Influence of enrichment material and herbal compounds in the behaviour and performance of growing pigs

Environmental enrichment in finishing pigs: does it promote any changes in bone biomechanics?

The resistance of pigs' bone structure was evaluated for the first time, reared with and without environmental enrichment (EE) in the finishing phase using techniques in bone biomechanics; 432 swine from the Hampshire breed, being males and females, with initial body weight between 22 and 27 kg and final body weight between 110 and 125 kg were evaluated for 112 days. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with 6 treatments, distributed in a 2 × 3 factorial scheme (sex × conditions in creation), with 12 repetitions/treatment, totaling 72 pens. The treatments were as follows: branched chain for males (T1), sisal branched string for males (T2), males without EE (T3), branched chain for females (T4), sisal branched string for females (T5), and females without EE (T6). At the end of the experimental period, all animals were slaughtered in an industrial slaughterhouse, having their femur bones collected for bone biomechanics analysis. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of the interaction (enrichment × sex) and individual factors for bone weight. There was a tendency (P = 0.08) of the interaction for flexion force, being higher in males enriched with branched ropes and chains. For breaking stress, there was an interaction effect (P = 0.04), being the females without EE the ones showing the lowest breaking stress, favoring bone fragility. The use of branched ropes and chains strengthens the bone structure in swine in the termination phase (110-125 kg BW - 183-190 days in age), being an important strategy used to meet the animal welfare requirements.

Indicators of improved gestation housing of sows. Part I: Effects on behaviour, skin lesions, locomotion, and tear staining

Commercial gestation housing systems for sows generally fail to cater fully for their needs in terms of comfort or the ability to perform highly motivated behaviours, which can lead to chronic stress and an impairment to welfare. We compared a typical gestation system (CONTROL) with an IMPROVED one as regards oral stereotypies, aggressive behaviour, skin lesions, locomotion, and tear staining. Sows were mixed into 12 stable groups (six groups per treatment, 20 sows per group), 29 days post-service in pens with free-access, full-length individual feeding/lying stalls. CONTROL pens had fully slatted concrete floors, with two blocks of wood and two chains suspended in the group area. IMPROVED pens were the same but with rubber mats and a length of manila rope in each feeding stall, and straw provided in three racks in the group area. Direct observations of oral stereotypical (30 instantaneous scans per sow per day) and aggressive (all-occurrence sampling, 3 h per sow per day) behaviours were conducted 72 h post-mixing, in mid and late gestation. Skin lesions were counted 24 h and three weeks post-mixing, and in late gestation. Sows' locomotion (locomotory ability) was scored using a visual analogue scale in mid and late gestation. Right and left eye tear staining was scored in late gestation. Indications of better welfare in IMPROVED sows included performance of fewer oral stereotypies in mid and late gestation, and lower tear stain scores. These sows performed more aggression in late gestation, which was associated with access to enrichment, but skin lesion counts were not affected. Thus, the changes made in the IMPROVED treatment benefitted aspects of sow welfare.

Effects of different stocking density and various phytogenic feed additives dosage levels on growing-finishing pigs

This study was to investigate the effects of different phytogenic feed additives (PFA) dosage levels in growing- finishing pigs stressed by high stocking density. A total of 72 mix sexed 12 weeks growing pigs ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc) with initial body weight (BW) of 49.28 ± 4.58 kg were used for 8 weeks. There were 3 replicate pens in each treatment group, with 3 pigs per pen. The dietary treatment groups consisted of basal diets in animal welfare density (negative control [NC]), basal diet in high stocking density (positive control [PC]), PC + 0.04% essential oil (ES1), PC + 0.08% essential oil (ES2), PC + 0.10% bitter citrus extract & essential oil (CES1), PC + 0.20% bitter citrus extract & essential oil (CES2), PC + 0.05% grape pomace extract (GP1), PC + 0.10% grape pomace extract (GP2). The reduction of space allowance decreased (p < 0.05) average daily gain, feed efficiency, and digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, and gross energy. Also, the fecal score of PC groups increased (p < 0.05) compared with other groups. Basic behaviors (feed intake, standing, lying) were inactive (p < 0.05) and singularity behavior (biting) was increased (p < 0.10) under high stocking density. There was no difference in blood profile. However, the supplementation of PFA alleviated the negative effects such as reduced growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and some increasing stress indicators in th blood (cortisol) and animal behavior (biting). In conclusion, the negative effect of high stocking density was most effectively mitigated by the normal dosage of the mixture of bitter citrus extract and essential oil additive (CES1).

