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Whitham JC, Miller LJ. Utilizing vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of non-human mammals. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1366933. [PMID: 38435367 PMCID: PMC10904518 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1366933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
This review discusses how welfare scientists can examine vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of individual animals. In recent years, researchers working in professionally managed settings have recognized the value of monitoring the types, rates, and acoustic structures of calls, which may reflect various aspects of welfare. Fortunately, recent technological advances in the field of bioacoustics allow for vocal activity to be recorded with microphones, hydrophones, and animal-attached devices (e.g., collars), as well as automated call recognition. We consider how vocal behavior can be used as an indicator of affective state, with particular interest in the valence of emotions. While most studies have investigated vocal activity produced in negative contexts (e.g., experiencing pain, social isolation, environmental disturbances), we highlight vocalizations that express positive affective states. For instance, some species produce vocalizations while foraging, playing, engaging in grooming, or interacting affiliatively with conspecifics. This review provides an overview of the evidence that exists for the construct validity of vocal indicators of affective state in non-human mammals. Furthermore, we discuss non-invasive methods that can be utilized to investigate vocal behavior, as well as potential limitations to this line of research. In the future, welfare scientists should attempt to identify reliable, valid species-specific calls that reflect emotional valence, which may be possible by adopting a dimensional approach. The dimensional approach considers both arousal and valence by comparing vocalizations emitted in negative and positive contexts. Ultimately, acoustic activity can be tracked continuously to detect shifts in welfare status or to evaluate the impact of animal transfers, introductions, and changes to the husbandry routine or environment. We encourage welfare scientists to expand their welfare monitoring toolkits by combining vocal activity with other behavioral measures and physiological biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica C. Whitham
- Chicago Zoological Society-Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL, United States
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2
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Olczak K, Penar W, Nowicki J, Magiera A, Klocek C. The Role of Sound in Livestock Farming-Selected Aspects. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2307. [PMID: 37508083 PMCID: PMC10376870 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
To ensure the optimal living conditions of farm animals, it is essential to understand how their senses work and the way in which they perceive their environment. Most animals have a different hearing range compared to humans; thus, some aversive sounds may go unnoticed by caretakers. The auditory pathways may act through the nervous system on the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and immune systems. Therefore, noise may lead to behavioral activation (arousal), pain, and sleep disorders. Sounds on farms may be produced by machines, humans, or animals themselves. It is worth noting that vocalization may be very informative to the breeder as it is an expression of an emotional state. This information can be highly beneficial in maintaining a high level of livestock welfare. Moreover, understanding learning theory, conditioning, and the potential benefits of certain sounds can guide the deliberate use of techniques in farm management to reduce the aversiveness of certain events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Olczak
- Department of Horse Breeding, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Krakowska St. 1, 32-083 Balice, Poland
| | - Weronika Penar
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 24/28 Mickiewicza Ave., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
| | - Jacek Nowicki
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 24/28 Mickiewicza Ave., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
| | - Angelika Magiera
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 24/28 Mickiewicza Ave., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
| | - Czesław Klocek
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Ethology, Faculty of Animal Sciences, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 24/28 Mickiewicza Ave., 30-059 Cracow, Poland
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3
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Urrutia A, Bánszegi O, Szenczi P, Hudson R. Scaredy-cat: Assessment of individual differences in response to an acute everyday stressor across development in the domestic cat. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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4
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Vocal expression of emotional arousal across two call types in young rhesus macaques. Anim Behav 2022; 190:125-138. [PMID: 36337435 PMCID: PMC9632756 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
As Darwin first recognized, the study of emotional communication has the potential to improve scientific understanding of the mechanisms of signal production as well as how signals evolve. We examined the relationships between emotional arousal and selected acoustic characteristics of coo and scream vocalizations produced by female rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta, during development. For coos, arousal was assessed through measures of stress-induced elevations of plasma cortisol exhibited in response to the human intruder test. In the analysis of screams, arousal was evaluated from the intensity of aggression experienced by the vocalizer during natural social interactions. Both call types showed a positive relationship between arousal and overall fundamental frequency (F0, perceived as pitch in humans). In coos, this association was dampened over development from infancy (6 months) to the juvenile, prepubertal period (16 months) and further to menarche (21.3-31.3 months), perhaps reflecting developmental changes in physiology, anatomy and/or call function. Heightened arousal was also associated in coos with increases in an acoustic dimension related to F0 modulation and noisiness. As monkeys matured, coos showed decreases in overall F0 as well as increased noisiness and F0 modulation, likely reflecting growth of the vocal apparatus and changes in vocal fold oscillation. Within screams, only one acoustic dimension (related to F0 modulation) showed developmental change, and only within one subclass of screams within one behavioural context. Our results regarding the acoustic correlates of arousal in both call types are broadly consistent with findings in other species, supporting the hypothesis of evolutionary continuity in emotion expression. We discuss implications for broader theories of how vocal acoustics respond to selection pressures.
