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Buglione M, Rivieccio E, Aceto S, Paturzo V, Biondi C, Fulgione D. The Domestication of Wild Boar Could Result in a Relaxed Selection for Maintaining Olfactory Capacity. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:1045. [PMID: 39202786 PMCID: PMC11355481 DOI: 10.3390/life14081045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Domesticated animals are artificially selected to exhibit desirable traits, however not all traits of domesticated animals are the result of deliberate selection. Loss of olfactory capacity in the domesticated pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) is one example. We used whole transcriptome analysis (RNA-Seq) to compare patterns of gene expression in the olfactory mucosa of the pig and two subspecies of wild boar (Sus scrofa), and investigate candidate genes that could be responsible for the loss of olfactory capacity. We identified hundreds of genes with reductions in transcript abundance in pig relative to wild boar as well as differences between the two subspecies of wild boar. These differences were detected mainly in genes involved in the formation and motility of villi, cilia and microtubules, functions associated with olfaction. In addition, differences were found in the abundances of transcripts of genes related to immune defenses, with the highest levels in continental wild boar subspecies. Overall, the loss of olfactory capacity in pigs appears to have been accompanied by reductions in the expression of candidate genes for olfaction. These changes could have resulted from unintentional selection for reduced olfactory capacity, relaxed selection for maintaining olfactory capacity, pleiotropic effects of genes under selection, or other non-selective processes. Our findings could be a cornerstone for future researches on wild boars, pigs, feral populations, and their evolutionary trajectories, aimed to provide tools to better calibrate species management as well as guidelines for breeders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Buglione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (M.B.); (S.A.); (V.P.); (C.B.)
| | - Eleonora Rivieccio
- Department of Humanities Studies, University of Naples Federico II, 80133 Naples, Italy;
| | - Serena Aceto
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (M.B.); (S.A.); (V.P.); (C.B.)
| | - Vincenzo Paturzo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (M.B.); (S.A.); (V.P.); (C.B.)
| | - Carla Biondi
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (M.B.); (S.A.); (V.P.); (C.B.)
| | - Domenico Fulgione
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; (M.B.); (S.A.); (V.P.); (C.B.)
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2
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Anderson C, Backeman Hannius LM, De Oliveira D, Wallenbeck A. Social sham chewing in sows? Behav Processes 2024; 218:105042. [PMID: 38679342 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2024.105042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
In this short communication, we describe chewing behaviour in sows with no apparent edible substrate in their mouth as a potential social behaviour. Chewing in sows during interaction with unfamiliar sows was unexpectedly observed in a study assessing social abilities and damaging behaviours in group-housed dry sows. Such chewing was observed frequently and performed by almost all sows. To our knowledge, this behaviour has not been described previously in a social context in pigs, but rather as an oral stereotypic behaviour related to chronic hunger. We describe the behaviour in its social context and speculate on reasons for its occurrence in that context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claes Anderson
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7068, Uppsala 75007, Sweden.
| | - Linda Marie Backeman Hannius
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7068, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
| | - Daiana De Oliveira
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7068, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
| | - Anna Wallenbeck
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7068, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
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Rydhmer L, Andersson K. Effects of socialising piglets on sow and piglet performance and behaviour of entire male piglets. Animal 2024; 18:101086. [PMID: 38364657 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Entire male pigs show more aggressive behaviour and mounting than female pigs. By sorting growing pigs into male and female pens, at least half of the pigs are protected from the aggressive behaviour and mounting of the entire males. Mixing of unknown pigs provokes them to perform such behaviours which increase the risk for injuries. The idea behind socialising piglets is to create groups of piglets from several litters that become familiar with each other and thus show less aggressive behaviour and mounting later, when housed together after weaning. The effect of socialising piglets on animal welfare was studied on 24 sows and their 235 piglets. Male piglets were not castrated. Sows were housed in individual farrowing pens without crates. A small door was opened between two adjacent pens at a piglet age of two weeks for half of the litters (12 litters), and the other half was regarded as a control (12 litters). At weaning, control piglets were kept in groups of eight litter mates whereas socialised piglets were kept in groups of either eight entire males or eight females from two litters. Sow weight, body condition and health were recorded together with nursing events and social behaviour of piglets (aggressive, mounting, contact). There was no effect of socialisation on udder lesions or sows' relative change in body reserves. Socialised and control piglets did not differ in daily weight gain before weaning, but socialised piglets tended to have higher growth rate during the week after weaning (P = 0.07). The day after opening between pens, skin lesions were more common among socialised piglets (as compared to control piglets at the same age, P = 0.02) but at weaning, skin lesions were more common among control piglets than socialised piglets (P = 0.01). Almost all lesions were mild. No aggressive behaviour of sows towards piglets was observed. No difference between control and socialised piglets in social behaviour was seen before weaning. The frequency of aggressive and mounting behaviours was low after weaning for both socialised and control piglets, but socialised piglets showed more contact behaviour (P = 0.02). Socialised entire males showed as little aggressive and mounting behaviour as females. Nursing frequency was not affected by piglet socialisation and cross-suckling was rare. Based on the performance of piglets and sows, nursing frequency, and health of piglets and sows, we conclude that socialising entire male piglets (and their sisters) improve piglet welfare without any negative effect on the sows.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Rydhmer
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7023, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - K Andersson
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7024, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
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4
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Sánchez-Salcedo JA, Yáñez-Pizaña A. Effects of free farrowing system on the productive performance and welfare of sows and piglets. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2024; 27:1-11. [PMID: 34994264 DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2021.2008935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Regardless of international animal welfare regulations, most sows in production currently spend most of their lives and the peripartum period in caged housing systems. Although this type of management is intended to reduce neonatal mortality in piglets, several studies consider that there has been no significant reduction in its incidence over the last 30 years. On the contrary, cage housing has promoted the appearance of alterations during the farrowing process such as dystocia, as well as in maternal behavior and health, promoting stereotypes, skin lesions and other alterations, which not only impact the sows but also their progeny during the lactational period. Therefore, the aim of the present review is to compare the productive performance and welfare of sows and their piglets within the farrowing, lactation, and post-weaning period in both traditional and free-farrowing systems, highlighting the differences in these indicators in each of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Sánchez-Salcedo
- Facultad de Ingeniería En Sistemas de Producción Agropecuaria, Universidad Veracruzana, Acayucan, México
| | - Ariadna Yáñez-Pizaña
- Escuela de Ciencias de La Salud, Medicina Veterinaria Y Zootecnia, Universidad Del Valle de México, Coyoacán, México
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5
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Daigle CL, Sawyer JE, Cooke RF, Jennings JS. Consider the Source: The Impact of Social Mixing on Drylot Housed Steer Behavior and Productivity. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2981. [PMID: 37760381 PMCID: PMC10525284 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cattle are a social species in which social mixing can induce physical and psychosocial stress; however, the impact of social mixing on cattle welfare is unknown. Two different sources of genetically similar Angus crossbred steers were transported to the same feedlot and assigned to a pen where they were either socially mixed or housed with individuals from their source herds. Social mixing did not impact average daily gains in pens, feed intake, or feed efficiency; pens of socially mixed steers were more active. Sources differed in their responses to social mixing. One source was unaffected, whereas social mixing negatively impacted productivity for the other source. Irrespective of social mixing, the sources differed in the amount of time per day they spent ruminating and drinking. Group analyses indicated that socially mixing two sources of feedlot steers did not negatively impact group productivity, yet the impacts that were observed at the individual level suggest that prior experiences may influence their ability to cope with social stress, emphasizing the importance of early-life experiences to long-term welfare and productivity. Social mixing was not universally detrimental to cattle welfare, and the source of cattle may have the greatest affect on their performance regardless of whether a social mixing event has occurred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney L. Daigle
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Jason E. Sawyer
- King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA;
| | - Reinaldo F. Cooke
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA;
| | - Jenny S. Jennings
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University, Bushland, TX 79012, USA
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González-Solé F, Camp Montoro J, Solà-Oriol D, Pérez JF, Lawlor PG, Boyle LA, Garcia Manzanilla E. Effect of mixing at weaning and nutrient density of the weaner diet on growth performance and welfare of pigs to slaughter. Porcine Health Manag 2023; 9:38. [PMID: 37641119 PMCID: PMC10464064 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-023-00334-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mixing pigs at weaning can compromise pig welfare and growth. Therefore, grouping littermates together may allow a diet nutrient and energy density reduction during the nursery period to reduce feed cost without affecting slaughter weight. This study investigated the combined effect of mixing and reducing dietary energy and nutrient density on growth performance, body lesions (BL), and behaviour in pigs from weaning to slaughter. RESULTS Forty-eight litters [554 pigs, 11-12 pigs/litter; Danish Duroc × (Large White × Landrace)] were included in the trial. At 28 days of age, pigs were weaned and housed in nursery rooms in litter groups (INTACT, n = 24) or mixed with other litters and grouped by weight to reduce within-pen pig weight variation (MIXED, n = 24). A dietary regimen meeting pigs' nutritional requirements (CON) and a low-density dietary regimen (LOW; -10% energy and protein) completed a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (Mixing x Diet, n = 12). On day 74 of age, pigs moved to the grower-finisher accommodation without further mixing and all pigs received the CON dietary regimen. Mixing increased FCR by 4.0% during the nursery period (p = 0.003). Nursery pigs fed LOW experienced a growth retardation which was maintained until slaughter (-2.6 kg slaughter weight; p = 0.025). Initial differences in the coefficient of variation (CV) between MIXED (10.4%) and INTACT (17.6%; p < 0.001) pigs were reduced in CON pens but not in LOW pens (interaction p = 0.025) at the end of the nursery period. MIXED pigs had more fights and BL (p < 0.001) at weaning and showed more aggression (p = 0.003) after being moved to the grower-finisher rooms. At the end of the nursery period, MIXED pigs fed LOW showed the highest number of aggressive behaviours around the feeder (interaction; p = 0.003) and pigs fed LOW showed more damaging behaviour (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Mixing animals at weaning had limited impact on growth performance but impaired welfare which was aggravated by energy and nutrient reduction in the nursery diet. Decreasing dietary nutrient density in the nursery stage retarded growth, which could not be compensated for during the growing-finishing period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesc González-Solé
- Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service (SNIBA), Department of Animal and Food Science, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Spain.
