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Scaillierez AJ, van Nieuwamerongen-de Koning SE, Boumans IJMM, van der Tol PPJ, Schnabel SK, Bokkers EAM. Effect of light intensity on behaviour, health and growth of growing-finishing pigs. Animal 2024; 18:101092. [PMID: 38412781 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101092] [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: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The effect of light intensity has been explored in relation to endocrine functions and reproduction in pigs, but effects on health and behaviour are scarcely documented. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different light intensities on behaviour, health and growth of growing-finishing pigs. An experiment was conducted on a commercial farm equipped with light-emitting diode-based luminaires creating four light intensity treatments: low (45 lux), medium (198 lux), high (968 lux) and spatial gradient of intensity (from 71 lux to 330 lux). Per treatment, 112 pigs were studied in two batches of eight pens. Once every two weeks behaviours such as exploration, positive and negative social interactions, play and abnormal behaviours were observed. Health issues were assessed weekly and included biting lesions, skin lesions, leg and respiratory disorders. The average daily gain over the experiment was calculated and after slaughter carcasses were inspected. Generalised linear mixed models were used for the analysis of behaviours, binary health scores, carcass abnormalities, ordinal logistic regression for multilevel health scores, and linear mixed models for average daily gain. Interactions between intensity and week were found for some behaviours (i.e., exploration, negative social interactions and abnormal behaviour) and health issues (i.e., tear stains, conjunctivitis, body lesions, bursitis and tail lesions). However, none of the treatments consistently outperformed another one. Light treatments did not affect pig growth and carcass abnormalities. These variable results support studies suggesting that pigs are adaptable to light intensities, and inconsistencies over weeks might have been caused by environmental factors that could not be controlled in a commercial farm setting. To conclude, tested light intensities had no clear effects on pig behaviour, health and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Scaillierez
- Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | | | - I J M M Boumans
- Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - P P J van der Tol
- Agricultural Biosystems Engineering Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - S K Schnabel
- Biometris, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - E A M Bokkers
- Animal Production Systems Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Pre-weaning social behaviours and peripheral serotonin levels are associated with behavioural and physiological responses to weaning and social mixing in pigs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2023.105833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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3
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Incentive disengagement and the adaptive significance of frustrative nonreward. Learn Behav 2022; 50:372-388. [DOI: 10.3758/s13420-022-00519-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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4
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Moscovice LR, Gimsa U, Otten W, Eggert A. Salivary Cortisol, but Not Oxytocin, Varies With Social Challenges in Domestic Pigs: Implications for Measuring Emotions. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:899397. [PMID: 35677575 PMCID: PMC9169876 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.899397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals respond to inherently rewarding or punishing stimuli with changes in core affective states, which can be investigated with the aid of appropriate biomarkers. In this study we evaluate salivary cortisol (sCORT) and salivary oxytocin (sOXT) concentrations under baseline conditions and in response to two negatively- and two positively-valenced social challenges in 75 young pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus), housed and tested in eight social groups. We predicted that: (1) Relative to baseline, weaning and brief social isolation would be associated with increases in sCORT, due to psychosocial stress, and reductions in sOXT, due to a lack of opportunities for social support; and (2) Opportunities for social play, and reunions with group members after a separation would be associated with weaker sCORT responses, and increases in sOXT concentrations compared to baseline and to negative social challenges. Testing and sample collection occurred between 28 and 65 days of age and involved a within-subject design, in which every subject was sampled multiple times in neutral (baseline), negative and positive social contexts. We also recorded behavioral data and measured rates of agonism, play and affiliative interactions in the different contexts, prior to saliva sampling. As expected, negative social challenges were associated with