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Briefer EF, Sypherd CCR, Linhart P, Leliveld LMC, Padilla de la Torre M, Read ER, Guérin C, Deiss V, Monestier C, Rasmussen JH, Špinka M, Düpjan S, Boissy A, Janczak AM, Hillmann E, Tallet C. Classification of pig calls produced from birth to slaughter according to their emotional valence and context of production. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3409. [PMID: 35256620 PMCID: PMC8901661 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07174-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocal expression of emotions has been observed across species and could provide a non-invasive and reliable means to assess animal emotions. We investigated if pig vocal indicators of emotions revealed in previous studies are valid across call types and contexts, and could potentially be used to develop an automated emotion monitoring tool. We performed an analysis of an extensive and unique dataset of low (LF) and high frequency (HF) calls emitted by pigs across numerous commercial contexts from birth to slaughter (7414 calls from 411 pigs). Our results revealed that the valence attributed to the contexts of production (positive versus negative) affected all investigated parameters in both LF and HF. Similarly, the context category affected all parameters. We then tested two different automated methods for call classification; a neural network revealed much higher classification accuracy compared to a permuted discriminant function analysis (pDFA), both for the valence (neural network: 91.5%; pDFA analysis weighted average across LF and HF (cross-classified): 61.7% with a chance level at 50.5%) and context (neural network: 81.5%; pDFA analysis weighted average across LF and HF (cross-classified): 19.4% with a chance level at 14.3%). These results suggest that an automated recognition system can be developed to monitor pig welfare on-farm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie F Briefer
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Ciara C-R Sypherd
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Pavel Linhart
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, 104 01, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, 370 05, Č. Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Lisette M C Leliveld
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Monica Padilla de la Torre
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universitetstunet 3, 1433, Ås, Norway
| | - Eva R Read
- PEGASE, INRAE, Institut Agro, 35590, Saint Gilles, France
| | - Carole Guérin
- PEGASE, INRAE, Institut Agro, 35590, Saint Gilles, France
| | - Véronique Deiss
- University of Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, 63122, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France
| | | | - Jeppe H Rasmussen
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
- Center for Coastal Research, University of Agder, 4604, Kristiansand, Norway
- Center for Artificial Intelligence Research, University of Agder, 4604, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Marek Špinka
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, 104 01, Prague, Czechia
- Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, 165 21, Prague, Czechia
| | - Sandra Düpjan
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), 18196, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Alain Boissy
- University of Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, 63122, Saint-Genès Champanelle, France
| | - Andrew M Janczak
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Universitetstunet 3, 1433, Ås, Norway
| | - Edna Hillmann
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
- Animal Husbandry and Ethology, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institut, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Philippstrasse 13, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Céline Tallet
- PEGASE, INRAE, Institut Agro, 35590, Saint Gilles, France
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6
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Vernes SC, Kriengwatana BP, Beeck VC, Fischer J, Tyack PL, ten Cate C, Janik VM. The multi-dimensional nature of vocal learning. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200236. [PMID: 34482723 PMCID: PMC8419582 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
How learning affects vocalizations is a key question in the study of animal communication and human language. Parallel efforts in birds and humans have taught us much about how vocal learning works on a behavioural and neurobiological level. Subsequent efforts have revealed a variety of cases among mammals in which experience also has a major influence on vocal repertoires. Janik and Slater (Anim. Behav.60, 1-11. (doi:10.1006/anbe.2000.1410)) introduced the distinction between vocal usage and production learning, providing a general framework to categorize how different types of learning influence vocalizations. This idea was built on by Petkov and Jarvis (Front. Evol. Neurosci.4, 12. (doi:10.3389/fnevo.2012.00012)) to emphasize a more continuous distribution between limited and more complex vocal production learners. Yet, with more studies providing empirical data, the limits of the initial frameworks become apparent. We build on these frameworks to refine the categorization of vocal learning in light of advances made since their publication and widespread agreement that vocal learning is not a binary trait. We propose a novel classification system, based on the definitions by Janik and Slater, that deconstructs vocal learning into key dimensions to aid in understanding the mechanisms involved in this complex behaviour. We consider how vocalizations can change without learning, and a usage learning framework that considers context specificity and timing. We identify dimensions of vocal production learning, including the copying of auditory models (convergence/divergence on model sounds, accuracy of copying), the degree of change (type and breadth of learning) and timing (when learning takes place, the length of time it takes and how long it is retained). We consider grey areas of classification and current mechanistic understanding of these behaviours. Our framework identifies research needs and will help to inform neurobiological and evolutionary studies endeavouring to uncover the multi-dimensional nature of vocal learning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Vocal learning in animals and humans'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C. Vernes
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Veronika C. Beeck
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Centre, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter L. Tyack
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Carel ten Cate
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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7
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Filippi P, Hoeschele M, Spierings M, Bowling DL. Temporal modulation in speech, music, and animal vocal communication: evidence of conserved function. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019; 1453:99-113. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Piera Filippi
- Laboratoire Parole et Langage, LPL UMR 7309, Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueAix‐Marseille Université Aix‐en‐Provence France
- Institute of Language, Communication and the Brain, Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueAix‐Marseille Université Aix‐en‐Provence France
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Cognitive LPC UMR 7290, Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueAix‐Marseille Université Marseille France
| | - Marisa Hoeschele
- Acoustics Research InstituteAustrian Academy of Science Vienna Austria
- Department of Cognitive BiologyUniversity of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | | | - Daniel L. Bowling
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesStanford University School of Medicine Stanford California
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8
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Dogs' sensitivity to strange pup separation calls: pitch instability increases attention regardless of sex and experience. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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9
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Diana A, Carpentier L, Piette D, Boyle LA, Berckmans D, Norton T. An ethogram of biter and bitten pigs during an ear biting event: first step in the development of a Precision Livestock Farming tool. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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10
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Briefer EF, Vizier E, Gygax L, Hillmann E. Expression of emotional valence in pig closed-mouth grunts: Involvement of both source- and filter-related parameters. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 145:2895. [PMID: 31153321 DOI: 10.1121/1.5100612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Emotion expression plays a crucial role for regulating social interactions. One efficient channel for emotion communication is the vocal-auditory channel, which enables a fast transmission of information. Filter-related parameters (formants) have been suggested as a key to the vocal differentiation of emotional valence (positive versus negative) across species, but variation in relation to emotions has rarely been investigated. Here, whether pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) closed-mouth grunts differ in source- and filter-related features when produced in situations assumed to be positive and negative is investigated. Behavioral and physiological parameters were used to validate the animals' emotional state (both in terms of valence and arousal, i.e., bodily activation). Results revealed that grunts produced in a positive situation were characterized by higher formants, a narrower range of the third formant, a shorter duration, a lower fundamental frequency, and a lower harmonicity compared to negative grunts. Particularly, formant-related parameters and duration made up most of the difference between positive and negative grunts. Therefore, these parameters have the potential to encode dynamic information and to vary as a function of the emotional valence of the emitter in pigs, and possibly in other mammals as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie F Briefer
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Emilie Vizier
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lorenz Gygax
- Centre for Proper Housing of Ruminants and Pigs, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Agroscope, Tänikon, 8356 Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - Edna Hillmann