| | - Jordi Camp Montoro
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Co. Cork, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - David Solà-Oriol
- Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service (SNIBA), Department of Animal and Food Science, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Spain
| | - José Francisco Pérez
- Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service (SNIBA), Department of Animal and Food Science, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Spain
| | - Peadar G Lawlor
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Co. Cork, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Laura A Boyle
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Co. Cork, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Edgar Garcia Manzanilla
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Co. Cork, Fermoy, Ireland
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, 4, Dublin, Ireland
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Jowett SL, Barker ZE, Amory JR. Preferential associations in an unstable social network: applying social network analysis to a dynamic sow herd. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1166632. [PMID: 37323835 PMCID: PMC10267343 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1166632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Preferential associations are fitness-enhancing ties between individuals, documented in a range of taxa. Despite this, research into preferential associations remains underrepresented in commercial species, particularly pigs. This study investigates the development of preferential associations in a dynamic sow herd. Preferential associations were defined as approaching a resting sow and then sitting or lying with physical contact with the selected sow, separated by < 1 m from the head or directly next to her, with interaction tolerated for > 60 s. For individual identification, each sow was marked with colored dots, stripes, or both, corresponding to their ear-tag number. Preferential associations were measured over one production cycle of 21 days. Behavioral observations took place on 7 days of the study, with 3 h of behavior per day recorded during peak activity times (08:00-09:00, 15:00-16:00, 20:00-21:00 h). Behaviors were recorded using five cameras, each positioned within the barn to provide coverage of the functional areas. The network metrics applied included in-degree centrality (received ties), out-degree centrality (initiated ties), centralization (the extent to which an individual is central within the network), clustering coefficient (a measure of tie strength), and the E-I Index (a measure of assortment by trait: parity, familiarity, and sociality). Individuals were added and removed during the study, so the centrality metrics of missing sows were weighted. To describe the structure of the network, brokerage typologies were applied. Brokerage typologies include five positions, including coordinators, gatekeepers, representatives, consultants, and liaisons. The results revealed social discrimination in assortment by connectedness even when ties were not reciprocal, and the most connected sows were significantly more likely to be approached than less connected individuals. The most connected sows had significantly higher in-degree and out-degree centrality. With the application of brokerage typologies, the results showed a relationship between connectedness and brokering type, with the most connected sows predominantly engaging in coordinating behavior. The results suggest that the motivation for discrimination in the unstable preferential association network was not founded upon bidirectional interactions. These findings highlight the complexities involved when forming social preferences and present a platform for further exploring the motivations for preferential associations among intensively farmed pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. Jowett
- Department of Animal Science, Writtle University College, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
- Department of Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Magdalenka, Poland
| | | | - Jonathan R. Amory
- Department of Animal Science, Writtle University College, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
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8
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da Fonseca de Oliveira AC, Costa LB, Weber SH, Ramayo-Caldas Y, Dalmau A. Mixed management in growing and finishing pigs: Differences between gender and their impacts on behavior, growth performance, and physiological parameters. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284481. [PMID: 37053260 PMCID: PMC10101475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Mixing, a common management strategy used to regroup pigs, has been reported to impair individual performance and affect pig welfare because of the establishment of a new social hierarchy after regrouping. In this study we aimed to determine whether mixing management (non-mixed vs. mixed) and gender (gilts vs. barrows) affect the social and non-social behavior, performance, and physiological parameters of pigs. A total of 96 growing pigs (48 barrows and 48 females) were separated into two treatments: control (CT)-pigs that were mixed once during the growing-finishing period; and social stress (SS)-pigs that were mixed thrice during the growing-finishing period. We recorded social and non-social behaviors, injury score, performance, and physiological parameters during the experimental period. Data were grouped by the period, based on each mix performed, and overall values. The statistical analysis performed considered gender and treatment. For treatment, during period-II and III, the SS group presented the highest frequency of agonistic interactions (AI), stayed longer lying laterally (LL) and sternly (LS), and explored more enrichment material (ER) than the CT group. Furthermore, SS pigs presented the highest injury score in the ear, head, and middle and posterior regions. Compared to the females, the barrows spent more time at the electronic feed station and initiated most of the agonistic interactions during period-II, and they presented a higher injury score for the ear and head regions during period-III. In conclusion, repeated regrouping significantly affected social and feeding behavior without severely altering performance and physiological parameters. Furthermore, different patterns of social and feeding behavior, agonistic interactions, and injury scores between barrows and females were observed. This study provides an understanding of the impact of mixing management and gender differences on pigs, and this knowledge can be used to improve swine productivity and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leandro Batista Costa
- Graduate Program of Animal Science, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná –PUCPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Saulo Henrique Weber
- Graduate Program of Animal Science, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná –PUCPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Yuliaxis Ramayo-Caldas
- Porcine Control and Evaluation, Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries–IRTA, Monells, Spain
| | - Antoni Dalmau
- Porcine Control and Evaluation, Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries–IRTA, Monells, Spain
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Taylor PS, Schrobback P, Verdon M, Lee C. An effective environmental enrichment framework for the continual improvement of production animal welfare. Anim Welf 2023; 32:e14. [PMID: 38487434 PMCID: PMC10936304 DOI: 10.1017/awf.2023.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Substrates and objects are provided to farm animals on the assumption that they improve animal welfare by enriching the environment, but these often fail to consider the extent to which an environmental enrichment (EE) improves animal welfare, if at all. Furthermore, there are numerous definitions of EE, each with a unique expectation. If expectations of animal welfare improvement are set too high, industry uptake may be thwarted, but if thresholds are set too low it will not result in meaningful improvements to animal welfare. We propose an EE framework based on revised definitions of EE that reflect improvements to various components of animal welfare: (i) pseudo-enrichment; (ii) EE for meeting basic needs; (iii) EE for pleasure; and (iv) EE for positive welfare balance. This framework requires short- and long-term assessments to determine the impact of the EE, although many are lacking in the production animal literature. Redefining EE with a focus on specific animal welfare outcomes will assist producers in identifying the optimal EE for their enterprise. Subsequently, we encourage dialogue between farmers, researchers and industry stakeholders when designing environmental enrichment programmes. This framework is a science-based tool that can be used to inform the development of clear EE assessment protocols and requirements for animal welfare legislation, assurance programmes and industry. This evidence-based framework ensures that the focus is on the outcome of EE programmes rather than the intent. Importantly, this framework has the flexibility to adapt even as baseline environments evolve, ensuring the continual improvement to production animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peta S Taylor
- School of Envrionmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, 2351, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Megan Verdon
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Burnie, TAS, Australia
| | - Caroline Lee
- CSIRO, Agriculture & Food, Locked Bag 1, Armidale, NSW2350, Australia
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10
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Zhao W, Yang N, Zhu L, Lin Y, Zhang Q, Shu G, Wang S, Gao P, Zhu X, Wang L, Jiang Q. Effect of different odors on the fighting behavior of weaning piglets after merging into a large pen. Anim Sci J 2023; 94:e13809. [PMID: 36653895 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
In intensive pig production, the fighting behavior of weaning piglets after merging pens is relatively common. Fighting behavior not only easily causes injury in pigs but also affects the production performance of pigs. To reduce fighting behavior in farms, this study aimed to explore the possible effect of odorous substances on piglet fighting behavior after merging into a large pen. Six different sprays were tested: original creamy, cheese flavor, orange flavor, truffle, vanilla and pigpen flavor. In each experiment, two groups were set (one odor-sprayed and no sprayed control), and 12 pigs were used per group. After mixing, the frequency of occurrence of various piglet behaviors in different pens was recorded. During this period, salivary cortisol levels and skin lesion scores were evaluated. As a result, the piglets sprayed with the original creamy, cheese flavor and vanilla substances obtained significantly higher average daily gain and feed intake and showed a significantly lower incidence of fighting behavior, and the skin lesion score and salivary cortisol of piglets were also reduced significantly. All the other odorous substances had no significant effects on the fighting behavior and production performance of piglets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Zhu
- Chuxiong Anyou Livestock Co., Chuxiong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yisheng Lin
- Guangdong Ruisheng Technology Group Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiman Zhang
- Guangdong Ruisheng Technology Group Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Shu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Songbo Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Gao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaotong Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lina Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingyan Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
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11
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Canine Socialisation: A Narrative Systematic Review. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12212895. [PMID: 36359020 PMCID: PMC9655304 DOI: 10.3390/ani12212895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
There are over 10 million pet dogs in the UK alone, and they have become a member of modern human families. If not properly socialised as puppies, dogs have a higher risk of problematic behaviours during adulthood, yet socialisation studies are lacking. Much of the experimental research was carried out at least 50 years ago, and the importance of socialisation was demonstrated so clearly that further studies with unsocialised controls would be deemed unethical. In this review, the aim was to evaluate all literature relevant to canine socialisation. This review used PRISMA-P guidelines to identify 29 studies: 14 were questionnaire-based studies (two of which also had a testing element), 15 included some form of experimental manipulation relating to socialisation, and one was a purely observational study. Based on this literature review, we recommend future research into minimum necessary socialisation levels, as well as breed differences in the timing of effective socialisation. Such studies will help owners and breeders produce well-adjusted adult dogs.