Evaluation of environmental enrichment on productive and behavioral responses of finishing pigs

Productive and behavioral responses of finishing pigs with and without access to environmental enrichment (EE) were evaluated. A total of 432 pigs, male and female, Hampshire line, initial and final weight of 22-27 kg and 110-125 kg, respectively, were studied for 112 days. The study design was in random blocks, with 6 treatments, distributed in a factorial scheme 2 × 3 (sex × treatment) and 12 repetitions/treatment, totalling 72 pens. The animals were weighed and distributed in 3 blocks-light (20.3 to 24.8 kg), medium weight (24.8 to 27.7 kg), and heavy (27.7 to 33.8 kg). The treatments were as follows: branched chains for males (T1); branched sisal ropes for males (T2), males without EE (T3); branched chains for females (T4); branched sisal ropes for females (T5) and females without EA (T6). There was no effect (P > 0.05) of interaction (enrichment × sex) and sex on performance. Daily consumption and daily weight gain were lower (P < 0.05) in the chain group compared to the sisal rope and control groups. Feed conversion was similar (P > 0.05) between treatments under study. There was no interaction between gender and enrichment for behavioral responses (P = 0.8986). However, there was an environmental enrichment (P = 0.0017; P < 0.001) and gender (P = 0.0251; P < 0.001) effect in relation to the animals' behavior in the morning and in the afternoon, respectively. Calmer animals, regardless of sex, were observed for groups without enrichment (control) and morning and afternoon periods. The animals interacted with the types of enrichment under study, given the higher probabilities of interaction with the object for males and females in the morning and afternoon shifts. It was observed, regardless of the shifts, that the control treatment for males and females was different when compared to the other enrichments for males and females. In general, the pigs' behaviors were expressed more in the afternoon when compared to the morning. It was observed that the animal interaction and aggression (afternoon shift) behaviors are more related to the control group, while object interaction is more related to the enriched treatments. The use of sisal ropes and branched chains guarantees the performance and behavior of pigs in the finishing phase, but we recommend the use of branched chains, as this enrichment increased the profitability of the farmer by reducing feed consumption, maintaining feed conversion and animal welfare, besides being a more durable material than sisal rope.

Systematic review of animal-based indicators to measure thermal, social, and immune-related stress in pigs

The intense nature of pig production has increased the animals’ exposure to stressful conditions, which may be detrimental to their welfare and productivity. Some of the most common sources of stress in pigs are extreme thermal conditions (thermal stress), density and mixing during housing (social stress), or exposure to pathogens and other microorganisms that may challenge their immune system (immune-related stress). The stress response can be monitored based on the animals’ coping mechanisms, as a result of specific environmental, social, and health conditions. These animal-based indicators may support decision making to maintain animal welfare and productivity. The present study aimed to systematically review animal-based indicators of social, thermal, and immune-related stresses in farmed pigs, and the methods used to monitor them. Peer-reviewed scientific literature related to pig production was collected using three online search engines: ScienceDirect, Scopus, and PubMed. The manuscripts selected were grouped based on the indicators measured during the study. According to our results, body temperature measured with a rectal thermometer was the most commonly utilized method for the evaluation of thermal stress in pigs (87.62%), as described in 144 studies. Of the 197 studies that evaluated social stress, aggressive behavior was the most frequently-used indicator (81.81%). Of the 535 publications examined regarding immune-related stress, cytokine concentration in blood samples was the most widely used indicator (80.1%). Information about the methods used to measure animal-based indicators is discussed in terms of validity, reliability, and feasibility. Additionally, the introduction and wide spreading of alternative, less invasive methods with which to measure animal-based indicators, such as cortisol in saliva, skin temperature and respiratory rate via infrared thermography, and various animal welfare threats via vocalization analysis are highlighted. The information reviewed was used to discuss the feasible and most reliable methods with which to monitor the impact of relevant stressors commonly presented by intense production systems on the welfare of farmed pigs.