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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11
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Rieke L, Schubert R, Matheis T, Muratori LM, Motlik J, Schramke S, Fels M, Kemper N, Schuldenzucker V, Reilmann R. Vocalisation as a Viable Assessment for Phenotyping Minipigs Transgenic for the Huntington Gene? J Huntingtons Dis 2018; 7:269-278. [PMID: 30103340 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-170284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Large animal models, such as the transgenic (tg) Huntington disease (HD) minipig, have been proposed to improve translational reliability and assessment of safety, efficacy and tolerability in preclinical studies. Minipigs are characterised by high genetic homology and comparable brain structures to humans. In addition, behavioural assessments successfully applied in humans could be explored in minipigs to establish similar endpoints in preclinical and clinical studies. Recently, analysis of voice and speech production was established to characterise HD patients. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate whether vocalisation could also serve as a viable marker for phenotyping minipigs transgenic for Huntington's disease (tgHD) and whether tgHD minipigs reveal changes in this domain compared to wildtype (wt) minipigs. METHODS While conducting behavioural testing, incidence of vocalisation was assessed for a cohort of 14 tgHD and 18 wt minipigs. Statistical analyses were performed using Fisher's Exact Test for group comparisons and McNemar's Test for intra-visit differences between tgHD and wt minipigs. RESULTS Vocalisation can easily be documented during phenotyping assessments of minipigs. Differences in vocalisation incidences across behavioural conditions were detected between tgHD and wt minipigs. Influence of the genotype on vocalisation was detectable during a period of 1.5 years. CONCLUSION Vocalisation may be a viable marker for phenotyping minipigs transgenic for the Huntington gene. Documentation of vocalisation provides a non-invasive opportunity to capture potential disease signs and explore phenotypic development including the age of disease manifestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Rieke
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park Muenster, Muenster, Germany.,Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Robin Schubert
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Tamara Matheis
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park Muenster, Muenster, Germany.,Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lisa M Muratori
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park Muenster, Muenster, Germany.,Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Technology and Management, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Jan Motlik
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, v.v.i., AS CR, Libechov, Czech Republic
| | - Sarah Schramke
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Michaela Fels
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Nicole Kemper
- Institute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behaviour, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Verena Schuldenzucker
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park Muenster, Muenster, Germany.,Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ralf Reilmann
- George-Huntington-Institute, Technology Park Muenster, Muenster, Germany.,Department of Radiology, Universitaetsklinikum Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer Campus, Muenster, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
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12
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Syrová M, Policht R, Linhart P, Špinka M. Ontogeny of individual and litter identity signaling in grunts of piglets. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 142:3116. [PMID: 29195455 DOI: 10.1121/1.5010330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have shown that animal vocalizations can signal individual identity and group/family membership. However, much less is known about the ontogeny of identity information-when and how this individual/group distinctiveness in vocalizations arises and how it changes during the animal's life. Recent findings suggest that even species that were thought to have limited vocal plasticity could adjust their calls to sound more similar to each other within a group. It has already been shown that sows can acoustically distinguish their own offspring from alien piglets and that litters differ in their calls. Surprisingly, individual identity in piglet calls has not been reported yet. In this paper, this gap is filled, and it is shown that there is information about piglet identity. Information about litter identity is confirmed as well. Individual identity increased with age, but litter vocal identity did not increase with age. The results were robust as a similar pattern was apparent in two situations differing in arousal: isolation and back-test. This paper argues that, in piglets, increased individual discrimination results from the rapid growth of piglets, which is likely to be associated with growth and diversification of the vocal tract rather than from social effects and vocal plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Syrová
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Pratelstvi 815, Prague Uhrineves, 104 00, Czech Republic
| | - Richard Policht
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Pratelstvi 815, Prague Uhrineves, 104 00, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Linhart
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Pratelstvi 815, Prague Uhrineves, 104 00, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Špinka
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Pratelstvi 815, Prague Uhrineves, 104 00, Czech Republic
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13
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Rubow J, Cherry MI, Sharpe LL. A comparison of individual distinctiveness in three vocalizations of the dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula
). Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Janneke Rubow
- Department of Botany and Zoology; Stellenbosch University; Stellenbosch South Africa
| | - Michael I. Cherry
- Department of Botany and Zoology; Stellenbosch University; Stellenbosch South Africa
| | - Lynda L. Sharpe
- Department of Botany and Zoology; Stellenbosch University; Stellenbosch South Africa
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14
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Leliveld LMC, Düpjan S, Tuchscherer A, Puppe B. Vocal correlates of emotional reactivity within and across contexts in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa). Physiol Behav 2017; 181:117-126. [PMID: 28912089 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Vocalizations have long been recognized to encode information about an individual's emotional state and, as such, have contributed to the study of emotions in animals. However, the potential of vocalizations to also encode information about an individual's emotional reactivity has received much less attention. In this study, we aimed to test whether the vocalizations of domestic pigs contain correlates of emotional reactivity that are consistent between different contexts. We recorded vocalizations of 120 young female pigs in an experimental arena in two consecutive recording contexts, social isolation and an encounter with a familiar human. Simultaneously, we measured their heart rate and behaviour to determine their emotional reactivity in the same context (within-context). In addition, we aimed to determine the subjects' emotional reactivity in other contexts (across-context) by measuring their behaviour in four common tests of emotional reactivity, the human approach test, the open door test, the open field test and the novel object test. Using a cluster analysis, we identified four different call types. Significant inter-context correlations were found for all call types, suggesting that pig vocalizations are consistent within an individual across contexts. The call rate and the proportions of the individual call types were found to correlate significantly with indices of emotional reactivity both within and across contexts. Thereby, we found more significant correlations to indices of emotional reactivity within context (behavioural and physiological response during recording) compared to across context (behavioural response in the four emotional reactivity tests). The consistency of the vocal correlates to emotional reactivity between the different contexts depended on the call type. While we found moderate evidence that the high grunt is indicative of more active, more explorative and less fearful individuals both within as well as across contexts, the other call types provided less consistent results. Thus, it seems that some call types are better suited to provide information on a caller's emotional reactivity than others, and further research is needed to clarify the underlying influential factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisette M C Leliveld
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, D-18196 Dummerstorf, Germany.
| | - Sandra Düpjan
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, D-18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Armin Tuchscherer
- Institute of Genetics and Biometry, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, D-18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Birger Puppe
- Institute of Behavioural Physiology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, D-18196 Dummerstorf, Germany; Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6B, D-18059 Rostock, Germany
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15
