 8.45

≥ 2

1 (0.1)

24.5

 

2 (0.1)

26.5 ± 5.66

 

6 (0.4)

26.2 ± 5.47

 

21 (1.3)

32.3 ± 6.67

 

17 (1.0)

58.9 ± 6.45

 

35 (2.2)

58.2 ± 8.08

  1. 1 0 = no ear lesion; 1 = mild ear lesions (superficial bites but no blood); 2 = moderate lesions (evidence of bites/teeth marks with fresh blood and/or infection); ≥3 = severe (partial or total loss of the ear)
  2. 2 0 = no tail lesions (no evidence of tail biting); 1 = mild tail lesions (evidence of chewing or puncture wounds, but no evidence of swelling); ≥2 = moderate-to-severe tail lesions (evidence of chewing with swelling and signs of possible infection, or partial/total loss of the tail)