Farm characteristics affecting antibiotic consumption in pig farms in England

BACKGROUND

Pig production has been highlighted as one of the highest users of antibiotics amongst livestock, with several studies suggesting a variety of approaches to antibiotic reduction. We aimed to investigate links between antibiotic use (defined as total amount of critically (CIA) and non-critically important antibiotics, and as mg per kg of pig on farm), production stages present on farm (Breeder-Finisher, Nursery-Finisher, and Finisher), and pig farm characteristics using farm data collected through national recording systems in Great Britain for 2017 & 2018. Providing enrichment within pig pens may reduce the need for antibiotics by enhancing both pig welfare and resilience to infection; this was one of the hypotheses addressed by this paper.

RESULTS

The amount of antibiotic used, expressed as mg/kg, reduced between 2017 and 2018 for Breeder-Finisher farms, but not for Nursery-Finisher or Finisher farms. Breeder-Finisher farms were more likely to use CIA compared with other production stages. Larger farms were more likely to use CIA, but farm size had no effect on mg/kg of antibiotic used. As the proportion of pens containing straw increased, the total use of antibiotics decreased for Breeder-Finisher, but not for Nursery-Finisher or Finisher farms. As the proportion of pens containing straw increased, the probability of using CIAs also decreased. Farms with a higher proportion of finisher pens with an outdoor space had a lower use of non-critical antibiotics and lower probability of use of CIA. Farms with a higher proportion of pens with automatically controlled natural ventilation (ACNV) had lower total use of antibiotics, although ACNV had no effect on the probability of using CIA.

CONCLUSIONS

We quantified the influence of farm characteristics on the consumption of antibiotics in pig farms in England. Our findings support the hypothesis that farm characteristics have an influence on antibiotic use within a system and suggest that this reflects the balance of effects on both animal resilience and disease challenge. Consistent with our hypothesis, provision of straw was associated with reduced antibiotic use. We also demonstrate the value of using secondary databases, although further structural improvements are required to facilitate effective database combination and ensure maximum information benefits can be realised.

Tranquillizing Effect of Passiflora incarnata Extract: Outcome on Behavioral and Physiological Indicators in Weaning Pigs with Intact Tails

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.

Application of Principal Component Analysis of Sows' Behavioral Indicators of the Welfare Quality® Protocol to Determine Main Components of Behavior

Understanding behavior is important in terms of welfare assessments to be able to evaluate possible changes in behavior among different husbandry systems. The present study applied principal component analysis (PCA) to reveal relationships between behavioral indicators to identify the main components of sows' behavior promoting feasibility of welfare assessments by providing possibilities for variable reduction and aggregation. The indicators of the Welfare Quality® protocol's principle to assess behavior were repeatedly applied by two observers on 13 farms in Northern Germany. This included Qualitative Behavior Assessments (QBA) to evaluate animals' body language using 20 pre-defined adjectives, assessments of social and exploratory behavior, stereotypies, and human–animal relationship tests. Two separate PCA were performed with respect to the QBA: (1) adjectives were included as independent variables and (2) adjectives were pre-aggregated using the calculation rules of the Welfare Quality® protocol for fattening pigs since a calculation for sows does not yet exist. In both analyses, two components described sows' behavior. Most variance was explained by the solution with adjectives as independent variables (51.0%). Other behavioral elements not captured as indicators by the protocol may still be important for all-inclusive welfare assessments as the required variance of 70% was not achieved in the analyses. Component loadings were used to determine components' labels as (1) “satisfaction of exploratory behavior” and (2) “social resting”. Both components reflected characteristics of sows' natural behavior and can subsequently be used for variable reduction but also for development of component scores for aggregation. As defined for PCA, component 1 explained more variance than component 2. PCA is useful to determine the main components of sows' behavior, which can be used to enhance feasibility of welfare assessments.

Effects of long-term exposure to music on behaviour, immunity and performance of piglets

Context Music induces physiological responses in animals, and as an enriched environment, it may have a positive effect on behaviour and productivity. Aims This study aimed to determine the effects of different kinds of music on immunity, stress response and performance of piglets. Methods In total, 144 hybrid piglets (Yorkshire × Durac × Minpig) at the age of 7 weeks were divided into three treatment groups: slow-tempo string music (65 beats per min), fast-tempo wind music (200 beats per min), and control (i.e. no music). Exposure to music lasted for 42 days, from 8 to 14 weeks of age. During the experimental period, behavioural activities were observed, and physiological parameters, immune responses and growth performance were measured. Key results Results showed that long-term music exposure increased (P &lt; 0.01) playing and tail-wagging behaviours compared with the control group, but had no effect (P &gt; 0.05) on walking, lying, exploring, fighting or feeding behaviours. No effect (P &gt; 0.05) was found on the levels of growth hormone, salivary cortisol, serum cortisol, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, β-endorphin or dopamine, or on the performance of growing pigs. However, the specific music type slow-tempo string significantly (P &lt; 0.05) increased interleukin-4. Conclusions Long-term exposure to music does not affect stress response or growth performance in piglets. However, it promotes positive mood as indicated by increased playing and tail-wagging activities, and induces positive immunomodulation through increased interleukin-4 levels in piglets. Implications Exposure to music may be used to promote positive mood, and hence enhance welfare, in piglets.

