Impact of straw provision or of a ground fixed object as environmental enrichments for growing-finishing pigs

The objective of the study was to compare two treatments, a prototype object (Object) or a distribution of straw via a rack (Straw). Each treatment was assigned to three pens in two rooms comprising six pens of 7 m2. Each pen was composed of 5 castrated males and 5 females. The floor was made up of concrete slats. A 0.60*0.60 m2 board was fixed on slats under the rack. The object consists of a group of six plastic hoses reinforced by six metal chains fixed on the ground. Direct observations were carried out two days after arrival of the pigs and 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks later.Behaviour, posture and localization of pigs were recorded every ten minutes between 8h and 10h30 in the morning and 15h and 17h30 in the afternoon. Three notations of the body lesions were carried out through the growing-finishing period.General activity was similar in both treatments. Pigs spended more time in investigating straw than the object (17,2% vs9,6% of total time, p