The significance of the fixed effect time was found for the trait nest-building behaviour. In the seventh and sixth hours before farrowing there were significant differences in frequency and duration of the LSM of nest-building and more total activity of NC-sows was observed.
3.2. Postpartum
From the beginning of parturition, standing behaviour had significant differences in frequency and duration (LSM 94 seconds, P < 0.05) in primiparous NC-sows compared to primiparous C-sows. However, C-sows, especially multiparous ones, performed much longer bouts of sitting (LSM 64 seconds) than multiparous NC-sows (P < 0.01). The means of rolling frequency showed an increase after nearly 1 day, as indicated especially for C-sows, and equalised for all sows after this peak ( Fig. 3). In comparison to C-sows, NC-sows showed tendencies for fewer and shorter rolling movements. Particularly primiparous C-sows rolled more often (P < 0.01), and needed 4 s longer than primiparous NC-sows to swap from one side to the other (P < 0.05).