robust cortisol responses. Relative to baseline, pigs also had higher sCORT responses to positive social challenges, although these differences were only significant during reunions. Salivary oxytocin concentrations did not differ between the different social conditions, although sOXT was lowest during the brief social isolation. Behavioral analyses confirmed predictions about the expected changes in social interactions in different social contexts, with increases in agonism following weaning, increases in coordinated locomotor play in the play context and high rates of affiliative interactions during reunions. Relative sCORT reactivity to different contexts may reflect the intensity of emotional responses, with greater increases occurring in response to challenges that involve more psychosocial stress. Our results suggest that sOXT is not a reliable indicator of emotional valence in pigs, although more research is needed to characterize sOXT responses to various challenges with and without access to social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza R. Moscovice
- Psychophysiology Unit, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
- *Correspondence: Liza R. Moscovice
| | - Ulrike Gimsa
- Psychophysiology Unit, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Winfried Otten
- Psychophysiology Unit, Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Anja Eggert
- Service Group Statistical Consulting, Institute of Genetics and Biometry, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Dummerstorf, Germany
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Coria-Avila GA, Pfaus JG, Orihuela A, Domínguez-Oliva A, José-Pérez N, Hernández LA, Mota-Rojas D. The Neurobiology of Behavior and Its Applicability for Animal Welfare: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12070928. [PMID: 35405916 PMCID: PMC8997080 DOI: 10.3390/ani12070928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Animal welfare is the result of physical and psychological well-being and is expected to occur if animals are free: (1) from hunger, thirst and malnutrition, (2) from discomfort, (3) from pain, (4) to express normal behavior, and (5) from fear and distress. Nevertheless, well-being is not a constant state but rather the result of certain brain dynamics underlying innate motivated behaviors and learned responses. Thus, by understanding the foundations of the neurobiology of behavior we fathom how emotions and well-being occur in the brain. Herein, we discuss the potential applicability of this approach for animal welfare. First, we provide a general view of the basic responses coordinated by the central nervous system from the processing of internal and external stimuli. Then, we discuss how those stimuli mediate activity in seven neurobiological systems that evoke innate emotional and behavioral responses that directly influence well-being and biological fitness. Finally, we discuss the basic mechanisms of learning and how it affects motivated responses and welfare. Abstract Understanding the foundations of the neurobiology of behavior and well-being can help us better achieve animal welfare. Behavior is the expression of several physiological, endocrine, motor and emotional responses that are coordinated by the central nervous system from the processing of internal and external stimuli. In mammals, seven basic emotional systems have been described that when activated by the right stimuli evoke positive or negative innate responses that evolved to facilitate biological fitness. This review describes the process of how those neurobiological systems can directly influence animal welfare. We also describe examples of the interaction between primary (innate) and secondary (learned) processes that influence behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genaro A. Coria-Avila
- Instituto de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Avenida Luis Castelazo S/N, Col. Industrial Ánimas, Xalapa 91190, Mexico;
- Correspondence: (G.A.C.-A.); (D.M.-R.)
| | - James G. Pfaus
- Instituto de Investigaciones Cerebrales, Universidad Veracruzana, Avenida Luis Castelazo S/N, Col. Industrial Ánimas, Xalapa 91190, Mexico;
- Department of Psychology and Life Sciences, Charles University, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
- Czech National Institute of Mental Health, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Agustín Orihuela
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca 62209, Mexico;
| | - Adriana Domínguez-Oliva
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Unidad Xochimilco, Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.D.-O.); (N.J.-P.); (L.A.H.)
| | - Nancy José-Pérez
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Unidad Xochimilco, Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.D.-O.); (N.J.-P.); (L.A.H.)
| | - Laura Astrid Hernández
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Unidad Xochimilco, Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.D.-O.); (N.J.-P.); (L.A.H.)
| | - Daniel Mota-Rojas
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Unidad Xochimilco, Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.D.-O.); (N.J.-P.); (L.A.H.)
- Correspondence: (G.A.C.-A.); (D.M.-R.)