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Lay DC, Sapkota A, Enneking SA. Testing the feasibility of using a conveyor belt to load weanling and nursery pigs for transportation. Transl Anim Sci 2017; 1:287-295. [PMID: 32704653 PMCID: PMC7205342 DOI: 10.2527/tas2017.0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transportation is known to be a multi-faceted stressor, with the process of loading being one of the most significant factors impacting the stress to which animals are exposed. This project was designed to determine if using a conveyor to load pigs into the top deck of a simulated straight deck trailer could lower the stress to which pigs and handlers are exposed. Pigs were assigned to either a Control group that were herded up a stationary conveyor ramp into a top deck trailer (2.5 m above the ground); or Conveyor group which were herded onto a mobile conveyor into a top deck trailer. The conveyor was 7.6 m long, 0.9 m wide and rose to 2.5 m high at a 16° slope, and moved 11.3 m/min. Two age groups were tested; Weanling pigs which were moved in groups of 20 (n = 14 groups/treatment) and Nursery pigs which were moved in groups of 10 (n = 15 groups/treatment). Behavior was recorded during loading, including slips and falls, vocalizations, assists, and time to load. Heart rate of 2 sentinel pigs/group and the handler were recorded during loading, and body temperature of the handler after loading. Pigs were held in the simulated trailer for 30 min while heart rate was recorded. After which, they were unloaded and held in a holding pen for an additional 30 min while heart rate was recorded. There were no treatment differences for slips or falls (P < 0.90). Vocalizations were too few to analyze. Both Weanling (2.8 ± 0.7) and Nursery (1.6 ± 0.5) Conveyor pigs needed to be assisted onto the conveyor more than Weanling (1.2 ± 0.4) and Nursery (0.3 ± 0.1) Control pigs (P < 0.06). There was no difference in total loading time between the treatments for any age group (P < 0.15), with Weanling and Nursery pigs loading in 50 to 45 s, respectively. There were no treatment differences for heart rate variability measures (P > 0.10). However, loading increased heart rate of Nursery pigs (204.9 ± 5.7 bpm, P < 0.005), but not Weanling pigs (172.1 ± 9.0 bpm). Nursery pigs had a greater ratio of low frequency to high frequency power during loading (P < 0.02) compared to other phases of the procedure in both Control and Conveyor groups. Heart rate (93.9 ± 1.9 bpm) and body temperature (31.1 ± 0.3°C, eye temperature) of the handler was not affected by treatment (P < 0.26). Based on behavior and physiology, the pigs had similar experiences in both treatments. This study shows that it is feasible to use a conveyor to load pigs, but it may not be advantageous.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C Lay
- Livestock Behavior Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - A Sapkota
- Livestock Behavior Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - S A Enneking
- Livestock Behavior Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, West Lafayette, IN 47907
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Walter MH, Schnitzler HU. Spectral call features provide information about the aggression level of greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) during agonistic interactions. BIOACOUSTICS 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2017.1359798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael H. Walter
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Schnitzler
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Friel M, Kunc HP, Griffin K, Asher L, Collins LM. Acoustic signalling reflects personality in a social mammal. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160178. [PMID: 27429775 PMCID: PMC4929910 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions among individuals are often mediated through acoustic signals. If acoustic signals are consistent and related to an individual's personality, these consistent individual differences in signalling may be an important driver in social interactions. However, few studies in non-human mammals have investigated the relationship between acoustic signalling and personality. Here we show that acoustic signalling rate is repeatable and strongly related to personality in a highly social mammal, the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica). Furthermore, acoustic signalling varied between environments of differing quality, with males from a poor-quality environment having a reduced vocalization rate compared with females and males from an enriched environment. Such differences may be mediated by personality with pigs from a poor-quality environment having more reactive and more extreme personality scores compared with pigs from an enriched environment. Our results add to the evidence that acoustic signalling reflects personality in a non-human mammal. Signals reflecting personalities may have far reaching consequences in shaping the evolution of social behaviours as acoustic communication forms an integral part of animal societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Friel
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Hansjoerg P. Kunc
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Kym Griffin
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 4BU, UK
| | - Lucy Asher
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Lisa M. Collins
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
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18
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Garcia M, Gingras B, Bowling DL, Herbst CT, Boeckle M, Locatelli Y, Fitch WT. Structural Classification of Wild Boar ( Sus scrofa) Vocalizations. Ethology 2016; 122:329-342. [PMID: 27065507 PMCID: PMC4793927 DOI: 10.1111/eth.12472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Revised: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Determining whether a species' vocal communication system is graded or discrete requires definition of its vocal repertoire. In this context, research on domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) vocalizations, for example, has led to significant advances in our understanding of communicative functions. Despite their close relation to domestic pigs, little is known about wild boar (Sus scrofa) vocalizations. The few existing studies, conducted in the 1970s, relied on visual inspections of spectrograms to quantify acoustic parameters and lacked statistical analysis. Here, we use objective signal processing techniques and advanced statistical approaches to classify 616 calls recorded from semi‐free ranging animals. Based on four spectral and temporal acoustic parameters—quartile Q25, duration, spectral flux, and spectral flatness—extracted from a multivariate analysis, we refine and extend the conclusions drawn from previous work and present a statistically validated classification of the wild boar vocal repertoire into four call types: grunts, grunt‐squeals, squeals, and trumpets. While the majority of calls could be sorted into these categories using objective criteria, we also found evidence supporting a graded interpretation of some wild boar vocalizations as acoustically continuous, with the extremes representing discrete call types. The use of objective criteria based on modern techniques and statistics in respect to acoustic continuity advances our understanding of vocal variation. Integrating our findings with recent studies on domestic pig vocal behavior and emotions, we emphasize the importance of grunt‐squeals for acoustic approaches to animal welfare and underline the need of further research investigating the role of domestication on animal vocal communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Garcia
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Bruno Gingras
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Daniel L Bowling
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Christian T Herbst
- Voice Research Lab Department of Biophysics Faculty of Science Palacký University Olomouc Czech Republic
| | - Markus Boeckle
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Department of Psychotherapy and Biopsychosocial Health Danube University Krems Krems Austria
| | - Yann Locatelli
- Réserve de la Haute Touche Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Obterre France; Equipe Interactions Cellulaires et Fertilité UMR0085 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique Nouzilly France
| | - W Tecumseh Fitch
- Department of Cognitive Biology University of Vienna Vienna Austria
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19
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Behavioural and physiological measures indicate subtle variations in the emotional valence of young pigs. Physiol Behav 2016; 157:116-24. [PMID: 26850291 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In the study of animal emotions, emotional valence has been found to be difficult to measure. Many studies of farm animals' emotions have therefore focussed on the identification of indicators of strong, mainly negative, emotions. However, subtle variations in emotional valence, such as those caused by rather moderate differences in husbandry conditions, may also affect animals' mood and welfare when such variations occur consistently. In this study, we investigated whether repeated moderate aversive or rewarding events could lead to measurable differences in emotional valence in young, weaned pigs. We conditioned 105 female pigs in a test arena to either a repeated startling procedure (sudden noises or appearances of objects) or a repeated rewarding procedure (applesauce, toy and straw) over 11 sessions. Control pigs were also regularly exposed to the same test arena but without conditioning. Before and after conditioning, we measured heart rate and its variability as well as the behavioural reactions of the subjects in the test arena, with a special focus on detailed acoustic analyses of their vocalisations. The behavioural and heart rate measures were analysed as changes compared to the baseline values before conditioning. A limited number of the putative indicators of emotional valence were affected by the conditioning. We found that the negatively conditioned pigs showed changes that were significantly different from those in control pigs, namely a decrease in locomotion and an increase in standing. The positively conditioned pigs, however, showed a stronger increase in heart rate and a smaller decrease in SDNN (a heart rate variability parameter indicating changes in autonomic regulation) compared to the controls. Compared to the negatively conditioned pigs, the positively conditioned pigs produced fewer vocalisations overall as well as fewer low-frequency grunts but more high-frequency grunts. The low-frequency grunts of the negatively conditioned pigs also showed lower frequency parameters (bandwidth, maximum frequency, 25% and 50% quartiles) compared to those of the positively conditioned pigs. In any of the statistically significant results, the conditioning accounted for 1.5-11.9% of variability in the outcome variable. Hence, we conclude that repeated moderate aversive and rewarding events have weak but measurable effects on some aspects of behaviour and physiology in young pigs, possibly indicating changes in emotional valence, which could ultimately affect their welfare. The combination of ethophysiological indicators, i.e., the concurrent examination of heart rate measures, behavioural responses and especially vocalisation patterns, as used in the current study, might be a useful way of examining subtle effects on emotional valence in further studies.