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12
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Golightly HR, Brown J, Bergeron R, Poljak Z, Seddon YM, O’Sullivan TL. Impact of two commercial weaning and transport strategies on piglet behaviour, body weight change, lesions and lameness following transport. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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13
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Analysis of social interactions in group-housed animals using dyadic linear modelsf. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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14
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Chou JY, Parsons TD. A systematic review of the impact of housing on sow welfare during post-weaning and early pregnancy periods. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:903822. [PMID: 36082213 PMCID: PMC9446151 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.903822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Breeder animals are an important focus in farm animal welfare assessments as they typically live the longest lives and are at the greatest risk for suffering due to their longevity. For breeding pigs, the time between the end of lactation (post-weaning) and the implantation of embryos (early gestation) is very dynamic from both a physiological and husbandry perspective. However, research to date is limited on how best to house and manage sows during this critical period of their production cycle from a welfare perspective. Previous animal-based welfare outcome measures were restricted to certain health, behavioral and physiological indicators. This systematic review used Web of Science to make in-depth comparisons among welfare-based studies that focus on sow housing during the post-weaning and early pregnancy period to identify important knowledge gaps. Only a small number of studies (n = 27) were found that met our systematic search criteria. Compared to stalls, group housing requires mixing of animals and always triggers more aggression and skin lesions at the time of mixing. The predominant use of health and physiological indicators constrained the animal-based welfare outcomes in these studies. Thus, what type of housing yields the best overall welfare outcome remains to be elucidated as none of the studies found explored the mental wellbeing of sows during this period. This systematic review defines a critical knowledge gap regarding the full impact of housing on the welfare of post-weaning and early gestation sows. This gap, and thus the true welfare impact of sow housing, will only be addressed by the use of novel, more holistic assessment methods that also capture the psychological state of the sow.
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Lee VE, Arnott G, Turner SP. Social behavior in farm animals: Applying fundamental theory to improve animal welfare. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:932217. [PMID: 36032304 PMCID: PMC9411962 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.932217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental understanding of behavior is essential to improving the welfare of billions of farm animals around the world. Despite living in an environment managed by humans, farm animals are still capable of making important behavioral decisions that influence welfare. In this review, we focus on social interactions as perhaps the most dynamic and challenging aspects of the lives of farm animals. Social stress is a leading welfare concern in livestock, and substantial variation in social behavior is seen at the individual and group level. Here, we consider how a fundamental understanding of social behavior can be used to: (i) understand agonistic and affiliative interactions in farm animals; (ii) identify how artificial environments influence social behavior and impact welfare; and (iii) provide insights into the mechanisms and development of social behavior. We conclude by highlighting opportunities to build on previous work and suggest potential fundamental hypotheses of applied relevance. Key areas for further research could include identifying the welfare benefits of socio–positive interactions, the potential impacts of disrupting important social bonds, and the role of skill in allowing farm animals to navigate competitive and positive social interactions. Such studies should provide insights to improve the welfare of farm animals, while also being applicable to other contexts, such as zoos and laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E. Lee
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Victoria E. Lee
| | - Gareth Arnott
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast, United Kingdom
| | - Simon P. Turner
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin‐Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Schmidt G, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Padalino B, Roberts HC, Stahl K, Velarde A, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Edwards S, Ivanova S, Leeb C, Wechsler B, Fabris C, Lima E, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Van der Stede Y, Vitali M, Spoolder H. Welfare of pigs on farm. EFSA J 2022; 20:e07421. [PMID: 36034323 PMCID: PMC9405538 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of pigs on farm, and is based on literature and expert opinion. All pig categories were assessed: gilts and dry sows, farrowing and lactating sows, suckling piglets, weaners, rearing pigs and boars. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal-based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. Recommendations are also provided on quantitative or qualitative criteria to answer specific questions on the welfare of pigs related to tail biting and related to the European Citizen's Initiative 'End the Cage Age'. For example, the AHAW Panel recommends how to mitigate group stress when dry sows and gilts are grouped immediately after weaning or in early pregnancy. Results of a comparative qualitative assessment suggested that long-stemmed or long-cut straw, hay or haylage is the most suitable material for nest-building. A period of time will be needed for staff and animals to adapt to housing lactating sows and their piglets in farrowing pens (as opposed to crates) before achieving stable welfare outcomes. The panel recommends a minimum available space to the lactating sow to ensure piglet welfare (measured by live-born piglet mortality). Among the main risk factors for tail biting are space allowance, types of flooring, air quality, health status and diet composition, while weaning age was not associated directly with tail biting in later life. The relationship between the availability of space and growth rate, lying behaviour and tail biting in rearing pigs is quantified and presented. Finally, the panel suggests a set of ABMs to use at slaughter for monitoring on-farm welfare of cull sows and rearing pigs.
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Franchi GA, Larsen MLV, Winters JFM, Jensen MB, Pedersen LJ. Investigating the effects of two weaning methods and two genetic hybrids on play behavior in weaner pigs (Sus scrofa). FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.909038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In conventional pig production, suckling pigs are typically weaned between 3 and 5 weeks of age. This involves separation from the sow, dietary change, and regrouping in a novel environment, which challenge the welfare of pigs. We investigated the effects of two weaning methods [conventional weaning: two litters mixed in a weaner pen of different size and design (MOVE) vs. litter staying in the farrowing pen after removing the sow (STAY)] and two genetic hybrids [DanBred Yorkshire × Landrace (approximately 21 total pigs born/litter; DB) vs. Topigs Norsvin TN70 Yorkshire × Landrace (approximately 16 total pigs born/litter with higher individual birth weight and weaning weight than DB; TN)] on play behavior across weaning. Both genetic hybrids were inseminated with semen of DanBred Duroc boars. Litters were reduced to the number of functional teats at birth. The durations of locomotor-rotational play (LOC) and social play (SOC) of 24 indoor-housed litters [pigs/litter: (average ± SD) 13 ± 2; age at the weaning day: 26 ± 2 days] were video-recorded continuously between 14:00 h and 22:00 h on days −1, 1, and 2 relative to weaning and statistically analyzed with mixed-effects modeling at the individual level. Before weaning, TN pigs performed LOC longer than DB pigs. On day 2 post-weaning, STAY pigs engaged in more SOC than MOVE pigs. Moreover, TN pigs and STAY pigs displayed a steeper increase in LOC from days 1 to 2 than DB pigs and MOVE pigs, respectively. We demonstrated that pigs belonging to the genetic hybrid with higher weight at birth and weaning spent more time playing on the day before weaning. Additionally, weaning pigs in the farrowing pen and, hence, avoiding social mixing and relocation to an unfamiliar environment had a positive effect on social play after weaning. Our study illustrates that weaning stress in pigs may be reduced by using a genetic hybrid featuring higher birth and weaning weight and by keeping litters intact in a familiar environment after weaning. This study also supports the use of play behavior as an animal welfare indicator.