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Exploration of early social behaviors and social styles in relation to individual characteristics in suckling piglets. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2318. [PMID: 35145195 PMCID: PMC8831595 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06354-w] [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: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Social behavior is a key component of pig welfare on farms, but little is known on the development of social behaviors in piglets. This study aimed to explore social behaviors and identify early social styles in suckling piglets. Social behaviors of 68 piglets from 12 litters were scored continuously for 8 h per day at 21 and 42 days of age, and were included in a Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components analysis to identify clusters of pigs with similar social styles. Social nosing represented 78% of all social interactions given. Three social styles were identified: low-solicited inactive animals (inactive), active animals (active), and highly-solicited avoiders (avoiders). Belonging to a cluster was independent of age, but was influenced by sex, with females being more represented in the ‘inactive’ cluster, and males in the ‘active’ cluster, whereas both sexes were equally represented in the ‘avoider’ cluster. Stability of piglets’ allocation to specific clusters over age was high in the ‘inactive’ (59%) and ‘active’ (65%) clusters, but low in the ‘avoider’ cluster (7%). Haptoglobin and growth rate were higher in ‘active’ than ‘inactive’ pigs, and intermediate in ‘avoiders’. Our findings suggest the existence of transient social styles in piglets, likely reflective of sexual dimorphism or health status.
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Menuge F, Marcet-Rius M, Chabaud C, Teruel E, Berthelot C, Kalonji G, Bienboire-Frosini C, Mendonça T, Lascar E, Pageat P. Repeated separations between a future guide dog and its foster family modify stress-related indicators and affect dog’s focus. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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8
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Marcet-Rius M, Pageat P, Bienboire-Frosini C, Teruel E, Monneret P, Leclercq J, Cozzi A. The provision of toys to pigs can improve the human-animal relationship. Porcine Health Manag 2020; 6:29. [PMID: 33292637 PMCID: PMC7653863 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-020-00167-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now widely recognised that a positive human-animal relationship is beneficial not only for farm animals' welfare but also for productivity and the quality of products. A better understanding of animal emotions is an important goal in disciplines ranging from neuroscience to animal welfare science, but few reliable tools exist for measuring these emotions. In this study, whether the provision of toys to solicit play behaviour in pigs is associated with a change in the human-animal relationship and the emotional state of pigs was investigated. We involved a group of sixteen mini-pigs housed in an experimental setting and the use of a preliminary test called the 'strange person' test. After a Control and a Play session (with medium-sized dog toys, balls with ropes), the strange person test was performed. During the test, a person wearing a colourful overall, a hood, a mask, gloves and boots (unknown person with an odd appearance) entered the pen, where 2 mini-pigs were housed, for a 2-min video recording. The strange person test results after the Play and Control sessions were compared. The results showed that the latency to approach the person (duration in seconds) and the duration for which the pig was distant from the strange person (duration in seconds) were significantly lower after the Play session than after the Control session (Degrees of Freedom =30; Statistic of the F test =39.1; p < 0.0001 and Degrees of Freedom =15; Statistic of the F test =54.3; p < 0.0001, respectively). The duration of direct contact (duration in seconds) (Degrees of Freedom =15; Statistic of the F test =14.8; p = 0.002), the need to separate the pig from the strange person (frequency) (Degrees of Freedom =30; Statistic of the F test =9.3; p = 0.005) and the duration of tail movement (duration in seconds) (Degrees of Freedom =15; Statistic of the F test =12.6; p = 0.003) were all significantly higher after the Play sessions than after the Control sessions. Overall, the results suggest a change in the human-animal relationship after the Play sessions: the pigs seemed to be less fearful and more inclined to interact with the strange person, showing a more positive emotional state. This preliminary study suggests that the provision of toys, and more precisely, the opportunity to perform object play behaviour, and sometimes, spontaneously, social play behaviour, can improve the human-animal relationship. Additional research to explore this topic thoroughly may yield interesting results because a positive emotional state of the animals and a good human-animal relationship are essential to ensure good quality of life of farm animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Míriam Marcet-Rius
- Physiological and Behavioural Mechanisms of Adaptation Department, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400, Apt, France.
