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Ferro P, Morales E, Ticona E, Ferró-Gonzales P, Oblitas A, Ferró-Gonzáles AL. Water quality and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance in isolated of E. coli from water for human consumption in Bagua, under One Health approach. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23961. [PMID: 38226252 PMCID: PMC10788533 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23961] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The One Health approach acknowledges the interconnection between human health, animal health, and environmental health, recognizing that these domains are closely intertwined, as many diseases affecting humans are also common in animals. Water acts as a vehicle for the transmission of such diseases, highlighting the significance of monitoring the quality of water intended for human consumption. In 2022, a research study was conducted to evaluate the water quality for human consumption in Bagua, Amazonas Region. The physicochemical analysis indicated that most parameters were within normal range, except for residual chlorine, which was predominantly absent. Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of total coliforms and E. coli. Phenotypic characterization of E. coli isolates exhibited resistance to the several antibiotics, including nalidixic acid, gentamicin, amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid, norfloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. These findings indicate a compromised production of water for human consumption, as per the water quality regulations in Peru. The presence of fecal contamination poses a significant microbiological risk to consumers. These results underscore the breakdown of the human-environment-animal interface within the One Health approach, thereby endangering public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pompeyo Ferro
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Aplicadas de la Universidad Nacional Intercultural Fabiola Salazar Leguía de Bagua, Jr. Ancash 520, Bagua, 01721, Amazonas, Peru
| | - Eli Morales
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Aplicadas de la Universidad Nacional Intercultural Fabiola Salazar Leguía de Bagua, Jr. Ancash 520, Bagua, 01721, Amazonas, Peru
| | - Euclides Ticona
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Aplicadas de la Universidad Nacional Intercultural Fabiola Salazar Leguía de Bagua, Jr. Ancash 520, Bagua, 01721, Amazonas, Peru
| | - Polan Ferró-Gonzales
- Departamento Académico de la Facultad de Ingeniería Económica, Universidad Nacional del Altiplano, Av. Floral No 1153, Puno, 21001, Peru
| | - Anderson Oblitas
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Aplicadas de la Universidad Nacional Intercultural Fabiola Salazar Leguía de Bagua, Jr. Ancash 520, Bagua, 01721, Amazonas, Peru
| | - Ana Lucia Ferró-Gonzáles
- Departamento Académico de Gestión y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Juliaca, Av. Nueva Zelandia 631, Juliaca, 21101, Puno, Peru
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König E, Heponiemi P, Kivinen S, Räkköläinen J, Beasley S, Borman T, Collado MC, Hukkinen V, Junnila J, Lahti L, Norring M, Piirainen V, Salminen S, Heinonen M, Valros A. Fewer culturable Lactobacillaceae species identified in faecal samples of pigs performing manipulative behaviour. Sci Rep 2024; 14:132. [PMID: 38168466 PMCID: PMC10762183 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50791-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Manipulative behaviour that consists of touching or close contact with ears or tails of pen mates is common in pigs and can become damaging. Manipulative behaviour was analysed from video recordings of 45-day-old pigs, and 15 manipulator-control pairs (n = 30) were formed. Controls neither received nor performed manipulative behaviour. Rectal faecal samples of manipulators and controls were compared. 16S PCR was used to identify Lactobacillaceae species and 16S amplicon sequencing to determine faecal microbiota composition. Seven culturable Lactobacillaceae species were identified in control pigs and four in manipulator pigs. Manipulators (p = 0.02) and females (p = 0.005) expressed higher Lactobacillus amylovorus, and a significant interaction was seen (sex * status: p = 0.005) with this sex difference being more marked in controls. Females (p = 0.08) and manipulator pigs (p = 0.07) tended to express higher total Lactobacillaceae. A tendency for an interaction was seen in Limosilactobacillus reuteri (sex * status: p = 0.09). Results suggest a link between observed low diversity in Lactobacillaceae and the development of manipulative behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia König
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
| | | | - Sanni Kivinen
- Functional Foods Forum, University of Turku, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | | | - Shea Beasley
- Vetcare Ltd., 04600, Mäntsälä, Finland
- Sheaps Oy, 03250, Ojakkala, Finland
| | - Tuomas Borman
- Department of Computing, University of Turku, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Maria Carmen Collado
- Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology-National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), 46980, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Vilja Hukkinen