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20
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Iacobucci P, Colonnello V, D’Antuono L, Cloutier S, Newberry RC. Piglets call for maternal attention: Vocal behaviour in Sus scrofa domesticus is modulated by mother's proximity. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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21
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Baotic A, Sicks F, Stoeger AS. Nocturnal "humming" vocalizations: adding a piece to the puzzle of giraffe vocal communication. BMC Res Notes 2015; 8:425. [PMID: 26353836 PMCID: PMC4565008 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-015-1394-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent research reveals that giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis sp.) exhibit a socially structured, fission-fusion system. In other species possessing this kind of society, information exchange is important and vocal communication is usually well developed. But is this true for giraffes? Giraffes are known to produce sounds, but there is no evidence that they use vocalizations for communication. Reports on giraffe vocalizations are mainly anecdotal and the missing acoustic descriptions make it difficult to establish a call nomenclature. Despite inconclusive evidence to date, it is widely assumed that giraffes produce infrasonic vocalizations similar to elephants. In order to initiate a more detailed investigation of the vocal communication in giraffes, we collected data of captive individuals during day and night. We particularly focussed on detecting tonal, infrasonic or sustained vocalizations. FINDINGS We collected over 947 h of audio material in three European zoos and quantified the spectral and temporal components of acoustic signals to obtain an accurate set of acoustic parameters. Besides the known burst, snorts and grunts, we detected harmonic, sustained and frequency-modulated "humming" vocalizations during night recordings. None of the recorded vocalizations were within the infrasonic range. CONCLUSIONS These results show that giraffes do produce vocalizations, which, based on their acoustic structure, might have the potential to function as communicative signals to convey information about the physical and motivational attributes of the caller. The data further reveal that the assumption of infrasonic communication in giraffes needs to be considered with caution and requires further investigations in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Baotic
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Florian Sicks
- Berlin Tierpark, Am Tierpark 125, 10319, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Angela S Stoeger
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstr. 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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22
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Linhart P, Ratcliffe VF, Reby D, Špinka M. Expression of Emotional Arousal in Two Different Piglet Call Types. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135414. [PMID: 26274816 PMCID: PMC4537126 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans as well as many animal species reveal their emotional state in their voice. Vocal features show strikingly similar correlation patterns with emotional states across mammalian species, suggesting that the vocal expression of emotion follows highly conserved signalling rules. To fully understand the principles of emotional signalling in mammals it is, however, necessary to also account for any inconsistencies in the way that they are acoustically encoded. Here we investigate whether the expression of emotions differs between call types produced by the same species. We compare the acoustic structure of two common piglet calls—the scream (a distress call) and the grunt (a contact call)—across three levels of arousal in a negative situation. We find that while the central frequency of calls increases with arousal in both call types, the amplitude and tonal quality (harmonic-to-noise ratio) show contrasting patterns: as arousal increased, the intensity also increased in screams, but not in grunts, while the harmonicity increased in screams but decreased in grunts. Our results suggest that the expression of arousal depends on the function and acoustic specificity of the call type. The fact that more vocal features varied with arousal in scream calls than in grunts is consistent with the idea that distress calls have evolved to convey information about emotional arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Linhart
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czechia
- * E-mail:
| | | | - David Reby
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Marek Špinka
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czechia
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23
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Vandermeulen J, Bahr C, Tullo E, Fontana I, Ott S, Kashiha M, Guarino M, Moons CPH, Tuyttens FAM, Niewold TA, Berckmans D. Discerning pig screams in production environments. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123111. [PMID: 25923725 PMCID: PMC4414550 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pig vocalisations convey information about their current state of health and welfare. Continuously monitoring these vocalisations can provide useful information for the farmer. For instance, pig screams can indicate stressful situations. When monitoring screams, other sounds can interfere with scream detection. Therefore, identifying screams from other sounds is essential. The objective of this study was to understand which sound features define a scream. Therefore, a method to detect screams based on sound features with physical meaning and explicit rules was developed. To achieve this, 7 hours of labelled data from 24 pigs was used. The developed detection method attained 72% sensitivity, 91% specificity and 83% precision. As a result, the detection method showed that screams contain the following features discerning them from other sounds: a formant structure, adequate power, high frequency content, sufficient variability and duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Vandermeulen
- M3-BIORES—Measure, Model & Manage Bioresponses, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - C. Bahr
- M3-BIORES—Measure, Model & Manage Bioresponses, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - E. Tullo
- Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - I. Fontana
- Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - S. Ott
- Livestock-Nutrition-Quality, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Departement of Animal Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Laboratory for Ethology, Ghent university, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - M. Kashiha
- M3-BIORES—Measure, Model & Manage Bioresponses, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - M. Guarino
- Department of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - C. P. H. Moons
- Departement of Animal Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Laboratory for Ethology, Ghent university, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - F. A. M. Tuyttens
- Departement of Animal Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Laboratory for Ethology, Ghent university, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Animal Sciences Unit, Melle, Belgium
| | - T. A. Niewold
- Livestock-Nutrition-Quality, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - D. Berckmans
- M3-BIORES—Measure, Model & Manage Bioresponses, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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24
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Briefer EF, Maigrot AL, Mandel R, Freymond SB, Bachmann I, Hillmann E. Segregation of information about emotional arousal and valence in horse whinnies. Sci Rep 2015; 4:9989. [PMID: 25897781 PMCID: PMC4404681 DOI: 10.1038/srep09989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying vocal correlates of emotions is important to provide a better understanding of the evolution of emotion expression through cross-species comparisons. Emotions are composed of two main dimensions: emotional arousal (calm versus excited) and valence (negative versus positive). These two dimensions could be encoded in different vocal parameters (segregation of information) or in the same parameters, inducing a trade-off between cues indicating emotional arousal and valence. We investigated these two hypotheses in horses. We placed horses in five situations eliciting several arousal levels and positive as well as negative valence. Physiological and behavioral measures collected during the tests suggested the presence of different underlying emotions. First, using detailed vocal analyses, we discovered that all whinnies contained two fundamental frequencies (“F0” and “G0”), which were not harmonically related, suggesting biphonation. Second, we found that F0 and the energy spectrum encoded arousal, while G0 and whinny duration encoded valence. Our results show that cues to emotional arousal and valence are segregated in different, relatively independent parameters of horse whinnies. Most of the emotion-related changes to vocalizations that we observed are similar to those observed in humans and other species, suggesting that vocal expression of emotions has been conserved throughout evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie F Briefer