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Guo Y, Zhao J, Xu Q, Gao S, Liu M, Zhang C, Schinckel AP, Zhou B. Identification of Functional Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Porcine SLC6A4 Gene Associated with Aggressive Behavior in Weaned Pigs after Mixing. J Anim Sci 2022; 100:6568350. [PMID: 35419600 PMCID: PMC9115910 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skac131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in genes of the serotonergic system influence aggressive behavior by affecting serotonin levels in the central and cortical nervous system. SLC6A4 (serotonin transporter) is a master regulator of 5-HT signaling and involved in the regulation of aggressive behavior in humans and rodents. To identify potential functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for the porcine SLC6A4 gene associated with aggressive behavior, a total of 500 pigs (268 barrows and 232 gilts) were selected and mixed in 51 pens. Their behavior was recorded and observed for 72 h after mixing. Based on a composite aggressive score (CAS), the most aggressive and the least aggressive pigs within each pen were selected separately (a total of 204 pigs). Ear tissue was sampled to extract genomic DNA. Eight SNPs in the 5'-flanking region, coding region, and 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of SLC6A4 were genotyped, of which 6 SNPs had significant differences (P < 0.05) in allele frequency between the most aggressive and least aggressive pigs. Luciferase activity was greater in plasmids of genotype GG than plasmids of genotype CC of rs345058216 (P < 0.01). Computational analysis nominated MAZ as putative transcription factor (TF) with higher probability to bind the SLC6A4 promoter at the SNP (rs345058216) site. Also, we demonstrated that MAZ overexpression modulates SLC6A4 promoter activity in allele-specific manner with an in vitro assay. In addition, we demonstrated that SLC6A4 was a direct target of miR-671-5p. The dual luciferase reporter gene assay and cell transfection were performed to examine the role of miR-671-5p in regulating SLC6A4 expression. The luciferase assays revealed that the SNP rs332335871 affects regulation of miR-671-5p in SLC6A4 expression. After overexpression of miR-671-5p in porcine primary neural cells, the SLC6A4 mRNA levels can be significantly reduced. In conclusion, we here found that miR-671-5p and MAZ mediated porcine SLC6A4 expression level, which provides the possible molecular mechanism of aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Guo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qinglei Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Siyuan Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mingzheng Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chunlei Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Allan P Schinckel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA
| | - Bo Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Luo L, van der Zande LE, van Marwijk MA, Knol EF, Rodenburg TB, Bolhuis JE, Parois SP. Impact of Enrichment and Repeated Mixing on Resilience in Pigs. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:829060. [PMID: 35400108 PMCID: PMC8988148 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.829060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Resilience, the capacity of animals to be minimally affected by a disturbance or to rapidly bounce back to the state before the challenge, may be improved by enrichment, but negatively impacted by a high allostatic load from stressful management procedures in pigs. We investigated the combined effects of diverging environmental conditions from weaning and repeated mixing to create high allostatic load on resilience of pigs. Pigs were either exposed to barren housing conditions (B) from weaning onwards or provided with sawdust, extra toys, regular access to a “play arena” and daily positive human contact (E). Half of the pigs were exposed to repeated mixing (RM) and the other half to one mixing only at weaning (minimal mixing, MM). To assess their resilience, the response to and recovery from a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) sickness challenge and a Frustration challenge were studied. In addition, potential long-term resilience indicators, i.e. natural antibodies, hair cortisol and growth were measured. Some indications of more favorable responses to the challenges in E pigs were found, such as lower serum reactive oxygen metabolite (dROM) concentrations and a smaller area under the curve of dROM after LPS injection. In the Frustration challenge, E pigs showed less standing alert, escape behaviors and other negative behaviors, a tendency for a smaller area under the curve of salivary cortisol and a lower plasma cortisol level at 1 h after the challenge. Aggression did not decrease over mixings in RM pigs and was higher in B pigs than in E pigs. Repeated mixing did not seem to reduce resilience. Contrary to expectations, RM pigs showed a higher relative growth than MM pigs during the experiment, especially in the week of the challenges. Barren RM pigs showed a lower plasma cortisol concentration than barren MM pigs after the LPS challenge, which may suggest that those RM pigs responded less detrimentally than MM pigs. Enriched RM pigs showed a higher level of IgM antibodies binding keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) than enriched MM and barren RM pigs, and RM pigs showed a sharper decline in IgG antibodies binding Bovine Serum Albumin (PC-BSA) over time than MM pigs. Hair cortisol concentrations were not affected by enrichment or mixing. To conclude, enrichment did not enhance the speed of recovery from challenges in pigs, although there were indications of reduced stress. Repeated as opposed to single mixing did not seem to aggravate the negative effects of barren housing on resilience and for some parameters even seemed to reduce the negative effects of barren housing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Luo
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Lisette E. van der Zande
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Manon A. van Marwijk
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | | | - T. Bas Rodenburg
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - J. Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: J. Elizabeth Bolhuis
| | - Severine P. Parois
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- PEGASE, INRAE, Institut Agro, Saint-Gilles, France
- Epidemiology Health and Welfare Research Unit, Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), Ploufragan, France
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20
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Camerlink I, Farish M, Arnott G, Turner SP. Sexual dimorphism in ritualized agonistic behaviour, fighting ability and contest costs of Sus scrofa. Front Zool 2022; 19:13. [PMID: 35279172 PMCID: PMC8917762 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-022-00458-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sexual selection has driven sexual dimorphism in agonistic behaviour in many species. Agonistic behaviour is fundamentally altered by domestication and captivity, but it is unclear whether ancestral sex differences remain. We aimed to evaluate the effect of sex on agonistic behaviour, fighting ability and contest costs. We studied this in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) where aggression compromises welfare, and sexual dimorphism in aggression has been inconclusively demonstrated. Behaviour and physiology of 827 male and female juvenile pigs were studied during resident-intruder tests and dyadic contests at various ages, while accounting for the relative body weight difference between the opponents. Results Males won in 79% of contests against females, even when at a large weight disadvantage. The effect of sex increased with age, with males having a 138 times higher likelihood of winning than females when 13 weeks old. In dyadic contests, males invested more time in non-damaging agonistic display behaviour and took longer before escalating into damaging aggression. Males showed ritualized display that included foaming from the mouth and piloerection of the neck hair, which was nearly always absent in females. Contest costs in terms of contest duration, blood lactate and skin lesions where higher for males, especially when fighting another male. Conclusions Profound sex differences were present for agonistic behaviour, fighting ability and contest costs, and became more pronounced as animals got older. Males invested more in ritualized display before escalating into costly fights, whereas females attacked sooner but also terminated contests more rapidly and with fewer costs. The sexual dimorphism in agonistic behaviour in juvenile domestic pigs is in line with the evolutionary relevance for females’ maternal defence and males’ competition for females.
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Sow Behavior During Introduction to a Large Dynamic Group is Influenced by Familiarity and Method. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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22
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Carcass Lesion Severity and Pre-Slaughter Conditions in Heavy Pigs: A Prospective Study at a Commercial Abattoir in Northern Italy. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12031078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Pre-slaughter conditions and their effects on carcass quality have been largely addressed for pigs of 90–100 kg live weight, while few studies consider the effects of pre-slaughter conditions on the quality of the carcasses obtained from heavy pigs intended for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) production. A total of 1680 heavy pigs were transported in 72 batches from a farm to a commercial abattoir on 16 different days, avoiding mixing unfamiliar animals. Slaughterhouse conditions, animal behaviors, and human–animal interactions were annotated at unloading and during the race toward the stunning cage. Carcass lesions on the rear, middle, and shoulder parts of the carcasses were scored. The prevalence of carcasses with severe lesions was 6.92%, 11.87%, and 6.83%, for the rear, middle, and shoulder parts, respectively. Among the pre-slaughter events, waiting before unloading and improper handling practices at the abattoir were the major factors affecting carcass lesion severity. Lairage pen space allowance was also found to affect severe rear and shoulder lesions, and the batches that were transported in the trailer had an increased prevalence of severe shoulder lesions. Our results suggest waiting time before unloading should be shortened as much as possible, and educational programs to train operators for more careful management of animals in the abattoir are greatly required to avoid improper animal handling practices.
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The Social Life of Pigs: Changes in Affiliative and Agonistic Behaviors following Mixing. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020206. [PMID: 35049828 PMCID: PMC8773374 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Aggression in pigs is a major welfare concern in the pig industry as pigs fight when mixed into new social groups. Most attempts to solve this problem have focused on reducing agonistic behavior. However, another approach could be to study positive social behaviors in pigs and examine how these relate to aggressive behaviors. Understanding the full social experience of pigs and how affiliative behaviors may mitigate aggression could lead to better selection and management of pigs. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the prevalence and change in performance of potentially affiliative behaviors in pigs after a mixing event, as well as how these behaviors relate to the amount of aggression shown. In this study, the prevalence of suspected affiliative behaviors changed for up to 9 weeks following mixing pigs into a new social group, with nosing decreasing following mixing, and play and non-agonistic contact increasing. All affiliative behaviors were negatively related to agonistic behavior at mixing but nosing and play behaviors were positively related to agonistic behavior in the weeks after mixing. Non-agonistic physical contact was consistently related to less agonistic behavior and therefore could be an indicator of positive social relationships between pigs. Further research could explore how to promote non-agonistic contact and other positive social behaviors among pigs to help reduce agonistic behaviors. Abstract This study investigated potentially affiliative behaviors in grow-finish pigs, how these behaviors changed over time and their relationship to agonistic behaviors. A total of 257 Yorkshire barrows were observed for agonistic (reciprocal fights, attacks) and affiliative (nosing, play, non-agonistic contact) behaviors after mixing (at 10 weeks of age), and weeks 3, 6, and 9 after mix. The least square means of affiliative behaviors were compared across time points. Relationships among affiliative and agonistic behaviors were assessed using generalized linear mixed models. Non-agonistic contact with conspecifics increased until week 6 then remained stable between weeks 6 and 9. Nosing was highest at mix, then decreased in the following weeks. Play was lowest at mix and highest at week 3. Affiliative behaviors were negatively related with aggression at mix (p < 0.001). Pigs who engaged in play and nosing behaviors were more likely to be involved in agonistic interactions in the weeks after mixing (p < 0.05), while pigs engaging in non-agonistic contact were less likely to be involved in agonistic interactions (p < 0.001). There appear to be relationships between affiliative and agonistic behaviors in pigs, with contact being the most predictive of less aggression. Future studies could focus on promoting positive non-agonistic contact in unfamiliar pigs as a way to mitigate aggressive interactions.