Swine inflammation and necrosis syndrome is influenced by husbandry and quality of sow in suckling piglets, weaners and fattening pigs

BACKGROUND

Swine inflammation and necrosis syndrome (SINS) is a newly identified syndrome in swine that can affect different parts of the extremities in suckling piglets. This study investigates the hypotheses that the clinical signs of SINS have histological equivalents, that SINS can also be observed in weaners and fatteners, that improving sow quality and husbandry (here the supply of water and fibre) can reduce the signs, and that coprostasis in sows is significantly associated with SINS in their offspring. From a cohort of 123 hybrid sows, the twenty sows exhibiting the best conditions and the twenty exhibiting the worst conditions were selected based on detailed scores from coronary bands, soles, heels, claws and teats. Half of the sows in each group, along with their offspring, were kept under conventional conditions, while the environment for the remaining sows in each group was improved with drinking bowls, water disinfection and additional feeding with hay and straw. In total, 115 suckling piglets, 113 weaners and 103 fatteners were scored for the degree of inflammation and necrosis of their tails, ears, teats, coronary bands, soles, heels and claws.

RESULTS

The clinical signs of SINS are associated with inflammatory signs at the histological level. SINS scores in suckling piglets, weaners and fatteners derived from low-quality sows under standard husbandry conditions were high, but they decreased significantly when husbandry was improved (water consumption and additional fibre). Sow quality had significant effects on suckling piglets and weaners under standard husbandry conditions. Coprostasis in sows led to significantly higher SINS scores in their offspring at any age. Improved husbandry conditions were associated with a reduced prevalence of coprostasis (R2 = 0.74). Taking all factors together, husbandry improvements, sow quality and coprostasis explained 57, 67 and 45% of SINS score variance in suckling piglets, weaners and fatteners, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The present study shows that SINS is not limited to suckling piglets but can also be found in weaners and fatteners. Coprostasis in sows is significantly correlated with SINS in their offspring and adds a good prognostic tool. Water supply and fibre could play a crucial role in combatting the syndrome.

Effects of Early and Current Environmental Enrichment on Behavior and Growth in Pigs

Enriched environments are known to beneficially affect the behavior of pigs, as compared with barren pens. The influence of enrichment may, however, depend on pigs' early life housing experiences. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of early and later life environmental enrichment on behavior and growth in pigs with different coping styles. Pigs were housed in either barren pens or in larger pens enriched with rooting substrates from birth, and half of them experienced a housing switch, i.e., a loss or gain of enrichment, at 7 weeks of age, creating four treatment groups. Home pen behavior and body weight were recorded until 19 weeks of age. Pigs were classified as reactive or proactive based on a backtest at 2 weeks of age. Enrichment increased time spent exploring, chewing, and play and decreased oral manipulation of penmates and pen-directed exploring and chewing. Behavior of pigs that switched from barren to enriched pens or vice versa reflected not only their actual environment, but also their early life housing. As early and later life enrichment affected most behaviors in opposite directions, effects of enrichment, or lack thereof, after the switch were more pronounced in pigs that had experienced a different early life condition. For instance, pigs experiencing an upgrade from barren to enriched pens seemed to "catch-up" by showing more exploration and play. Conversely, pigs exposed to a downgrade displayed more oral manipulation of penmates than ones kept barren throughout, which particularly held for pigs with a reactive coping style. Effects of early life and current housing on several other behaviors depended on coping style too. Pigs housed in enriched conditions appeared better able to cope with weaning than barren housed pigs, as they gained more weight and had higher feed intake post-weaning. Barren housed pigs had a lower body weight than enriched pigs just before the switch, after which growth was mainly determined by actual housing, with enriched kept pigs having a higher feed intake and body weight. Thus, not only current housing conditions, but also a (mis)match with the early life environment may affect behavior and growth of pigs.