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Laure Maigrot
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.,Agroscope - Swiss National Stud Farm, Les Longs Prés, P.O. Box 191, 1580, Avenches, Switzerland
| | - Roi Mandel
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.,Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the Hebrew University, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | | | - Iris Bachmann
- Agroscope - Swiss National Stud Farm, Les Longs Prés, P.O. Box 191, 1580, Avenches, Switzerland
| | - Edna Hillmann
- ETH Zürich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
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25
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Briefer EF, Tettamanti F, McElligott AG. Emotions in goats: mapping physiological, behavioural and vocal profiles. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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26
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Guay K, Salgado G, Thompson G, Backus B, Sapkota A, Chaya W, McGlone JJ. Behavior and handling of physically and immunologically castrated market pigs on farm and going to market. J Anim Sci 2013; 91:5410-7. [PMID: 24045467 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2012-5726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Physical castration is a common management practice on commercial swine farms in the United States to reduce the incidence of boar taint and aggressive behavior. One alternative to physical castration (PC) is to immunologically castrate (IC) male pigs by blocking the gonadotropin-releasing factor (GnRF), thereby reducing levels of LH, FSH, testosterone, and androstenone. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of IC on pig behavior, human-pig interactions, and handling during and after transport. Pigs were given the first immunization at wk 7 of the grower-finisher period, and second immunizations were given at wk 11, 13, or 14 of the grower-finisher period. Behaviors of PC and IC barrows were sampled at 3 time points after entering finishing at 9 wk of age: 7 wk before first injection, 16 wk (after immunization was complete) into finishing, and 1 d before marketing (16 to 19 wk into finishing). Handling during loading and unloading of trailers going to market was also quantified. Before the first injection, intact males showed increased aggression (P=0.014) and mounting (P=0.048), whereas PC barrows spent more (P=0.003) time feeding than intact males. There were treatment×time interactions for lying (P=0.018), aggression (P<0.001), and standing (P=0.009) behaviors. Few differences were observed in pig-human interactions between PC and IC barrows, with IC and PC approaching people in the same amount of time, but IC barrows were more (P<0.001) aggressive in chewing and rubbing on the test person's pant leg and boots. When handling and loading for processing in the home barn, PC barrows were more (P<0.05) vocal than IC barrows. Fewer dead and down pigs were observed among IC (0%) compared with PC barrows (1.17%). Immunological castration may result in similar or improved animal welfare compared to the stress of physical castration without pain relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Guay
- Pork Industry Institute, Texas Tech University, Lubbock 79409-2141
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27
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da Silva Cordeiro AF, de Alencar Nääs I, Oliveira SRM, Violaro F, de Almeida ACM, Neves DP. Understanding Vocalization Might Help to Assess Stressful Conditions in Piglets. Animals (Basel) 2013; 3:923-34. [PMID: 26479541 PMCID: PMC4494434 DOI: 10.3390/ani3030923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2013] [Revised: 09/04/2013] [Accepted: 09/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This research aimed to analyze the possibility of assessing piglets’ welfare using the records of their vocalization. The trial was done in a pig commercial farm, and we recorded the vocal signals from piglets in several stressful exposure situations. Data mining techniques were applied to the processed signals in order to obtain a stress classification using the recorded data. We found that, using the piglets’ vocalization, it was possible to identify the most frequent stressful conditions at the farrowing phase, namely: pain, cold and hunger. Abstract Assessing pigs’ welfare is one of the most challenging subjects in intensive pig farming. Animal vocalization analysis is a noninvasive procedure and may be used as a tool for assessing animal welfare status. The objective of this research was to identify stress conditions in piglets reared in farrowing pens through their vocalization. Vocal signals were collected from 40 animals under the following situations: normal (baseline), feeling cold, in pain, and feeling hunger. A unidirectional microphone positioned about 15 cm from the animals’ mouth was used for recording the acoustic signals. The microphone was connected to a digital recorder, where the signals were digitized at the 44,100 Hz frequency. The collected sounds were edited and analyzed. The J48 decision tree algorithm available at the Weka® data mining software was used for stress classification. It was possible to categorize diverse conditions from the piglets’ vocalization during the farrowing phase (pain, cold and hunger), with an accuracy rate of 81.12%. Results indicated that vocalization might be an effective welfare indicator, and it could be applied for assessing distress from pain, cold and hunger in farrowing piglets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irenilza de Alencar Nääs
- Agricultural Engineering College, State University of Campinas, Ave. Candido Rondon, 501, Campinas, SP, 13083-875, Brazil.
| | - Stanley R M Oliveira
- Embrapa Agricultural Informatics, Ave. André Tosello, 209, Campinas, SP, 13083-886, Brazil.
| | - Fabio Violaro
- Agricultural Engineering College, State University of Campinas, Ave. Candido Rondon, 501, Campinas, SP, 13083-875, Brazil.
| | - Andréia C M de Almeida
- Agricultural Engineering College, State University of Campinas, Ave. Candido Rondon, 501, Campinas, SP, 13083-875, Brazil.
| | - Diego Pereira Neves
- Agricultural Engineering College, State University of Campinas, Ave. Candido Rondon, 501, Campinas, SP, 13083-875, Brazil.
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28
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Tallet C, Linhart P, Policht R, Hammerschmidt K, Šimeček P, Kratinova P, Špinka M. Encoding of situations in the vocal repertoire of piglets (Sus scrofa): a comparison of discrete and graded classifications. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71841. [PMID: 23967251 PMCID: PMC3742501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 07/05/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Two important questions in bioacoustics are whether vocal repertoires of animals are graded or discrete and how the vocal expressions are linked to the context of emission. Here we address these questions in an ungulate species. The vocal repertoire of young domestic pigs, Sus scrofa, was quantitatively described based on 1513 calls recorded in 11 situations. We described the acoustic quality of calls with 8 acoustic parameters. Based on these parameters, the k-means clustering method showed a possibility to distinguish either two or five clusters although the call types are rather blurred than strictly discrete. The division of the vocal repertoire of piglets into two call types has previously been used in many experimental studies into pig acoustic communication and the five call types correspond well to previously published partial repertoires in specific situations. Clear links exist between the type of situation, its putative valence, and the vocal expression in that situation. These links can be described adequately both with a set of quantitative acoustic variables and through categorisation into call types. The information about the situation of emission of the calls is encoded through five call types almost as accurately as through the full quantitative description.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Tallet
- Institute of Animal Science, Ethology Department, Prague, Czechia.