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Pastorelli G, Serra V, Turin L, Redaelli V, Luzi F, Barbieri S. Tranquillizing Effect of Passiflora incarnata Extract: Outcome on Behavioral and Physiological Indicators in Weaning Pigs with Intact Tails. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020203. [PMID: 35049826 PMCID: PMC8773376 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Post-weaning is the most critical phase in pig farming, characterized by efforts to ensure health, performance and welfare of animals. Despite that EU Directive 2008/120/EC prohibits the practice of tail docking, it is still commonly applied in intensive farming to avoid tail biting. From a nutritional perspective, the dietary supplementation with natural extracts with calming properties could represent a promising approach to overcome common production stressors, reducing abnormal behaviors such as tail biting. This study intended to determine the effects of the dietary inclusion of Passiflora incarnata, known for its tranquillizing activity, on skin lesions, thermal imaging, behavior, salivary cortisol and IgA levels on post-weaning piglets reared with intact tails. Growth performances were also monitored. No differences were recorded between diets regarding growth performance, whereas findings concerning aggressive and abnormal behaviors, such as tail and ear biting, and lower levels of cortisol confirmed the hypothesis of the calming effect of P. incarnata on post-weaning piglets. Abstract Tail docking has been used in the pig industry to decrease the occurrence of tail biting behavior. This abnormal behavior has a multifactorial origin since it is a response to simultaneous environmental, nutritional and management changes. Given the calming properties of Passiflora incarnata, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation with the extract in weaned pigs could result in a modification of behavior and physiologic indicators linked to stress. Weaned piglets (n = 120, mean body weight 9.07 ± 2.30 kg) were randomly allocated to one of two dietary treatments: control diet (CON) and CON supplemented with 1 kg/t of P. incarnata (PAS). The trial was 28 days long. The presence of skin lesions was assessed at d-1, d-10, d-19, and d-28, and saliva samples were collected for IgA and cortisol determinations at the same sampling times. Results showed the PAS group was characterized by equal growth performance as the CON group, fewer ear lesions (p < 0.05), less aggressive behavior (p < 0.001), higher enrichment exploration (p < 0.001) and lower cortisol levels (p < 0.01). Time effect was observed for tail lesions (p < 0.001) and behavioral observations (p < 0.001). Additional research is required to determine the effect of P. incarnata extract using a larger number of animals and longer period of supplementation when risks associated with tail biting are uncontrolled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grazia Pastorelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
| | - Valentina Serra
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
- Correspondence: (V.S.); (L.T.); Tel.: +39-02-503-34762 (V.S.); +39-02-503-34518 (L.T.)
| | - Lauretta Turin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
- Correspondence: (V.S.); (L.T.); Tel.: +39-02-503-34762 (V.S.); +39-02-503-34518 (L.T.)
| | - Veronica Redaelli
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Via della Commenda 10, 20100 Milano, Italy; (V.R.); (F.L.)
| | - Fabio Luzi
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Via della Commenda 10, 20100 Milano, Italy; (V.R.); (F.L.)
| | - Sara Barbieri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
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The structure and temporal changes in brokerage typologies applied to a dynamic sow herd. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Pigs' skin lesions at weaning are primarily caused by standoff and being bullied instead of unilateral active attack at the individual level. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Lying in spatial proximity and active social behaviours capture different information when analysed at group level in indoor-housed pigs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Oldham L, Arnott G, Camerlink I, Doeschl-Wilson A, Farish M, Wemelsfelder F, Turner SP. Once bitten, twice shy: Aggressive and defeated pigs begin agonistic encounters with more negative emotions. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021; 244:105488. [PMID: 34819712 PMCID: PMC8593554 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Aggression between unfamiliar commercial pigs is common and likely invokes strong emotions in contestants. Furthermore, contest outcomes affect subsequent aggressive behaviour, suggesting a potential lasting influence on affective state. Here we used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the emotional expression of pigs in agonistic encounters. We investigated how recent victory or defeat influences emotions expressed in a subsequent contest, and the role of aggressiveness as a personality trait in emotional expression. We observed the pre-escalation contest behaviour (second contest; age 13 wks) in animals of different aggressiveness (categorised using two resident intruder tests as Agg+ or Agg-, age 9 wks), which had recently won or lost a contest (first contest; 10 wks). We measured gaze direction and ear position. Observers watched video clips of the initial 30 s of the second contest and evaluated the emotional expression of 57 pigs (25 contest 1 winners, 32 contest 1 losers) using qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) with a fixed list of 20 descriptive terms. QBA identified three principal components (PCs), accounting for 68% of the variation: PC1 (agitated/tense to relaxed/content), PC2 (fearful/aimless to confident/enjoying) and PC3 (listless/ indifferent). Agg- pigs and males showed a more positive emotionality (PC2). PC1 and PC3 were unaffected by first contest outcome and aggressiveness. Agg+ pigs were more likely to hold their ears back (X2 =7.8, p = 0.005) during the early contest period. Differences in attention were detected in the contest outcome × aggressiveness interaction (χ24.3, p = 0.04), whereby approaching the opponent was influenced by winning and losing in the Agg- pigs only. QBA and gaze behaviour reveal differences in emotional valence between pigs of different aggressiveness: less aggressive pigs may be more susceptible to the emotional impact of victory and defeat but overall, more aggressive pigs express more negative emotionality at the start of agonistic encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Oldham
- Animal Behaviour & Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Rd, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Gareth Arnott
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Irene Camerlink
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ul. Postepu 36 A, Jastrzebiec, Magdalenka 05-552, Poland
| | - Andrea Doeschl-Wilson
- The Roslin Institute & R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Marianne Farish
- Animal Behaviour & Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Rd, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Francoise Wemelsfelder
- Animal Behaviour & Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Rd, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Simon P. Turner
- Animal Behaviour & Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Rd, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
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Effects of two different early socialization models on social behavior and physiology of suckling piglets. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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Synthetic Olfactory Agonist Use in the Farrowing House to Reduce Sow Distress and Improve Piglet Survival. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11092613. [PMID: 34573580 PMCID: PMC8470681 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of the study was to investigate if the application of a synthetic olfactory agonist (SOA) would reduce indicators of stress in sows, in response to a stressor prior to parturition, and if it would improve farrowing house performance of sows and their piglets. Two studies were conducted: an intensive study with 47 sows, either having their first or second litter (Control n = 24; SOA n = 23); and a commercial validation study with 418 sows, either having their first litter or have had multiple litters (Control n = 210; SOA n = 208). Within the intensive study, sows were housed with or without a synthetic olfactory agonist suspended in the creep area of the farrowing crate, whereas within the commercial validation study, sows were housed with or without a synthetic olfactory agonist suspended over the adjoining creep area of two farrowing crates. Within the intensive study, despite a discernible increase in cortisol concentration in response to a stressor (snout rope test), cortisol response was not different between treatments (p > 0.05). Farrowing duration in first-litter sows exposed to the SOA was decreased (p < 0.001) whilst there was no impact on farrowing duration in second litter sows. Piglets were not attracted by the SOA to increase their utilisation of the creep area and spent more time in proximity to the sow (p < 0.05). Within the commercial validation study, no impacts were seen on piglet production measures (p > 0.05). Largely the use of an SOA within the farrowing house did not impact the sow or her piglets in either the intensive study or commercial validation study. Based on these current results, the use of SOA within the farrowing house is not supported.
