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Lucas ME, Hemsworth LM, Butler KL, Morrison RS, Tilbrook AJ, Marchant JN, Rault JL, Galea RY, Hemsworth PH. Early human contact and housing for pigs - part 2: resilience to routine husbandry practices. Animal 2024; 18:101165. [PMID: 38776694 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability of pigs to cope with routine farming practices can affect their welfare. This paper is part of a series on early experiences and stress, and reports on the effects of early human contact and housing on the responses of pigs to routine husbandry practices. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, 48 litters of pigs were raised in either a conventional farrowing crate (FC) or a loose farrowing pen (LP; PigSAFE pen) which was larger, more physically complex and allowed the sow to move freely. Piglets were provided with either routine contact from stockpeople (C), or routine contact plus regular opportunities for positive human contact (+HC) involving 5 min of scratching, patting and stroking imposed to the litter 5 days/week from 0 to 4 weeks of age. At 4 weeks of age, piglets were weaned and re-housed with controlled mixing of litters within treatment. At 4 days of age, after only 3 bouts of the handling treatment, +HC pigs showed less escape behaviour than C pigs after capture by a stockperson for vaccinations and tail docking, and shorter durations of vocalisations throughout the procedures. The +HC pigs also showed less escape behaviour when captured by a stockperson at 3 weeks of age. The FC pigs showed less escape behaviour than LP pigs after capture by a stockperson at 4 days of age but not at 3 weeks of age. Serum cortisol concentrations were lower in FC pigs than LP pigs 2 h after weaning but not at 49 h after weaning, whereas serum cortisol concentrations were lower in +HC pigs than C pigs at 49 h after weaning but not at 2 h after weaning. In the period from 0 to 1 h after weaning, C pigs from LP performed the most escape attempts, although escape attempts were rare overall. When being moved out of the home pen by a stockperson at 21 weeks of age, FC pigs showed less baulking than LP pigs, but there were no detected effects of human contact treatment. In conclusion, both housing system and human contact during lactation affected the stress responses of pigs to routine husbandry practices. The +HC and FC pigs appeared to cope better than C and LP pigs, based on lower responses indicative of stress including escape behaviour, vocalisations and cortisol concentrations. These findings are consistent with corresponding reductions in fear that were reported in Part 1 of this series of papers.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Lucas
- The Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
| | - L M Hemsworth
- The Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - K L Butler
- The Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - R S Morrison
- Rivalea Australia Pty Ltd, Corowa, Victoria 2464, Australia
| | - A J Tilbrook
- Centre for Animal Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Australia; School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia
| | - J N Marchant
- Organic Plus Trust, Alexandria, VA 22302, USA; A World of Good Initiative Inc., Dover, DE 19901, USA
| | - J-L Rault
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna A-1210, Austria
| | - R Y Galea
- The Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - P H Hemsworth
- The Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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Middelkoop A, van Marwijk MA, Kemp B, Bolhuis JE. Pigs Like It Varied; Feeding Behavior and Pre- and Post-weaning Performance of Piglets Exposed to Dietary Diversity and Feed Hidden in Substrate During Lactation. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:408. [PMID: 31803769 PMCID: PMC6877737 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Timely intake of solid feed is essential to ease the nutritional change from sow's milk to solid feed at weaning and thereby to reduce weaning-related problems. A significant percentage of piglets, however, do not or hardly consume solid feed before weaning. We studied effects of dietary variety and presenting the feed in substrate during lactation on the feeding behavior and performance of piglets up to 2 weeks post-weaning. Feed was provided ad libitum from d4 in two feeders, with four bowls each. In a 2 × 2 arrangement, 40 litters received either creep feed as a monotonous diet (MO) or four feed items simultaneously, i.e., creep feed, celery, cereal honey loops and peanuts, as a diverse diet (DD) and the feed was either provided without (CON) or with substrate (SUB), i.e., sand, in one of the two feeders up to weaning. Dietary diversity highly stimulated feed exploration and eating (≥2.5 times), feed intake and the percentage of (good) eaters from early in lactation, and enhanced piglet growth toward weaning (by 29 g/d), although MO-piglets spent more time eating creep feed from d18. Within MO, SUB-litters consisted of more good eaters than CON-litters. At weaning (d28) four piglets from the same treatment were grouped (n = 40 pens). DD-CON had the highest post-weaning feed intake and gain between d5–15 and the