Application of extended feed withdrawal time preslaughter and its effects on animal welfare and carcass and meat quality of enriched-housed pigs

A total of 144 barrows were distributed into four treatment groups. One group was housed conventionally and fasted for 16 h preslaughter, while the other three groups were housed in enriched conditions (straw-bedding and low density) and fasted for 16, 24 and 32 h preslaughter. When compared with conventionally-housed pigs, enriched-housed pigs were heavier (P < .05) and fatter (P < .01), but easier to handle at loading (P < .05) and produced less exudative pork (P < .05) possibly resulting from a lower post-mortem muscle glycolytic potential (P = .10). Extending fasting time up to 32 h reduced dressing yield (P < .001) and increased skin lesion scores (P < .01), but did not result in any clear or major effect on muscle metabolism and meat quality. In conclusion, given the beneficial effects of enriched housing conditions on stress response and pork quality, the application of an extended fasting time (32h) preslaughter is not required for this production.

Influence of toys on behavioural patterns of pigs and their association with the concentration of serotonin in blood plasma

Improvement of welfare of piglets is one of the key factors which underlie the effectiveness of producing pork and the profitability of pig farming. This article offers a solution to the main industrial problem – creation of comfortable maintenance conditions for pigs using toys which satisfy their ethological needs. Piglets used in the experiment were kept in the swine complex of agricultural production of Agrofirm Mig-Service-Agro Cooperative in Novoodesky district of Mykolaiv Oblast (Ukraine). The objective of the study was assessment of the effect of toys on the behaviour of piglets, level of concentration of hormone serotonin in blood plasma and their energy of growth. The experiment was performed on 120 weaned piglets aged 28 days, which were divided according to the principle of analogues with 60 individuals in each group: I – the control group, the animals were kept with no toys; II – the experimental group, where the animals had toys. During the experiment chronometric monitoring of the piglets’ behavioural acts was carried out using video observation, we extracted blood samples for determination of the content of the hormone serotonin using the method of highly-efficient fluid chromatography and assessed the growth of the piglets. After the end of the experiment, we determined that the presence of toys reduced the intragroup aggression, which was accompanied by decrease in the duration of fights and almost three-fold increase in playing behaviour. Among piglets which had access to toys, the number of individuals observed to bite tails and ears decreased from 11 to 3. In the period of the study, the concentration of serotonin in the blood plasma of piglets who had free access to toys was 10 times higher compared with animals of the control group. Change in the behaviour patterns among the animals of the experimental group led to significant differences regarding the parameters of growth, where probable increase in the live weight at the age of 90 days was observed, which was associated with significant increase in their mean daily weight gain compared with the animals of the control group. This study confirms that use of toys for piglets during growth completion can prevent features of aggression and abnormal forms of stereopathy within groups, increase the live weight and mean daily weight gain and improve emotional condition, which affects the welfare of pigs.

Environmental enrichment strategies for nursery piglets and efficacy for maintaining interest

Context Animals in situations of stress and constant fear exhibit unwanted behaviours for production. Pigs that are afraid of humans tend to associate any management as stressful. The use of environment enrichment for pigs may help to alleviate anxiety and fear, and hence reduce unwanted behaviours during handling. However, provision of appropriate enrichment presents challenges such as the rapid loss of interest in objects by animals. Aims The present study evaluated the effects of different environmental enrichment strategies on the behaviour of pigs at the nursery stage, maintenance of animal interest in the enrichment objects, and their reflexes when faced with emotionally negative situations. Methods Piglets (n = 425) were assigned in a completely randomised design with five treatments and five replicates per treatment (17 animal per replicate). The treatments employed were: control, no enriching objects in the environment; WB, wooden box with popcorn and wood shavings; PT, objects made of plastic tubing; WB and PT concurrently; and WB or PT on alternate days. Behavioural observations were made over 10 days for 8 h each day, divided into four periods of 2 h. Piglets from enriched (n = 10) and non-enriched (n = 10) environments were subjected to three fear tests (human approach, novel object and novel arena). Key results No significant (P &gt; 0.05) effect was found for the type of enrichment provided or strategy adopted (concurrent vs alternating) on the time piglets interacted with the enrichment objects. Animals kept in an environment with no stimulus had higher frequency (P &lt; 0.05) of undesirable behaviours than those with enrichment, regardless of enrichment type or strategy adopted. Piglets reared without enrichment, when isolated in a new environment, had higher frequency of behaviours such as defecating, urinating and attempting escape, as well as more and longer vocalisation events (P &lt; 0.05). Piglets reared in an enriched environment had higher frequency and duration of interaction with a new object, as well as shorter latency time for the first contact with the object (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusions The use of enrichment objects in the rearing environment of piglets at the nursery stage reduced undesirable behaviours, suggesting reduced fear and anxiety, and may therefore improve their psychological wellbeing. Implications Use of enrichment objects during rearing may have implications for alleviation of chronic stress, which leads to constant release of cortisol, an immune suppressor hormone that reduces the health status of the batch and hence production indices.