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Hubbard AJ, Foster MJ, Daigle CL. Impact of social mixing on beef and dairy cattle—A scoping review. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Lange A, Hahne M, Lambertz C, Gauly M, Wendt M, Janssen H, Traulsen I. Effects of Different Housing Systems during Suckling and Rearing Period on Skin and Tail Lesions, Tail Losses and Performance of Growing and Finishing Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2184. [PMID: 34438642 PMCID: PMC8388409 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Feasible alternatives to stressful weaning and tail-docking are needed to inhibit tail biting. Therefore, we investigated the effects of housing systems for 1106 pigs that were weaned from: (1) conventional farrowing crates (FC), (2) free-farrowing pens (FF), or (3) group housing of lactating sows (GH) into (1) conventional rearing pens (Conv) or (2) piglets remained in their farrowing pens for rearing (Reaf). Tails were docked or left undocked batchwise. All pigs were regrouped for the fattening period. Pigs were scored for skin lesions, tail lesions and losses. After weaning, Conv-GH pigs had significantly less skin lesions than Conv-FC and Conv-FF pigs. After regrouping for fattening, Reaf-GH pigs had significantly less skin lesions than Conv pigs, Reaf-FC and Reaf-FF. The frequency of tail lesions of undocked Conv pigs peaked in week 4 (66.8%). Two weeks later, Reaf undocked pigs reached their maximum (36.2%). At the end of fattening, 99.3% of undocked Conv pigs and 43.1% of undocked Reaf pigs lost parts of their tail. In conclusion, the co-mingling of piglets during suckling reduced the incidence of skin lesions. Rearing in the farrowing pen significantly reduced the incidence of tail lesions and losses for undocked pigs. No housing system negatively affected the performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Lange
- Department of Animal Sciences, Livestock Systems, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Michael Hahne
- Clinic for Swine, Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany; (M.H.); (M.W.)
| | - Christian Lambertz
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Piazza Università 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (C.L.); (M.G.)
| | - Matthias Gauly
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Piazza Università 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; (C.L.); (M.G.)
| | - Michael Wendt
- Clinic for Swine, Small Ruminants, Forensic Medicine and Ambulatory Service, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany; (M.H.); (M.W.)
| | - Heiko Janssen
- Chamber of Agriculture of Lower Saxony, Mars-la-Tour-Straße 6, 26121 Oldenburg, Germany;
| | - Imke Traulsen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Livestock Systems, Georg-August-University, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 3, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;
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Tzanidakis C, Simitzis P, Arvanitis K, Panagakis P. An overview of the current trends in precision pig farming technologies. Livest Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Lay DC, Enneking SA, Anderson NC, Richert BT, Sapkota A. Effect of short-term high tryptophan diet fed to sows on their subsequent piglet behavior. Transl Anim Sci 2021; 5:txab127. [PMID: 35990806 PMCID: PMC8427170 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txab127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Housing sows in groups create the challenge of decreasing fighting amongst sows. One proposed method to do so is to feed a high tryptophan diet, but the effect on the fetus is unknown. To investigate this, 66 sows were fed one of three diets: Control (0.14% SID tryptophan), Medium (0.28% SID tryptophan), or High (0.42% SID tryptophan), from days 28 to 35 of gestation. Sows gestated in standard gestation stalls. Blood samples were taken on day 27 prior to and on day 35 after tryptophan supplementation. On days 1, 2, and 3, nursing bouts were observed so as to record disputes and displacements from teat competition. The piglets' activity and fighting were recorded on days 3, 7, and 11 from 0700 to 1700 h. On day 12, four piglets per litter were blood sampled: two to be used in later behavior tests and two to act as controls for blood cortisol levels. On day 14, the two behavior test piglets from each litter were subjected to a 10-min Isolation Test and 5-min Human Approach Test. On day 15, the behavior test piglets were paired by sex and treatment (for example, a male Medium piglet paired with another male Medium piglet from a different crate) and each pair was subjected to a 10-min Social Challenge Test and immediately blood sampled. Piglet cortisol and serotonin did not differ among treatments (P > 0.10). There were no differences (P > 0.10) for number born (12.7 ± 0.4), born alive (11.7 ± 0.4), or mortality (1.1 ± 0.2). Behavior during nursing bouts was similar, with no treatment differences in number of disputes or displacements, and similar bout lengths among treatments (199.5 ± 4.6 s, P > 0.10). No differences were detected for any of the variables for Isolation or the Human Approach Tests (P > 0.10). During the Social Challenge Test, High piglets had more contacts approaching the head of the companion piglet than did either Medium or Control piglets (14.3 ± 1.1, 10.7 ± 1.1, and 9.69 ± 0.8, respectively, P < 0.02). Total number of aggressive interactions during the test tended to be greater for Medium piglets compared to High piglets (9.3 ± 1.5 vs 5.1 ± 0.9, P < 0.07). Time budget data of the litter indicate that piglets from all three treatments spent equal amounts of time active and inactive (P > 0.10). Aggression was low with 0.3 ± 0.04% of piglets displaying aggressive behavior. Feeding high concentrations of tryptophan for a short duration early in gestation does not have a negative impact on sows' subsequent offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald C Lay
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Stacey A Enneking
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Nichole C Anderson
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Brian T Richert
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Avi Sapkota
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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Vitali M, Nannoni E, Sardi L, Martelli G. Knowledge and Perspectives on the Welfare of Italian Heavy Pigs on Farms. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1690. [PMID: 34204037 PMCID: PMC8227195 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This review aims to give an overview of the most significant available information on welfare issues of Italian heavy pigs on farms. These animals, whose meat is used to produce typical products, are characterized by much higher body weights and age at slaughter (approximately 160-170 kg, and 9 months of age) than most pigs reared in Europe, resulting in peculiar behavioral and rearing-related needs. To highlight the main findings and the areas in which additional research is needed, the paper was organized by allocating the studies on the basis of the Welfare Quality four principles framework, i.e., good feeding, good housing, good health, and appropriate behavior. The results indicate the possibility of improvement with regard to the management of feeding, watering, and some environmental parameters (light, thermal comfort, enrichments) and a lack of knowledge on the actual space requirements (and a corresponding regulatory gap). Moreover, deficiencies concerning the prevalence of injuries and disease and the relationship between lesions observed post-mortem and rearing conditions needs to be addressed. Lastly, the absence of research concerning the evaluation of the emotional state of animals has been highlighted. It is hoped that these findings will, in the future, serve as a basis for the development of specific policies for these animals in order to increase the ethical value of the entire production chain, in accordance with consumers' demand and expectation for high animal welfare standards.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eleonora Nannoni
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40064 Bologna, Italy; (M.V.); (L.S.); (G.M.)
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O Malley CI, Steibel JP, Bates RO, Ernst CW, Siegford JM. Time budgets of group-housed pigs in relation to social aggression and production. J Anim Sci 2021; 99:6217332. [PMID: 33830212 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skab110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Commercial producers house growing pigs by sex and weight to allow for efficient use of resources and provide pigs the welfare benefits of interacting with their conspecifics and more freedom of movement. However, the introduction of unfamiliar pigs can cause increased aggression for 24 to 48 h as pigs establish social relationships. To address this issue, a better understanding of pig behavior is needed. The objectives of this study were to quantify time budgets of pigs following introduction into a new social group and how these changed over time and to investigate how social aggression influences the overall time budgets and production parameters. A total of 257 grow-finish Yorkshire barrows across 20 pens were introduced into new social groups at 10 wk of age (~23 kg) and observed for aggression and time budgets of behavior at four periods: immediately after introduction and 3, 6, and 9 wk later. Pigs were observed for the duration of total aggression and initiated aggression (s) for 9 h after introduction and for 4 h at 3, 6, and 9 wk later. Time budgets were created by scan sampling inactive, movement, ingestion, social, and exploration behaviors every 2 min for 4 h in the afternoon and summarizing the proportion of time each behavior was performed by period. The least square means of each behavior were compared across time points. Pigs spent most of their time inactive. In general, the greatest change in pig behavior was observed between introduction and week 3 (P < 0.003), with gradual changes throughout the study period as pigs became more inactive (week 3 vs. week 6: P = 0.209; week 6 vs. week 9: P = 0.007) and spent less time on other behaviors. Pigs' nonaggressive behavior and production parameters were compared with aggression using generalized linear mixed models. The time pigs spent on nonaggressive behaviors was negatively related to aggression (P < 0.045) with few exceptions. Initiated aggression after introduction was negatively related to loin muscle area (P = 0.003). These results show how finishing pigs spend their time in commercial facilities and indicate that behavior continues to change for up to 9 wk after introduction into a new social group. Efforts to reduce chronic levels of aggression should focus on promoting nonaggressive behaviors, such as exploration and movement, after the initial fighting that occurs immediately after introduction has waned, and should be implemented for up to 9 wk after introduction into new social groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly I O Malley
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Juan P Steibel
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Ronald O Bates
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Catherine W Ernst
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Janice M Siegford