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Reimert I, Bolhuis JE, Kemp B, Rodenburg TB. Indicators of positive and negative emotions and emotional contagion in pigs. Physiol Behav 2012; 109:42-50. [PMID: 23159725 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2012] [Revised: 06/05/2012] [Accepted: 11/08/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
For the welfare of group-housed animals, such as pigs, the emotional state of an individual pig is relevant, but also the extent to which pen mates are affected by the distress or pleasure of other individuals, i.e. emotional contagion, a simple form of empathy. Therefore, indicators of positive and negative emotions were investigated in pigs during anticipation and experience of a rewarding (access in pairs to a compartment with straw, peat and chocolate raisins) or aversive (social isolation combined with negative, unpredictable interventions) event. Thereafter the same indicators were investigated in naive pigs during anticipation and experience of a rewarding or aversive event by their trained pen mates. Positive emotions could be indicated by play, barks and tail movements, while negative emotions could be indicated by freezing, defecating, urinating, escape attempts, high-pitched vocalizations (screams, squeals or grunt-squeals), tail low, ears back and ear movements. Salivary cortisol measurements supported these behavioral observations. During anticipation of the aversive event, naive pigs tended to show more tail low. During the aversive event, naive pigs tended to defecate more, while they played more during the rewarding event. These results suggest that pigs might be sensitive to emotional contagion, which could have implications for the welfare of group-housed pigs. Pig emotions and the process of emotional contagion merit, therefore, further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inonge Reimert
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Adaptation Physiology Group, The Netherlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. F. Briefer
- Biological and Experimental Psychology Group, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences; Queen Mary University of London; London; UK
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Imfeld-Mueller S, Hillmann E. Anticipation of a food ball increases short-term activity levels in growing pigs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2012.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Düpjan S, Tuchscherer A, Langbein J, Schön PC, Manteuffel G, Puppe B. Behavioural and cardiac responses towards conspecific distress calls in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa). Physiol Behav 2011; 103:445-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2010] [Revised: 03/07/2011] [Accepted: 03/16/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Siebert K, Langbein J, Schön PC, Tuchscherer A, Puppe B. Degree of social isolation affects behavioural and vocal response patterns in dwarf goats (Capra hircus). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2011.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Soltis J, Blowers TE, Savage A. Measuring positive and negative affect in the voiced sounds of African elephants (Loxodonta africana). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2011; 129:1059-1066. [PMID: 21361461 DOI: 10.1121/1.3531798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
As in other mammals, there is evidence that the African elephant voice reflects affect intensity, but it is less clear if positive and negative affective states are differentially reflected in the voice. An acoustic comparison was made between African elephant "rumble" vocalizations produced in negative social contexts (dominance interactions), neutral social contexts (minimal social activity), and positive social contexts (affiliative interactions) by four adult females housed at Disney's Animal Kingdom®. Rumbles produced in the negative social context exhibited higher and more variable fundamental frequencies (F(0)) and amplitudes, longer durations, increased voice roughness, and higher first formant locations (F1), compared to the neutral social context. Rumbles produced in the positive social context exhibited similar shifts in most variables (F(0 )variation, amplitude, amplitude variation, duration, and F1), but the magnitude of response was generally less than that observed in the negative context. Voice roughness and F(0) observed in the positive social context remained similar to that observed in the neutral context. These results are most consistent with the vocal expression of affect intensity, in which the negative social context elicited higher intensity levels than the positive context, but differential vocal expression of positive and negative affect cannot be ruled out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Soltis
- Education and Science, Disney's Animal Kingdom®, 1200 North Savannah Circle East, Bay Lake, Florida 32830, USA.
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Gogoleva SS, Volodina EV, Volodin IA, Kharlamova AV, Trut LN. The gradual vocal responses to human-provoked discomfort in farmed silver foxes. Acta Ethol 2010; 13:75-85. [PMID: 22865950 DOI: 10.1007/s10211-010-0076-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Vocal indicators of welfare have proven their use for many farmed and zoo animals and may be applied to farmed silver foxes as these animals display high vocal activity toward humans. Farmed silver foxes were selected mainly for fur, size, and litter sizes, but not for attitudes to people, so they are fearful of humans and have short-term welfare problems in their proximity. With a human approach test, we designed here the steady increase and decrease of fox-human distance and registered vocal responses of 25 farmed silver foxes. We analyzed the features of vocalizations produced by the foxes at different fox-human distances, assuming that changes in vocal responses reflect the degrees of human-related discomfort. For revealing the discomfort-related vocal traits in farmed silver foxes, we proposed and tested the algorithm of "joint calls," equally applicable for analysis of all calls independently on their structure, either tonal or noisy. We discuss that the increase in proportion of time spent vocalizing and the shift of call energy toward higher frequencies may be integral vocal characteristics of short-term welfare problems in farmed silver foxes and probably in other captive mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana S Gogoleva
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorobievy Gory, Moscow 119991, Russia
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Colonnello V, Iacobucci P, Newberry RC. Vocal and locomotor responses of piglets to social isolation and reunion. Dev Psychobiol 2010; 52:1-12. [PMID: 19774554 DOI: 10.1002/dev.20406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Potentiation of infant isolation calls following a brief reunion with the mother is considered an index of filial bonding in altricial rodents. We investigated potentiation of isolation and reunion responses in 15-day-old unweaned domestic piglets (Sus scrofa domesticus). When piglets were re-isolated following a brief, comforting reunion with their mother and littermates in their home pen, they displayed a persistence (relative potentiation) of calling and jumping. In contrast, when re-isolated following a brief interaction with their mother or an unfamiliar sow in a familiar or unfamiliar location, or with littermates alone, calling rate and locomotion dropped. Subsequently, piglets spent more time near their mother's face if they had previously interacted with an unfamiliar sow rather than their mother, consistent with maternal recognition. Although we did not detect maternal potentiation as described in altricial rodents, filial attachment bonding was clearly evident in piglet responses, especially during reunions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Colonnello
- Department of Animal Sciences and Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy Pharmacology and Physiology Center for the Study of Animal Well-being Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-6351, USA
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BARACHO MARTHAO, TOLON YB, NÄÄS IA, ROJAS M. SAZONALIDADE DA AMBIÊNCIA TÉRMICA, AÉREA E ACÚSTICA EM CRECHE E TERMINAÇÃO DE SUÍNOS. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE ENGENHARIA DE BIOSSISTEMAS 2008. [DOI: 10.18011/bioeng2008v2n3p201-212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
A tipologia do alojamento de suínos é dependente do clima externo regional e local, enquanto avariação devido às estações do ano interfere no estresse térmico sofrido pelos animais. O objetivodesse trabalho foi avaliar a influência do horário do dia, bem como das estações do ano, noambiente interno de alojamento de suínos em creche e terminação, em clima subtropical. Oexperimento foi conduzido em uma granja comercial de produção e foram registrados dados detemperatura de bulbo seco (TBS), umidade relativo do ar (UR), temperatura de globo negro (TGN),concentração de amônia e níveis de ruídos, no centro geométrico do local a uma altura de 1,5 mdo piso, em seis horários diferentes, por dois anos consecutivos. Os resultados mostraram que asvariáveis ambientais estudadas (TBS e TGN) foram influenciadas pela estação do ano e pelohorário do dia. As concentrações de amônia obtidas oscilaram durante o dia, sendo que os maioresvalores foram encontrados no período da tarde. Os níveis de ruído na instalação de creche nãoforam influenciados pela estação do ano, entretanto, foram influenciados pelo horário do dia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - M. ROJAS
- FEAGRI/UNICAMP - Campinas - Sao Paulo
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Differential vocal responses to physical and mental stressors in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2007.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Characteristics of Estrus-related Vocalizations of Sows after Artificial Insemination. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2008. [DOI: 10.5187/jast.2008.50.3.401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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SILVA RAQUELBTRDA, NÄÄS IRENILZAA, MOURA DANIELLAJ, SILVEIRA NEIDIMILAA. NORMAS DE BEM-ESTAR PARA SUÍNOS SUBMETIDOS A SISTEMA INTENSIVO DE PRODUÇÃO. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE ENGENHARIA DE BIOSSISTEMAS 2007. [DOI: 10.18011/bioeng2007v1n2p137-145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
O bem-estar animal é hoje uma das mais importantes barreiras não-tarifárias do comérciointernacional de proteína animal. A União Européia, junto com os Estados Unidos daAmérica e a Austrália são importantes exportadores de carne suína. As condições dealojamento variam entre os países, pois depende do clima, assim como o transportedesses animais também é distinto em cada parte do mundo. Esta pesquisa teve comoobjetivo descrever um cenário a respeito das exigências legais, determinada pela presençade normas e legislações adotadas. Para esta avaliação foram eleitos itens críticos eatribuídos escores variando de 1 a 5 (muito ruim a muito bom), em função de existênciae adoção de normas para cada item. Foram calculadas as médias e aplicada uma análisecomparativa de médias, de forma a evidenciar as carências específicas. Os resultadosapontam que os paises da União Européia, os Estados Unidos e a Austrália já elaborame adotam suas normas e leis que objetivam atender a certas demandas de bem-estar,enquanto o Brasil mostra estar defasado. Face às novas demandas internacionais debem-estar animal, há necessidade de atualização da legislação brasileira, tendo em vistaque o país é um importante exportador de carne suína.