| | - Patrick Pageat
- Semiochemicals' Identification and Analogs' Design Department, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400, Apt, France
| | - Cécile Bienboire-Frosini
- Physiological and Behavioural Mechanisms of Adaptation Department, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400, Apt, France
| | - Eva Teruel
- Statistical Analysis Service, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400, Apt, France
| | - Philippe Monneret
- Animal Experimentation Service, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400, Apt, France
| | - Julien Leclercq
- Animal Experimentation Service, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400, Apt, France
| | - Alessandro Cozzi
- Research and Education Board, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400, Apt, France
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Ocepek M, Newberry RC, Andersen IL. Which types of rooting material give weaner pigs most pleasure? Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Gladden N, Cuthbert E, Ellis K, McKeegan D. Use of a Tri-Axial Accelerometer Can Reliably Detect Play Behaviour in Newborn Calves. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1137. [PMID: 32635608 PMCID: PMC7401565 DOI: 10.3390/ani10071137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, the welfare assessment of farm animals has focused on health and production outcomes. Positive welfare is, however, not merely the absence of negative welfare and is an important part of a life worth living. Play behaviour is widely considered to be an indicator of positive emotions because it is a "luxury" behaviour. Direct visual observation is considered the most accurate method of behavioural analysis, but it is time consuming and laborious. There is increasing interest in the use of remote monitoring technology to quantify behaviour. We compared the data output ("motion index" (MI)) from a commercially available tri-axial accelerometer fitted to newborn dairy calves to video footage of the same calves, with a focus on play behaviour. The motion index values over 48 h were positively correlated with both the duration of play behaviour and the number of play bouts. The motion index threshold in each sample interval with the optimal sensitivity and specificity for the identification of play behaviour was MI ≥ 2.5 at a 1 min resolution (sensitivity (Se) = 98.0%; specificity (Sp) = 92.9%) and MI ≥ 24.5 at a 15 min resolution (Se = 98.0%; Sp = 89.9%), but these values consistently overestimated the overall proportion of sample intervals in which play was observed. The MI that best reflected the results obtained from visual one-zero sampling was MI ≥ 23 for 1 min intervals and MI ≥ 62 for 15 min intervals-this may therefore be the basis of a more conservative approach to the identification of play behaviour from accelerometer-generated data. Our results indicate that accelerometer-generated data can usefully indicate the amount of play behaviour shown by newborn calves for up to 48 h, providing an efficient method for identifying this important parameter in future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Gladden
- Scottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK;
| | - Erin Cuthbert
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow Garscube Estate, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (E.C.); (D.M.)
| | - Kathryn Ellis
- Scottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK;
| | - Dorothy McKeegan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow Garscube Estate, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (E.C.); (D.M.)
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Czycholl I, Hauschild E, Büttner K, Krugmann K, Burfeind O, Krieter J. Tail and ear postures of growing pigs in two different housing conditions. Behav Processes 2020; 176:104138. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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13
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Lykhach AV, Lykhach VY, Shpetny MB, Mykhalko OH, Zhyzhka SV. Influence of toys on behavioural patterns of pigs and their association with the concentration of serotonin in blood plasma. REGULATORY MECHANISMS IN BIOSYSTEMS 2020. [DOI: 10.15421/022022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Oliva JL, Mengoli M, Mendonça T, Cozzi A, Pageat P, Chabaud C, Teruel E, Lafont-Lecuelle C, Bienboire-Frosini C. Working Smarter Not Harder: Oxytocin Increases Domestic Dogs' ( Canis familiaris) Accuracy, but Not Attempts, on an Object Choice Task. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2141. [PMID: 31632314 PMCID: PMC6781933 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been shown to enhance dogs' ability to perform an object choice task (OCT) involving the use of human pointing cues, when delivered intranasally. This study aimed at further investigating whether OT enhances task performance by increasing choices made, or by increasing correctness of choices made, and to compare these treatment effects to dog appeasing pheromone (DAP), known to balance emotional activation in dogs. Hence, we compared OCT performance between three groups of dogs: (i) dogs administered OT and a sham collar, (ii) dogs administered a saline placebo and a DAP collar, and (iii) control dogs administered a saline placebo and a sham collar. All three groups consisted of a combination of male and female pet dogs and assistance-dogs-in-training currently living with a volunteer carer. The study also evaluated the effect of intranasal OT and/or DAP on plasma levels of OT, and prolactin; which has previously been linked with anxiety in dogs. The dogs' emotional state was measured using the Emotional Disorders Evaluation in Dogs (EDED) scale. The owners'/carers' degree of anxious- and avoidant-style attachment to their dogs was accessed using the Pet Attachment Questionnaire (PAQ). Interesting descriptive data appeared for both treatment groups. Particularly, in OT group, we obtained significant results demonstrating that intranasal OT enhances OCT performance in dogs compared to control, by increasing the percentage of correct choices, but not the number of choices, made. Results also support that the mode of action of intranasal OT is via direct access to the brain and not via the blood, since no elevation of plasma OT (or prolactin) levels were observed after intranasal administration in this study. Similarly, DAP application did not significantly alter OT or prolactin peripheral concentrations. Several differences were observed between fostered and pet dogs, namely: fostered dogs demonstrated higher levels of serum prolactin, made more choices on the OCT compared to pet dogs but were not more likely to be correct, and were fostered by carers with higher avoidant attachment scores than pet dog owners. These findings implicate consideration of potential carer and training consequences for assistance dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Lee Oliva
- Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), Apt, France
| | - Manuel Mengoli
- Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), Apt, France
- Clinical Ethology and Animal Welfare Centre (CECBA), Apt, France
| | - Tiago Mendonça
- Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), Apt, France
- Clinical Ethology and Animal Welfare Centre (CECBA), Apt, France
| | - Alessandro Cozzi
- Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), Apt, France
| | - Patrick Pageat
- Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), Apt, France
- Clinical Ethology and Animal Welfare Centre (CECBA), Apt, France
| | - Camille Chabaud
- Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), Apt, France
| | - Eva Teruel
- Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology (IRSEA), Apt, France
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Vigors B, Lawrence A. What Are the Positives? Exploring Positive Welfare Indicators in a Qualitative Interview Study with Livestock Farmers. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E694. [PMID: 31533328 PMCID: PMC6770310 DOI: 10.3390/ani9090694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
To support the furtherance of positive animal welfare, there is a need to develop meaningful and practical positive welfare indicators for on-farm welfare assessment. Considering the perspectives of farmers is arguably critical in this regard. Doing so helps ensure positive welfare indicators reflect farmers' existing welfare norms and attitudes and, are thus, of practical relevance to them. However, a key issue for such development is the dearth of knowledge on farmers' perspectives of positive welfare. To address this, this study uses qualitative interviews to directly examine livestock farmers' perspectives of positive welfare. Findings reveal that farmers describe elements of positive welfare which are broadly in line with indicators suggested in the positive welfare literature. These elements include animal autonomy, play, positive affect, positive human-animal relationships, social interaction, and appropriate genetic selection. Additionally, this study finds that farmers construct the reduction of negative aspects of welfare as their primary management concern and mostly construct positive welfare as arising indirectly from this. Insights into the importance that farmers of different sectors and systems give to different aspects of positive welfare indicators are also explored. The implications of these findings and the similitudes between farmers' perspectives and the positive welfare literature are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda Vigors
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3RG, UK.
| | - Alistair Lawrence
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3RG, UK.
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Penicuik, EH25 9RG, UK.
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Marcet-Rius M, Fàbrega E, Cozzi A, Bienboire-Frosini C, Descout E, Velarde A, Pageat P. Are Tail and Ear Movements Indicators of Emotions in Tail-Docked Pigs in Response to Environmental Enrichment? Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E449. [PMID: 31315235 PMCID: PMC6680777 DOI: 10.3390/ani9070449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The inclusion of emotional indicators in farm monitoring methods can improve welfare assessments. Studies in controlled conditions have suggested that increased tail movement is an indicator of positive emotions in pigs, while others have proposed that increased ear movements are linked to negative emotions. This study aimed to investigate these indicators in pig farm conditions to analyze their validity and the effect of enrichment on welfare. Thirty-six pigs received one of the following enrichment materials: straw in a rack, wooden logs, or chains. Behavioral observations were performed by focal sampling. The results showed that tail movement duration was significantly higher when pigs exhibited "high use" (three or more pigs in a pen interacting with the enrichment) than when they exhibited "low use" (fewer than three) of enrichment (p = 0.04). A positive correlation was found between tail movement frequency and duration (r = 0.88; p = 0.02). The increase in tail movement could be considered an indicator of positive emotions in pigs when measured with other categories of indicators. Regarding ear movements, no significant difference was found. Future studies should further investigate these indicators thoroughly, as the results could be useful for improving the assessment of emotions in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Míriam Marcet-Rius
- Physiological and Behavioral Mechanisms of Adaptation Department, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400 Apt, France.