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Vitali M, Bosi P, Santacroce E, Trevisi P. The multivariate approach identifies relationships between pre-slaughter factors, body lesions, ham defects and carcass traits in pigs. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251855. [PMID: 34014995 PMCID: PMC8136735 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Abattoir meat inspection has been proposed for the collection of welfare outcomes. The identification of suitable animal-based measures (ABM) is still a critical point that needs to be implemented to avoid collinearity among measures. The present study aims to benchmark the presence of ABM such as skin and tail lesions and ham defects in carcasses from 79 batches of Italian Heavy pigs and to identify possible relationships between the assessed ABM and pre-slaughter factors such as the season and the overnight lairage. Furthermore, the study also considers the effect of pre-slaughter conditions and ABM on carcass traits parameters (cold carcass weight and lean meat percentage). Skin and tail lesions were recorded at the slaughter line. The presence of abscesses, muscle tears and veining defects were assessed in the hams at trimming, according to the Parma Ham Consortium. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify relationships between ABM and pre-slaughter factor; therefore, a linear model was built to assess the effect on carcass weight and lean meat percentage. Main welfare issues were represented by skin and tail lesions and muscle tears (prevalence above 10%). Multivariate analysis evidenced that skin lesions and veining defects were mostly associated with the warm season. Abscesses and muscle tears in the hams were more likely related to overnight lairage, while tail lesions contributed equally to both season and lairage. Moreover, lairage related factors showed to affect lean meat percentage. The findings of the present study suggest that ham defects might be useful indicators of pre-slaughter stress. The validation of these findings with physiological parameters could be of interest for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marika Vitali
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Technologies (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Bosi
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Technologies (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Santacroce
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Technologies (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Trevisi
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Technologies (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Peden RSE, Turner SP, Camerlink I, Akaichi F. An estimation of the financial consequences of reducing pig aggression. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250556. [PMID: 33951074 PMCID: PMC8099067 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal welfare scientists have accumulated knowledge and developed interventions to improve livestock welfare, but these are poorly adopted in commercial practice. Animal welfare interventions are rarely tested for economic viability and this limits their uptake. This study employs Stochastic Partial Budgeting (SPB) to determine the viability of animal welfare improvements. Aggression between pigs is used as an example because there is a large literature base from which to draw interventions, and the problem has persisted for decades without resolution. Costs and benefits of three interventions to control aggression (pre-weaning socialisation, synthetic maternal pheromones and large social groups) were estimated by reviewing the academic and industry literature and by conducting a survey of sixteen pig farmers. The net effects were compared to farmers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for interventions to reduce aggression as identified by recent research. Results are consistent with prior research which indicates that improving animal welfare generally comes at a cost to producers. Nevertheless, pre-weaning socialisation resulted in a neutral or positive net effect 38% of the time and should be central to campaigns promoting the control of aggression in the industry. Exposing pigs to synthetic maternal pheromones did not improve profitability but the net costs were small and within the realms of WTP for a sub-group of farmers with animal welfare goals. The net costs of converting existing buildings in order to house pigs in large social groups were beyond the realms of farmers’ WTP. The approach adopted in this study, of combining SPB with WTP from the sector, should be extended to other animal welfare issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S. E. Peden
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Simon P. Turner
- Animal Behaviour & Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Research Group, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Irene Camerlink
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Faical Akaichi
- Department of Rural Economy, Environment and Society, Scotland’s Rural College, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Mesarec N, Skok J, Škorjanc D, Prevolnik Povše M. Group dynamics in a spontaneously established group of newly weaned piglets. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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40
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Jowett S, Amory J. The stability of social prominence and influence in a dynamic sow herd: A social network analysis approach. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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41
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Lagoda ME, O'Driscoll K, Marchewka J, Foister S, Turner SP, Boyle LA. Associations between skin lesion counts, hair cortisol concentrations and reproductive performance in group housed sows. Livest Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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42
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Larzul C. How to Improve Meat Quality and Welfare in Entire Male Pigs by Genetics. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030699. [PMID: 33807677 PMCID: PMC7998615 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Successful breeding of entire male pigs needs a better understanding of factors driving meat quality and behavior traits as entire male pigs have lower meat quality, including an occasional strong defect known as boar taint, and more aggressive and sexual behavior. The review provides an update on how genetic factors affecting boar taint compounds and aggressive behavior in male pigs with emphasis on application in selection. Abstract Giving up surgical castration is desirable to avoid pain during surgery but breeding entire males raises issues on meat quality, particularly on boar taint, and aggression. It has been known for decades that boar taint is directly related to sexual development in uncastrated male pigs. The proportion of tainted carcasses depends on many factors, including genetics. The selection of lines with a low risk of developing boar taint should be considered as the most desirable solution in the medium to long term. It has been evidenced that selection against boar taint is feasible, and has been set up in a balanced way in some pig populations to counterbalance potential unfavorable effects on reproductive performances. Selection against aggressive behaviors, though theoretically feasible, faces phenotyping challenges that compromise selection in practice. In the near future, new developments in modelization, automatic recording, and genomic data will help define breeding objectives to solve entire male meat quality and welfare issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Larzul
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment INRAE, ENVT, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France
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43
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Keeping littermates together instead of social mixing benefits pig social behaviour and growth post-weaning. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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44
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Bushby EV, Dye L, Collins LM. Is Magnesium Supplementation an Effective Nutritional Method to Reduce Stress in Domestic Pigs? A Systematic Review. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:596205. [PMID: 33511164 PMCID: PMC7835408 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.596205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In commercial pig production, stressful events are common and can have detrimental impacts on the pig's health and welfare, as well as on the performance of the farm. Supplementary magnesium may reduce stress, and subsequent harmful and aggressive behaviors, that occur during stressful events, such as regrouping. However, reports on the efficacy of this treatment are mixed. We aimed to systematically review the studies in which magnesium was given to pigs to examine the effects on measures of stress. Of the 16 studies included in the final corpus, 10 reported at least one statistically significant beneficial effect of supplementary magnesium on reducing stress. However, two studies found that magnesium significantly increased stress suggesting supplementary dietary magnesium may be harmful in some cases. Overall, there are a limited number of studies investigating the possible effect of magnesium on reducing stress in pigs, and although results were varied, the majority found beneficial effects of supplementary magnesium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily V Bushby
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Dye
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M Collins
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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My pigs are ok, why change? - animal welfare accounts of pig farmers. Animal 2021; 15:100154. [PMID: 33573976 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2020.100154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Intensive pig production systems are a source of stress, which is linked to reduced animal welfare and increased antimicrobial use. As the gatekeepers of the welfare of the animals under their care, farmers are seen as the stakeholder responsible for improving animal welfare. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitudes of pig farmers towards pig welfare and the impact of such attitudes on farmers' selection of management strategies on the farm. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 44 pig farmers in one of the main pig producing regions of Brazil. Interviews covered knowledge and attitudes towards pig sentience and behaviour and welfare-related issues commonly observed in intensive pig farms (belly-nosing, fights, tail-biting, diarrhoea and castration without pain control) and farmers' conception and attitudes towards pig welfare. We identified many management and animal-based indicators of poor welfare, such as the use of painful and stressful management practices and use of environments that limit the expression of natural behaviours. However, most farmers were satisfied with animal welfare standards at their farms. Farmers' perceptions are aligned with their understanding of animal welfare. Although they identified all the dimensions that impact the welfare of a pig on a farm (affect, biological functioning and naturalness), their social reality, industry demands and available advice pushed them to perceive their range of action limited to biological and environmental aspects of the animals that do not necessarily benefit affective state. This precluded farmers from making associations between good health and the animal's ability to express a full behavioural repertoire, as well as from viewing abnormal behaviours as problems. The negative consequences for the welfare of the animals were commonly alleviated by routines that relied on constant use of medication, including high dependence on antibiotics. Expressions of estrangement from the production chain were common voices among the participants. This suggests that farmers may not be sufficiently informed or engaged in responding to consumers' expectations and commitments made by companies, which can pose a severe economic risk for farmers. The findings of this study indicate that economic, technical and social factors restrict farmers' autonomy and their ability to perform their role as stewards of animal welfare. (Re)connecting different human, animal and environmental interests may be a step to changing this scenario.