The Effects of Environmental Enrichment on the Physiology, Behaviour, Productivity and Meat Quality of Pigs Raised in a Hot Climate

Simple Summary

European Union (EU) legislation states that the routine tail docking of pigs should not be carried out and that manipulable materials should be made available to all pigs to prevent tail biting and allow them to behave naturally. However, between 90 and 95% of pigs within the EU still have their tails docked to avoid the risk of tail biting. Farmers say they require information tailored to their particular production systems before they abandon this practice. In this study, four types of enrichment materials used in Spanish pig fattening production systems are compared. Most of these systems have fully slatted floors and high external temperatures for considerable periods of the year. The effects of chains (the control group), wood, paper or straw in a rack on the behaviour, health/physiology, performance and meat and carcass quality are evaluated. Straw in a rack was found to be the best material to meet the behavioural needs of pigs, whereas paper met the criteria of being manipulable, but only for a short period. To avoid the risk of blockages in the slurry system, there are some practical issues to consider and improvements to be made to the design of the rack for providing straw used in this study.

Abstract

Some positive effects regarding the use of enrichment material on the stimulation of pig exploration and a reduction in redirected behaviour was reported. This study aims to evaluate the effects of four enrichment materials on the behaviour, physiology/health, performance and carcass and meat quality in pigs kept in Spanish production conditions. Ninety-six male pigs (six pigs/pen) ranging from 70 to 170 days old were used. Chains were used for the control group (CH), and wooden logs (W), straw in a rack (S) or paper (P) were also used. The pigs were subjected to two pre-slaughter treatments: 0 or 12 h of fasting. Their behaviour was observed for 12 weeks using scan and focal sampling. Samples of the Neutrophil: Lymphocyte (N:L) ratio and lactate were obtained from the pigs at 66 and 170 days old. Saliva samples for Chromogranin-A (CgA) were obtained at 67, 128, 164 and 170 days old. The weight, skin lesions and feed intake of the pigs were recorded. S triggered more exploratory behaviour than W and CH (P < 0.001). Skin lesions and redirected behaviour were lower for pigs with S (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). The pigs offered S presented lower CgA after no fasting than pigs with P or CH (P = 0.055). Lactate was higher in pigs with W and CH treatments, regardless of fasting (P < 0.05). The N:L ratio increased over time (P < 0.05). No other significant effects were found. Overall, straw in a rack was the enrichment material that enhanced pig inherent behaviour.

Behavioural responses of piglets to different types of music

Music or other background sounds are often played in barns as environmental enrichment for animals on farms or to mask sudden disruptive noises. Previous studies looking at the effects of this practice on non-human animal well-being and productivity have found contradictory results. However, there is still a lack of discussion on whether piglets have the ability to distinguish different types of music. In this study, we exposed piglets to different music conditions to investigate whether the piglets preferred certain music types, in which case those types would have the potential to be used as environmental enrichment. In total, 30 piglets were tested for music type preference to determine whether growing pigs respond differently to different types of music. We used music from two families of instruments (S: string, W: wind) and with two tempos (S: slow, 65 beats/min (bpm); F: fast, 200 bpm), providing four music-type combinations (SS: string-slow; SF: string-fast; WS: wind-slow; WF: wind-fast). The piglets were given a choice between two chambers, one with no music and the other with one of the four types of music, and their behaviour was observed. The results showed that SS and WF music significantly increased residence time (P<0.01) compared with the other music conditions. Compared with the control group (with no music), the different music conditions led to different behavioural responses, where SS music significantly increased lying (P<0.01) and exploration behaviour (P<0.01); SF music significantly increased tail-wagging behaviour (P<0.01); WS music significantly increased exploration (P<0.01); and WF music significantly increased walking, lying, standing and exploration (all P<0.01). The results also showed that musical instruments and tempo had little effect on most of the behaviours. Fast-tempo music significantly increased walking (P=0.02), standing (P<0.01) and tail wagging (P=0.04) compared with slow-tempo music. In conclusion, the results of this experiment show that piglets are more sensitive to tempo than to musical instruments in their response to musical stimulation and seem to prefer SS and WF music to the other two types. The results also suggest a need for further research on the effect of music types on animals.