| | - Emma Fàbrega
- Animal Welfare Program, IRTA (Insitute of Agrifood Research and Technology), Centre de Control i Avaluació de Porcí, 17121 Monells, Girona, Spain
| | - Alessandro Cozzi
- Research and Education Board, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400 Apt, France
| | - Cécile Bienboire-Frosini
- Physiological and Behavioral Mechanisms of Adaptation Department, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400 Apt, France
| | - Estelle Descout
- Statistical Analysis Service, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400 Apt, France
| | - Antonio Velarde
- Animal Welfare Program, IRTA (Insitute of Agrifood Research and Technology), Centre de Control i Avaluació de Porcí, 17121 Monells, Girona, Spain
| | - Patrick Pageat
- Semiochemicals' Identification and Analogs' Design Department, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400 Apt, France
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Krugmann K, Warnken F, Krieter J, Czycholl I. Are Behavioral Tests Capable of Measuring Positive Affective States in Growing Pigs? Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9050274. [PMID: 31137646 PMCID: PMC6562421 DOI: 10.3390/ani9050274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This study aimed at deriving potential indicators to assess fattening pigs’ positive affective state in order to be able to assess animal welfare more objectively. For this purpose, 297 fattening pigs from two different housing systems (a barren and an enriched environment) were subjected three times to the human approach test and novel object test (at the start, middle and end of fattening). The barren-housed pigs showed quicker approach latencies to come into contact with the unknown human and the novel object compared to the enriched-housed pigs (e.g., latency time in the human approach test at the end of fattening: barren housing system: 7.4 ± 1.1 s vs. enriched housing system: 57.1 ± 1.1 s, respectively 58.3 ± 1.3 s). They also indicated longer durations of contact in the human approach test but not in the novel object test (e.g., duration of contact in the human approach test at the end of fattening: barren housing system: 83.8 ± 1.1 s vs. enriched housing system: 6.3 ± 1.1 s respectively, 7.6 ± 1.3 s). However, taking the literature into account, interpretation of these results is not straightforward as the reasoning for these findings could be boredom, and thus a higher motivation to explore, or less fear. Hence, behavioral tests as solitary indicators are probably less useful in the assessment of an affective state. Abstract This study examined whether the human approach test (HAT) or novel object test (NOT), which are considered as suitable tests for assessing the level of fear or anxiety in animals, are suitable to detect a positive affective state in 297 fattening pigs from three different farms. The investigated farms consisted of a barren (farm 1, n = 160) and an enriched (farm 2, n = 106; farm 3, n = 31) husbandry. Each pig was subjected three times to the HAT and NOT during fattening (at the start, middle, and end of fattening). The pigs housed in the barren environment showed quicker approach latencies than the enriched-housed pigs (HAT: farm 1: 7.4 ± 1.1 s vs. farm 2: 57.1 ± 1.1 s, respectively, farm 3: 58.3 ± 1.3 s (end of fattening); NOT: farm 1: 4.5 ± 1.1 s vs. farm 2: 23.0 ± 1.1 s, respectively, farm 3: 9.0 ± 1.2 s (end of fattening)). The same pattern of behavior was observed for the duration of contacts in the HAT but not in the NOT (HAT: farm 1: 83.8 ± 1.1 s vs. farm 2: 6.3 ± 1.1 s, respectively, farm 3: 7.6 ± 1.3 s (end of fattening)). However, due to controversially discussed literature, it is difficult to conclude whether the described differences in the pigs’ behavior between the two housing systems might indicate useful indicators to detect their affective state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Krugmann
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
| | - Farina Warnken
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
| | - Joachim Krieter
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
| | - Irena Czycholl
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, D-24098 Kiel, Germany.
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Marcet-Rius M, Kalonji G, Cozzi A, Bienboire-Frosini C, Monneret P, Kowalczyk I, Teruel E, Codecasa E, Pageat P. Effects of straw provision, as environmental enrichment, on behavioural indicators of welfare and emotions in pigs reared in an experimental system. Livest Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2019.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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