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Camp Montoro J, Boyle LA, Solà-Oriol D, Muns R, Gasa J, Garcia Manzanilla E. Effect of space allowance and mixing on growth performance and body lesions of grower-finisher pigs in pens with a single wet-dry feeder. Porcine Health Manag 2021; 7:7. [PMID: 33407880 PMCID: PMC7786905 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-020-00187-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low space allowance (SA) and mixing may result in reduced growth performance (GP) and animal welfare issues because of adverse social behaviours directed to pen mates. This could be exacerbated in pens with single space feeders owing to social facilitation of feeding behaviour. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of SA and mixing on GP and body lesions (BL) in pens with one single space wet-dry feeder. RESULTS Two experiments were conducted on grower-finisher pigs from 10 to 21 weeks of age. In Exp1, pigs (N = 216) were assigned to three SA; 0.96 m2/pig (n = 6 pens; 10 pigs/pen; SA96), 0.84 m2/pig (n = 6; 12 pigs/pen; SA84) and 0.72 m2/pig (n = 6; 14 pigs/pen; SA72), in a randomized design. In Exp2, pigs (N = 230) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial randomized design considering SA and mixing as treatments. Pigs were assigned to two SA; 0.96 m2/pig (n = 10 pens; 10 pigs/pen; SA96) and 0.78 m2/pig (n = 10; 13 pigs/pen; SA78) and were either mixed or not at the entry to the finishing facility. GP was not affected by SA (P > 0.05) in either experiment. In Exp2, non-mixed pigs were 5.4 kg heavier (P < 0.001), gained 74 g more per day (P = 0.004), consumed 101.8 g more of feed per day (P = 0.007) and tended to have higher feed efficiency (P = 0.079) than mixed pigs from 11 to 21 weeks of age. Number of BL was affected by SA in both experiments. In Exp1, SA72 pigs had 74.4 and 97.4% more BL than SA96 and SA84 pigs at 20 weeks of age respectively (P < 0.01). In Exp2, SA78 pigs had 48.6, 43.6 and 101.3% more BL than SA96 pigs at 12, 16 and 21 weeks of age respectively (P < 0.05). Mixing did not affect the number of BL from 12 to 21 weeks of age in Exp2 (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Mixing had a considerable effect on growth performance thus, strategies to avoid or mitigate mixing should be considered. Although space allowance had no effect on growth performance, high number of body lesions in the lower space allowance indicates that space allowances equal or below 0.78 m2/pig are detrimental to the welfare of pigs despite following the EU legislation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Camp Montoro
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996, Ireland. .,Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Laura Ann Boyle
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996, Ireland
| | - David Solà-Oriol
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Ramon Muns
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Large Park, Hillsborough, Co Down, Northern Ireland, BT 26 6DR, UK
| | - Josep Gasa
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Edgar Garcia Manzanilla
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996, Ireland.,UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8, Ireland
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Morrone B, Bernardino T, Tatemoto P, Rodrigues FAML, de Moraes JE, da Cruz TDA, Zanella AJ. Indication that the presence of older conspecifics reduces agonistic behaviour in piglets at weaning. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Canario L, Bijma P, David I, Camerlink I, Martin A, Rauw WM, Flatres-Grall L, van der Zande L, Turner SP, Larzul C, Rydhmer L. Prospects for the Analysis and Reduction of Damaging Behaviour in Group-Housed Livestock, With Application to Pig Breeding. Front Genet 2020; 11:611073. [PMID: 33424934 PMCID: PMC7786278 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.611073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Innovations in the breeding and management of pigs are needed to improve the performance and welfare of animals raised in social groups, and in particular to minimise biting and damage to group mates. Depending on the context, social interactions between pigs can be frequent or infrequent, aggressive, or non-aggressive. Injuries or emotional distress may follow. The behaviours leading to damage to conspecifics include progeny savaging, tail, ear or vulva biting, and excessive aggression. In combination with changes in husbandry practices designed to improve living conditions, refined methods of genetic selection may be a solution reducing these behaviours. Knowledge gaps relating to lack of data and limits in statistical analyses have been identified. The originality of this paper lies in its proposal of several statistical methods for common use in analysing and predicting unwanted behaviours, and for genetic use in the breeding context. We focus on models of interaction reflecting the identity and behaviour of group mates which can be applied directly to damaging traits, social network analysis to define new and more integrative traits, and capture-recapture analysis to replace missing data by estimating the probability of behaviours. We provide the rationale for each method and suggest they should be combined for a more accurate estimation of the variation underlying damaging behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurianne Canario
- GenPhySE, INRAE French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Piter Bijma
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Ingrid David
- GenPhySE, INRAE French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Irene Camerlink
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alexandre Martin
- GenPhySE, INRAE French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Wendy Mercedes Rauw
- Department of Animal Breeding, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Lisette van der Zande
- Adaptation Physiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Topigs Norsvin Research Center B.V., Beuningen, Netherlands
| | - Simon P. Turner
- Scotland's Rural College, Kings Buildings, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Larzul
- GenPhySE, INRAE French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Lotta Rydhmer
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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Marinelli L, Mongillo P, Carnier P, Schiavon S, Gallo L. A Short Period of Darkness after Mixing of Growing Pigs Intended for PDO Hams Production Reduces Skin Lesions. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10101729. [PMID: 32977689 PMCID: PMC7598622 DOI: 10.3390/ani10101729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Mixing unacquainted growing pigs is a common practice in commercial herds to adjust the group size to the pen dimensions and to balance the body weights of pigs within pens. Aggressive behavior following regrouping may include fights that can result in skin lesions and detrimental economic effects. Strategies aimed at limiting such issues can therefore improve animal welfare in practice. In the present study, we investigated the effects of darkness, maintained for 48 h after the formation of new social groups, on the expression of agonistic behavior and on the accumulation of skin lesions of growing pigs. The provision of 48 h of darkness significantly reduced the number of skin lesions on the mid- and rear thirds of pigs’ body. However, no corresponding reduction was observed in agonistic behavior, suggesting that darkness decreases the efficacy of aggressions, rather than how often or for how long they are expressed. Furthermore, an analysis of the location of lesions indicates that aggressions towards a fleeing companion, rather than reciprocal ones, were those mostly affected by darkness. The present results identify in the provision of darkness an easily applicable and relatively inexpensive intervention, that leads to the reduction of one of the most problematic consequences of agonistic interactions, i.e., skin lesions. Abstract Agonistic behavior after the regrouping of unfamiliar pigs has been recognized as one of the major welfare issues for pig husbandry, as it may result in lesions, lameness, and health problems. One scarcely investigated strategy to curb agonistic behavior is reducing the availability of visual stimuli potentially eliciting aggressions. In this study, we investigated the expression of agonistic behavior by growing pigs and the resulting accumulation of skin lesions over a period of 14 days following the formation of new social groups, which occurred in a condition of darkness maintained for 48 h. Compared to a simulated natural photoperiod (12 h light/day), darkness significantly reduced the number of skin lesions on the mid- and rear thirds of pigs’ body (p ≤ 0.01). A lack of corresponding decrease in frequency and duration of agonistic interactions suggests that darkness acts by decreasing the efficacy, not the expression, of aggressions. Furthermore, the location of lesions mostly affected by darkness indicates that the latter mostly acted by reducing the possibility of pigs to convey damage to a fleeing conspecific, rather than to one involved in a reciprocal fighting. The lighting regime provided did not affect growth performance traits of a 17-weeks feeding trial. The present results identify in the provision of darkness an easily applicable, and relatively inexpensive intervention, that leads to the reduction of skin lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lieta Marinelli
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padua, Italy; (L.M.); (P.C.)
| | - Paolo Mongillo
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padua, Italy; (L.M.); (P.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Paolo Carnier
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padua, Italy; (L.M.); (P.C.)
| | - Stefano Schiavon
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padua, Italy; (S.S.); (L.G.)
| | - Luigi Gallo
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Padua, Italy; (S.S.); (L.G.)
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Individual Variability in Response to Social Stress in Dairy Heifers. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10081440. [PMID: 32824684 PMCID: PMC7459822 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Mixing unfamiliar animals (or regrouping) is a common practice on dairy farms. This disruption in the social organization typically results in increased agonistic interactions and changes in time feeding and resting. Our objective was to study if different individuals subjected to a similar regrouping event would display different levels of engagement in social interactions and avoidance of social contact, and if these differences were associated with other behavioral changes. A total of 30 heifers were regrouped. Agonistic behaviors initiated and received, and feeding, resting and standing time and synchronization were recorded. Agonistic interactions were most frequent in the first 6 h after regrouping, with most taking place in the alleyways. Some individuals showed higher levels of engagement in these interactions, and others seemed to avoid aggressive interactions, suggesting different strategies were used to cope with the social stress of regrouping. Heifers that showed a more engaged strategy spent more time feeding. Those that showed higher avoidance spent less time feeding, less time resting and were less synchronized with others in their feeding behavior. We conclude that dairy heifers display different responses to social stress, and that in the case of regrouping, a more engaged strategy is more successful. Abstract Regrouping is associated with increased aggression, and disruption of time-budgets. Individuals vary in how well they cope with social stress. Our objective was to describe individual differences in agonistic behavior in dairy heifers after regrouping, and determine how time-budget and behavioral synchronization were affected by these coping strategies. A total of 30 heifers were individually regrouped at 5-months of age into stable groups of 12 unfamiliar animals. For 24 h, agonistic behaviors initiated and received by the regrouped heifer were continuously recorded, and standing, resting and feeding time and synchronization were sampled every 5 min. Scores of engagement in agonistic interactions and avoidance of interactions were calculated for each regrouped heifer. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess whether these two response types were related, and how variation in these responses related to activity and synchronization. Engaged heifers displayed lower avoidance and spent more time feeding. Avoidant heifers spent less time feeding and resting, and were less synchronized while feeding. We conclude that dairy heifers differ in social coping strategy when regrouped through different levels of engagement and avoidance, and that these differences affected their time-budget and behavioral synchronization.
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