Prevalence of an inflammation and necrosis syndrome in suckling piglets

The current study describes the results obtained from clinical examination of over 4700 suckling piglets from 19 individual herds in Germany. In this cohort the prevalence of inflammation and necrosis in the tails, ears, claw coronary bands, heels and teats was determined using a pre-defined scoring system. Results show that already in the 1st days of life, piglets were affected by inflammation and necrosis of the heels (80%), claw coronary bands (50%) and tail base (20%). The praevalences of these alterations in piglets were influenced by genetics (P <0.001) and age, decreasing gradually in the 2nd week of life (P <0.001). Moreover, a correlation between tail length after tail docking and the prevalence of tail necrosis (P⩽0.04) was found. Tail and ear biting as a behavioural trait was not detected during this study. The early onset, appearance and multiple locations of clinical signs of inflammation and the positive correlation with the genetic background of the piglets may suggest an impairment of the innate immune system by infectious and non-infectious agents. This is in contrast to previously described behavioural abnormalities seen in fattening pigs. Considering the obvious reduction of animal welfare due to the described lesions, there is a need to create awareness among pig farmers and to understand the multifactorial causality involved in this inflammation and necrosis syndrome in piglets.

Translating Behavior Analysis: a Spectrum Rather than a Road Map

Much has been written about the potential benefits of translational research in behavior analysis, but a lack of consensus about what constitutes "translational" creates a barrier to effective knowledge-practice innovation within the discipline and across other sciences. We propose a tiered system, adapted from a biomedical translational pathway, for classifying behavior analysis research on a basic-applied spectrum. Tier 0 is blue sky basic science in which the subjects, behaviors, stimuli, and settings are selected for convenience. Tier 1 is use-inspired basic science with a socially important end game and research subject. Tier 2 is solution-oriented research that attempts to solve a specific problem in a socially important subject, but 1 or more aspects of the research are selected for purposes of experimental control rather than social importance. Tier 3 is applied behavior analysis research that studies a problem of social significance for the subject and involves behaviors, stimuli, and settings that are socially important. Tier 4 is impact assessment in which behavioral technology is applied with a direct benefit to society. We provide examples of behavior-analytic research in each tier and evaluate the potential benefits of organizing behavior analysis in this way.

Effect of Environmental Enrichment and Herbal Compounds-Supplemented Diet on Pig Carcass, Meat Quality Traits, and Consumers' Acceptability and Preference

Simple Summary

Interest in animal welfare has increased and been considered a relevant attribute for the concept of the ethical quality of pig products. The present study suggests that consumers would appreciate particular improvements on animal welfare such as providing environmental enrichment or herbal compounds. The provision of those welfare improvement strategies did not have a significant effect on technological carcass and meat quality parameters. However, the strategies used in this study that can increase animal welfare in production systems were valued by consumers.

Abstract

Animal welfare can be considered an ethical attribute of product quality, but consumers should appreciate its added value. The aim of this study was to evaluate consumer’s acceptability, preference, and the meat and carcass quality of pigs reared with two stress-reducing strategies: supplementation of an herbal compound (HC) containing Valeriana officinalis and Passiflora incarnata, and environmental enrichment (EE) by the provision of hemp ropes, sawdust, and rubber balls. A total of 56 pigs were divided in four treatments in two pens of seven pigs per treatment (2 × 2 factorial design). Meat and carcass quality were evaluated. Consumer’s acceptability and preference were analysed with a sensory test and a conjoint analysis in 110 consumers. Before slaughter, control pigs (no EE and no HC) presented lower live weight compared with other treatments (p = 0.0009). Although acceptance was the same for all of the treatments, consumers preferred systems aiming to increase pig welfare. The most important factor was production system, with a preference for those improving welfare, followed by feeding system, with a preference for those with natural herbs supplementation. Although price was the least important factor, a segment of consumers showed a clear preference for lower prices. These results suggest that welfare improvements could be appreciated by particular consumer segments.