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Chaloupková H, Illmann G, Neuhauserová K, Tománek M, Valis L. Preweaning housing effects on behavior and physiological measures in pigs during the suckling and fattening periods. J Anim Sci 2007; 85:1741-9. [PMID: 17400972 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2006-504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of the preweaning housing system on the stress response of pigs before weaning and during fattening was studied in 33 litters of domestic pigs. Three preweaning housing systems were compared: barren crate (standard farrowing crate without straw), enriched crate (20% larger crate, with straw), and as a control, a farrowing pen (pen, 60% larger than the barren crate, with straw). At 25 d of age, pigs were tested with an isolation test and 1 d later with a human approach test (HumanT). Pigs were weaned at 28 d of age. At 3 and 6 mo of age, pigs were tested with an isolation-human approach test. The latency and frequency of squeal calls and locomotor activity were analyzed for all 3 tests, whereas physical contact with the human was also analyzed for the HumanT and isolation-human approach test. At 6 mo of age, the pigs were transported to a slaughterhouse. One day before transport, immediately after transport, and 1 h after transport, saliva samples were taken for cortisol analysis. The pH of the LM was also measured 45 min after slaughter. Preweaning housing system affected (P < 0.05) the probability of squeal vocalizations, the latency of locomotion, and the duration of locomotion during the HumanT. Pigs from the enriched pens vocalized less, had a longer latency to move, and performed less overall locomotion than pigs from the barren crates. Preweaning housing system did not affect behavior of fattening pigs. Cortisol concentrations before and after transport were not affected by preweaning housing system. An interaction of cortisol concentrations and housing systems was observed between the control sample and the sample taken immediately after transport in pigs from the barren crates (P < 0.05) compared with pigs from the enriched housing systems. Meat from pigs reared in the barren crate tended to have lower pH (P < 0.10) and that of pigs reared in enriched crates had lower pH (P < 0.05) than meat of pigs reared in enriched pens. No differences were observed between pigs from barren or enriched crates. Our results suggest that enrichment of the preweaning environment through enlarged space, provision of straw, and free movement for the sow had a positive effect on the coping behavior of pigs before weaning and prevented an increase in salivary cortisol concentration immediately after transport and a decrease in meat pH 45 min postmortem at the age of 6 mo. Minimal enrichment of the commercial farrowing crate did not affect behavior and physiological measures in pigs before and after weaning.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Chaloupková
- Ethology Group, Research Institute of Animal Production, Prague, Uhríinĕves, Czech Republic.
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42
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Moura DJ, Nääs IA, Pereira DF, Silva RBTR, Camargo GA. Animal welfare concepts and strategy for poultry production: a review. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF POULTRY SCIENCE 2006. [DOI: 10.1590/s1516-635x2006000300001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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43
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Castration-induced vocalisation in domestic piglets, Sus scrofa: Complex and specific alterations of the vocal quality. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2005. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2005.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Lewis E, Boyle L, Lynch P, Brophy P, O’Doherty J. The effect of two teeth resection procedures on the welfare of piglets in farrowing crates. Part 1. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2005. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2004.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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45
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46
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Automated recording of stress vocalisations as a tool to document impaired welfare in pigs. Anim Welf 2004. [DOI: 10.1017/s096272860002683x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe vocalisations of animals are results of particular emotional states. For example, the stress screams of pigs may be indicators of disturbed welfare. Our objective was to develop a system to monitor and record levels of stress calls in pigs, which could be employed in environments of breeding, transportation and slaughter. Using a combination of sound analysis by linear prediction coding and artificial neural networks, it was possible to detect the stress vocalisations of pigs in noisy pig units with few recognition errors (<5%). The system (STREMODO: stress monitor and documentation unit) running on PCs is insensitive to environmental noise, human speech and pig vocalisations other than screams. As a stand-alone device it can be routinely used for the objective, non-invasive measurement of acute stress in various farming environments. The system delivers reliable, reproducible registrations of stress vocalisations. Its detection quality in commercial systems was found to correlate well with that of human experts. STREMODO is particularly well-suited for comparisons of housing and management regimes. Since the system can be trained to recognise various animal vocalisations, its use with other species is also well within its scope.
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Fichtel C, Hammerschmidt K. Responses of squirrel monkeys to their experimentally modified mobbing calls. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2003; 113:2927-2932. [PMID: 12765410 DOI: 10.1121/1.1548158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Previous acoustic analyses suggested emotion-correlated changes in the acoustic structure of squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) vocalizations. Specifically, calls given in aversive contexts were characterized by an upward shift in frequencies, often accompanied by an increase in amplitude. In order to test whether changes in frequencies or amplitude are indeed relevant for conspecific listeners, playback experiments were conducted in which either frequencies or amplitude of mobbing calls were modified. Latency and first orienting response were measured in playback experiments with six adult squirrel monkeys. After broadcasting yaps with increased frequencies or amplitude, squirrel monkeys showed a longer orienting response towards the speaker than after the corresponding control stimuli. Furthermore, after broadcasting yaps with decreased frequencies or amplitude, squirrel monkeys showed a shorter orienting response towards the speaker than after the corresponding manipulated calls with higher frequencies or amplitude. These results suggest that changes in frequencies or amplitude were perceived by squirrel monkeys, indicating that the relationship between call structure and the underlying affective state of the caller agreed with the listener's assessment of the calls. However, a simultaneous increase in frequencies and amplitude did not lead to an enhanced response, compared to each single parameter. Thus, from the receiver's perspective, both call parameters may mutually replace each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Fichtel
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Abteilung Neurobiologie, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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48
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Hillmann E, von Hollen F, Bünger B, Todt D, Schrader L. Farrowing conditions affect the reactions of piglets towards novel environment and social confrontation at weaning. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2003. [DOI: 10.1016/s0168-1591(02)00254-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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49
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Fichtel C, Hammerschmidt K. Responses of Redfronted Lemurs to Experimentally Modified Alarm Calls: Evidence for Urgency-Based Changes in Call Structure. Ethology 2002. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0310.2002.00816.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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50
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Watts JM, Stookey JM. The propensity of cattle to vocalise during handling and isolation is affected by phenotype. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2001. [DOI: 10.1016/s0168-1591(01)00163-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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