lowest proportion of pigs with higher tail damage scores. However, effects regarding behavior remained inconclusive, as DD-piglets had a lower and higher number of body lesions at 4 h and d15 post-weaning, respectively, spent less time exploring the feed(er) and drinker and environment, and more time nosing pen mates than MO-piglets. SUB-piglets showed a reduction in total post-weaning feed intake, gain (particularly between d0–2) and inactivity, increased levels of manipulation and aggression at week 1 and a higher number of body lesions at 4 h and d15 post-weaning. In conclusion, dietary diversity seems a promising feeding strategy in getting piglets to eat during lactation. Provision of substrate in the feeder subtly stimulated foraging behavior, but negatively impacted post-weaning adaptation, probably because treatments were not reinforced after weaning and piglets thus experienced loss of enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouschka Middelkoop
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Manon A van Marwijk
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Bas Kemp
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - J Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Vas J, Chojnacki RM, Andersen IL. Search Behavior in Goat ( Capra hircus) Kids From Mothers Kept at Different Animal Densities Throughout Pregnancy. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:21. [PMID: 30854371 PMCID: PMC6396719 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual differences in cognitive performance are often reported but factors related to variation within species are rarely addressed. Goats (Capra hircus) have been subjects of many cognitive studies recently but without focus on individual variation. Among others, factors such as prenatal stress and sex of the individual have been proposed as possible explanations for individual variation in cognitive skills. We aimed to study whether prenatal environment, prenatal stress, litter size, sex, and birth weight influences search behavior skills of goat kids. Pregnant Norwegian dairy goats were exposed to different spatial allowance (namely 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0 m2 per animal) within the commercially applied range during pregnancy and their serum cortisol levels were measured six times within this period. Twenty-six of the kids born entered a three-stage searching task with increasing difficulty when they were 6 weeks old. The tasks included finding a bucket of milk: while moving (stage 1), after moving and disappearing behind a curtain (stage 2), and moving behind a displacement device and the device moving behind a curtain while hiding the bucket (stage 3). We found that prenatal animal density had no effect on the search skills of the offspring, while kids with higher prenatal maternal cortisol levels performed better at the highest stage tested: finding an object after single invisible displacement. At this stage, singleton kids and males performed better than twins and females. Birth weight had no effect at this stage. The findings suggest that maternal cortisol in the observed range had a facilitating effect on cognitive development of goat kids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Vas
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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Engmann O. Dairy cows - an opportunity in the research field of non-genetic inheritance? ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2018; 4:dvy014. [PMID: 30034822 PMCID: PMC6049035 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvy014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
More than 1 billion cattle are raised annually for meat and milk production. Dairy cows are repeatedly impregnated and separated from their calves, usually within the first 24 h after birth. Here, I suggest that dairy cows undergo a procedure comparable to the 'Maternal separation combined with unpredictable maternal stress' paradigm (MSUS), which is used to study the non-genetic inheritance (NGI) of phenotypes in rodents. I discuss what research on dairy cows may bring to the research field of NGI. The resulting research findings are likely to have benefits to our understanding of MSUS, NGI and consumer safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Engmann
- Brain Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Winterthurer Strasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Brajon S, Ringgenberg N, Torrey S, Bergeron R, Devillers N. Impact of prenatal stress and environmental enrichment prior to weaning on activity and social behaviour of piglets ( Sus scrofa ). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Clouard C, Gerrits WJJ, Kemp B, Val-Laillet D, Bolhuis JE. Perinatal Exposure to a Diet High in Saturated Fat, Refined Sugar and Cholesterol Affects Behaviour, Growth, and Feed Intake in Weaned Piglets. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154698. [PMID: 27191853 PMCID: PMC4871475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The increased consumption of diets high in saturated fats and refined sugars is a major public health concern in Western human societies. Recent studies suggest that perinatal exposure to dietary fat and/or sugar may affect behavioural development. We thus investigated the effects of perinatal exposure to a high-fat high-sugar diet (HFS) on behavioural development and production performance of piglets. Thirty-two non-obese sows and their piglets were allocated to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design, with 8-week prenatal (gestation) and 8-week postnatal (lactation and post-weaning) exposure to a HFS diet (12% saturated fat, 18.5% sucrose, 1% cholesterol) or control low-fat low-sugar high-starch diets as factors. From weaning onwards (4 weeks of age), piglets were housed in group of 3 littermates (n = 8 groups/treatment) and fed ad libitum. After the end of the dietary intervention (8 weeks of age), all the piglets were fed a standard commercial diet. Piglet behaviours in the home pens were scored, and skin lesions, growth, feed intake and feed efficiency were measured up to 8 weeks after the end of the dietary treatment, i.e. until 16 weeks of age. At the end of the dietary treatment (8 weeks of age), response to novelty was assessed in a combined open field and novel object test (OFT/NOT). During the weeks following weaning, piglets fed the postnatal HFS diet tended to be less aggressive (p = 0.06), but exhibited more oral manipulation of pen mates (p = 0.05) than controls. Compared to controls, piglets fed the prenatal or postnatal HFS diet walked more in the home pen (p ≤ 0.05), and tended to have fewer skin lesions (p < 0.10). Several behavioural effects of the postnatal HFS diet depended on the prenatal diet, with piglets subjected to a switch of diet at birth being more active, and exploring feeding materials, pen mates, and the environment more than piglets that remained on the same diet. Behaviours during the OFT/NOT were not affected by the diet. The intake of the postnatal HFS diet drastically reduced feed intake, but improved feed efficiency up to 8 weeks after the end of the dietary intervention, i.e. 16 weeks of age (p < 0.0001 for both). Our study highlights the key role of prenatal and postnatal nutritional interactions for early behavioural development, and reveals programming effects of early life nutrition on voluntary feed intake of piglets later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Clouard
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Walter J. J. Gerrits
- Animal Nutrition Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bas Kemp
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - J. Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Clouard C, Souza AS, Gerrits WJ, Hovenier R, Lammers A, Bolhuis JE. Maternal Fish Oil Supplementation Affects the Social Behavior, Brain Fatty Acid Profile, and Sickness Response of Piglets. J Nutr 2015; 145:2176-84. [PMID: 26180250 DOI: 10.3945/jn.115.214650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake is thought to affect development in the offspring. OBJECTIVE We assessed the impact of maternal dietary DHA on behavior, brain fatty acid (FA) profile, and sickness response of offspring in pigs, a pertinent model for human nutrition. METHODS Sows (n = 24) were fed a diet with DHA-rich fish oil (FO) (20 g/kg) or high-oleic acid sunflower oil (HOSF) (20 g/kg) from day 61 of gestation through lactation. At 4 wk of age, 4 piglets per litter were weaned and mixed with piglets from other litters. Behavior was observed in 4- to 8-wk-old piglets, and brain FA composition was analyzed at 4 (n = 15) and 14 (n = 12) wk. Thirteen-week-old piglets (n = 48) were subjected to a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Body temperature, plasma cytokines, and motivation to approach a familiar human, indicative of a sickness response, were measured. RESULTS FO-fed pigs displayed more social activities (+262%, P = 0.02), played more (+61%, P = 0.03), and tended to show fewer oral manipulative behaviors directed at pen mates (-25%, P = 0.06) than did HOSF-fed pigs up to 4 wk after weaning. Brain DHA concentrations were higher in FO- than in HOSF-fed pigs up to 10 wk after supplementation (+10-50%, P < 0.001), although differences declined with age. Body temperature (P < 0.001) and tumor necrosis factor α and interferon γ concentrations (P < 0.05) increased after LPS injection, but no diet effect was found (P > 0.10). LPS-treated pigs were less likely to approach the human than saline-treated pigs in the HOSF-fed (-29%, P = 0.0003), but not in the FO-fed group (-13%, P = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS Maternal DHA beneficially affected offspring social behavior after weaning and mildly attenuated sickness behavior after an inflammatory challenge in pigs. These behavioral changes may be mediated by increased brain DHA proportions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adriana S Souza
- Adaptation Physiology Group and Animal Nutrition Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Walter Jj Gerrits
- Animal Nutrition Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Robert Hovenier
