Results indicate that pigs housed at 2.4, 1.6 or 1.2 m虏 per animal would be lying in the kennels for 62%, 54% and 48% of the time (P<0.001) respectively and pigs housed at 2.4 m虏 spent more time eating than those housed at 1.2 m虏 (4.7% and 4.4% of the time respectively, P<0.05). Pigs housed in the small pens spent less time in the kennel and more time rooting than those in the large pens (53.0% vs. 55.8% in kennel, P=0.046; 1.78% vs. 1.22% rooting, P<0.001). Pigs housed in the small pens had less tail lesions and those housed at 2.4 and 1.6 m虏 tended to have less skin lesions on their hinds than those housed at 1.2 m虏 per pig. Daily weight gain was higher in the small than the large pens (823 vs. 797 g/d, P=0.003) and higher at 2.4 and 1.6 m虏 than 1.2 m虏 (827 and 817 vs. 786 g/d, P=0.002).
Overall, an increase in group size and stocking density both had unfavourable effects on welfare and performance, even at these high space allowances. However, performance benefits from higher space allowances did not compensate for increases in housing costs.