Piglets
may be happy wallowing in the mud, but they get a much better start in
life if they are nurtured on a warm waterbed.

Instead of snuggling up to their mothers for warmth in their cold
pigsty and running the risk of being crushed -- a common cause of early
porcine death -- German scientists said waterbeds could be a safer
alternative.

When Martin Ziron and researchers at the Institute of Animal Breeding
and Genetics in Giessen, Germany tested various heating methods on 1,400
piglets during their first few weeks of life, waterbeds won hands down.

"Around 99 percent of the piglets preferred warm waterbeds to
any of the alternatives, spending well over half the day lounging about
on them and only getting up to feed or play," New Scientist said
Wednesday.

The scientists compared the number of injuries, which usually occur
while scrambling for a feeding position, and the weight gain of the
piglets which were provided with plastic plates, foam mats, waterbeds,
straw or concrete.

Piglets on the waterbeds had fewer injuries and gained much more
weight than the animals kept on concrete.

"The waterbeds are made from a tough plastic membrane and can be
heated from underneath by an electric mat or from above by infra-red
lamps," according to the magazine.