How proper gilt development and management protects the welfare of breeding sows throughout their productive lives.
Gilt management represents an investment in sow welfare across the entire reproductive life. Gilts that enter their first breeding season underweight, structurally unsound, or with inadequate backfat reserves face welfare compromises in their first and subsequent pregnancies. Inadequate body reserves during the gestation-lactation cycle causes excessive body condition loss, weak farrowings, poor milk production, and prolonged weaning-to-service intervals.
Structural soundness — particularly leg and foot health — is a key welfare determinant. Gilts with poor conformation or foot lesions entering the breeding herd face progressive lameness that typically worsens with each parity. Early culling for lameness is both a productivity and welfare failure that proper gilt development can prevent.
Social management matters too. Gilts reared without appropriate boar exposure may show reduced mating behaviour and fertility. Housing gilts in small, stable groups with appropriate space reduces chronic social stress. Allowing gilts to develop sociability before mixing with older sows prevents bullying-related welfare problems.