- Animal Nutrition Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Telkänranta H, Swan K, Hirvonen H, Valros A. Chewable materials before weaning reduce tail biting in growing pigs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2014.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Exploratory behaviour and performance of piglets fed novel flavoured creep in two housing systems. Anim Feed Sci Technol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Leeb C, Hegelund L, Edwards S, Mejer H, Roepstorff A, Rousing T, Sundrum A, Bonde M. Animal health, welfare and production problems in organic weaner pigs. ORGANIC AGRICULTURE 2013. [PMCID: PMC7149107 DOI: 10.1007/s13165-013-0054-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
This paper reviews the available information on the different health and animal welfare issues in organic pigs in relation to weaning. It addresses the most relevant health and welfare problems and reviews their potential hazards and associated risk factors. Regarding health, problems related to post weaning diarrhoea, cold stress, skin lesions, endoparasites and post weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome are described. Reasons for distress and frustration in weaned piglets are identified as mainly separation from the mother, a new environment, mixing and fear of humans. Finally, hazards and risk factors for health and welfare in organic weaners are related to animal characteristics, housing systems, feed/nutrition and management. Generally, it is concluded that diseases around weaning are multifactorial in nature, with several factors contributing simultaneously as stressors at the time of weaning. In order to solve problems around weaning, the complexity and the individuality of farm systems need to be taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Leeb
- Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lene Hegelund
- Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Box 50, 8830 Tjele, Denmark
| | - Sandra Edwards
- School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Agriculture Building, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU UK
| | - Helena Mejer
- Danish Centre for Experimental Parasitology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlaegevej 100, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Allan Roepstorff
- Danish Centre for Experimental Parasitology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Dyrlaegevej 100, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Tine Rousing
- Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Box 50, 8830 Tjele, Denmark
| | - Albert Sundrum
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Animal Health, University of Kassel, Nordbahnhofstr. 1a, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany
| | - Marianne Bonde
- Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Box 50, 8830 Tjele, Denmark
- Present Address: Centre of Development for Outdoor Livestock Production, Marsvej 43, 8960 Randers, Denmark
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Piglets' weaning behavioural response is influenced by quality of human-animal interactions during suckling. Animal 2012; 5:1426-31. [PMID: 22440289 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731111000358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the short-term post-weaning behaviour of piglets treated either neutrally or aversively during the suckling period. A total of 24 lactating sows and their litters were housed in different rooms according to treatment. A female experimenter (P1) was in charge of feeding and cleaning from days 10 to 27 after birth. For the aversive treatment (Aver), P1 was noisy, moved harshly and unpredictably and shouted frequently during routine cleaning of facilities and animal handling. For the neutral treatment (Neut), P1 used a soft tone of voice and was careful during the same routine. At weaning, the avoidance response of piglets to an approaching experimenter in a novel place was assessed in four piglets from each litter. Scores ranged from 1 (experimenter could touch piglet) to 4 (piglet escaped as soon as person moved). The test was repeated twice, with a 1-h interval, with P1, who wore blue trousers and white T-shirt, and a second handler unfamiliar to the piglets (P2, who wore blue coveralls). Thereafter, litters from the same treatment were mixed and housed in separate rooms, balanced for gender and live weight (n = 12 groups of 4 piglets/treatment). Behaviour time budgets were registered by scan sampling every 2-min, for 4 h per day, for 4 days. Piglets were weighed at birth, at weaning and on day 5. Effects of treatment and handler on responses to the avoidance test were analysed with non-parametric tests and effects of treatment with a mixed model for repeated measures. Avoidance score was higher for Aver than Neut piglets when tested with P1 (P = 0.04) but not with P2 (P = 0.8). When piglets' responses to the different handlers were compared within each treatment, no significant differences were found. Frequencies of resting were lower (P < 0.001), whereas escape attempts (P < 0.03), agonistic interactions (P < 0.02) and frequency of presence at feeder (P < 0.001) were higher in the Aver than in the Neut groups. Feed and water intake and weight gain did not differ between treatments. We conclude that 4-week-old piglets can discriminate a handler according to the nature of treatment received during suckling. In addition, piglets treated aversively seem to have more difficulty adapting to weaning than those treated neutrally during the suckling period.
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Colson V, Martin E, Orgeur P, Prunier A. Influence of housing and social changes on growth, behaviour and cortisol in piglets at weaning. Physiol Behav 2012; 107:59-64. [PMID: 22691708 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2011] [Revised: 05/10/2012] [Accepted: 06/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The present experiment aimed at evaluating the relative effects of environmental and social changes on behaviour, growth and salivary cortisol of piglets at weaning. On Day 0, 26-day old piglets were weaned and allocated to one of four treatments: neither environmental nor social change (C), environmental change (E), social change (S), and both changes (SE). Overall, 6 replicates of 10-12 animals/pen/treatment were analysed. Piglets were video recorded during the first three days after weaning to observe social behaviour and general activity. Saliva was collected between 07:00 and 09:00 on Day 0 just before weaning (D0H7), on Day 1 (D1H7) and Day 2 (D2H7 and D2H16) to measure cortisol. Saliva cortisol did not change after weaning in C piglets but increased significantly at D1H7 in S and SE piglets, at D2H7 and D2H16 in E and SE piglets. Compared to C piglets, numerous behaviours were altered in SE piglets: more total lying (P<0.08), less lying on the belly, less environmental exploration, less playing, more fighting regardless the day, more lying awake inactive on Day 0 (P<0.05). Compared to C piglets, E piglets displayed more total lying but less environmental exploration whereas S piglets showed less lying on the belly but more fighting (P<0.05). Present results show that moving piglets to a new environment as well as mixing them with unfamiliar conspecifics at weaning have stressful effects which are additive.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Colson
- INRA, UMR6175, Unité Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France
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The effects of environmental enrichment on the behaviour of suckling piglets and lactating sows: A review. Livest Sci 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2011.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Tucker AL, Atkinson JL, Millman ST, Widowski TM. Metabolic indicators of nutritional stress are not predictive of abnormal oral behavior in piglets. Physiol Behav 2010; 100:277-83. [PMID: 20226202 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2009] [Revised: 02/16/2010] [Accepted: 02/19/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Belly nosing is an abnormal oral-nasal behavior that can develop to high levels in newly weaned piglets and may signal nutritional need. The effects of feed restriction on both behavior and metabolic serum parameters were examined in 128 weaned piglets. All pigs were fed ad libitum during week 1, and during week 2, half of all pens (N=8) were restricted to 65% of ad libitum intake. Blood samples were collected on days 3 and 10 after weaning and behavior was observed from video recordings on days 5 and 12. Piglets were classified as early 'nosers' or early 'non-nosers' based on their behavior on day 5. Feed restriction resulted in elevated non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and both lower glucose and a NEFA/glucose ratio, but belly nosing was not affected. Piglets classified as 'nosers' did not have blood profiles indicating they were in greater nutritional need compared to 'non-nosers' in the first week of weaning, nor did they increase belly nosing or other piglet directed behaviors when restricted in week 2. Overall, no associations were found between blood parameters indicative of nutritional stress and belly nosing. This study identifies serum glucose, BHB and NEFA as well as the glucose/NEFA ratio as useful indicators of nutritional stress in newly weaned piglets.
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Affiliation(s)
- A L Tucker
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
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Jarvis S, Moinard C, Robson SK, Sumner BE, Douglas AJ, Seckl JR, Russell JA, Lawrence AB. Effects of weaning age on the behavioural and neuroendocrine development of piglets. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2007.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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The risks associated with tail biting in pigs and possible means to reduce the need for tail docking considering the different housing and husbandry systems - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare. EFSA J 2007. [DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2007.611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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