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Leo Lahti
- Department of Computing, University of Turku, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Marianna Norring
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Virpi Piirainen
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Seppo Salminen
- Functional Foods Forum, University of Turku, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Mari Heinonen
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna Valros
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
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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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Valros A, Lopez-Martinez MJ, Munsterhjelm C, Lopez-Arjona M, Ceron JJ. Novel saliva biomarkers for stress and infection in pigs: Changes in oxytocin and procalcitonin in pigs with tail-biting lesions. Res Vet Sci 2022; 153:49-56. [PMID: 36308791 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.10.013] [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: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
There is a need for feasible and reliable measures to improve and evaluate production animal health and welfare. Oxytocin is a promising novel stress-related biomarker and procalcitonin may be a measure of sepsis. Both have potential for use in pigs and can be measured from saliva, which allows on-farm sampling with minimal impact on the animals. The current study sought to further validate these measures using a spontaneous situation that causes both stress and an increased risk for infections in pigs, namely a tail-biting outbreak. Grower pigs on a commercial farm belonging to three different phenotype groups were selected: control pigs from control pens (CC, N = 30), control pigs (CTB, N = 10), and pigs with tail lesions from pens with a tail-biting outbreak (LTB, N = 27). A single sample of saliva was collected from each pig and analysed for a range of biomarkers related to stress, infection, inflammation, and immune activation. Oxytocin tended to be higher in CC pigs than in LTB pigs, while cortisol was higher in CTB than CC pigs. Procalcitonin tended to be higher, and haptoglobin was higher in LTB than in CC pigs. Adenosine-deaminase levels were similar between phenotypes. These results provide further evidence for the link between stress and tail biting, and indicate that tail-biting lesions are potential routes for systemic spread of bacteria. Further research into saliva oxytocin as a stress biomarker and saliva procalcitonin as a sepsis biomarker in pigs is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Valros
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O.Box 57, 00014, Finland.
| | - Maria Jose Lopez-Martinez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Camilla Munsterhjelm
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O.Box 57, 00014, Finland
| | - Marina Lopez-Arjona
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Jose Joaquin Ceron
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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5
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Systematic review of animal-based indicators to measure thermal, social, and immune-related stress in pigs. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266524. [PMID: 35511825 PMCID: PMC9070874 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The intense nature of pig production has increased the animals’ exposure to stressful conditions, which may be detrimental to their welfare and productivity. Some of the most common sources of stress in pigs are extreme thermal conditions (thermal stress), density and mixing during housing (social stress), or exposure to pathogens and other microorganisms that may challenge their immune system (immune-related stress). The stress response can be monitored based on the animals’ coping mechanisms, as a result of specific environmental, social, and health conditions. These animal-based indicators may support decision making to maintain animal welfare and productivity. The present study aimed to systematically review animal-based indicators of social, thermal, and immune-related stresses in farmed pigs, and the methods used to monitor them. Peer-reviewed scientific literature related to pig production was collected using three online search engines: ScienceDirect, Scopus, and PubMed. The manuscripts selected were grouped based on the indicators measured during the study. According to our results, body temperature measured with a rectal thermometer was the most commonly utilized method for the evaluation of thermal stress in pigs (87.62%), as described in 144 studies. Of the 197 studies that evaluated social stress, aggressive behavior was the most frequently-used indicator (81.81%). Of the 535 publications examined regarding immune-related stress, cytokine concentration in blood samples was the most widely used indicator (80.1%). Information about the methods used to measure animal-based indicators is discussed in terms of validity, reliability, and feasibility. Additionally, the introduction and wide spreading of alternative, less invasive methods with which to measure animal-based indicators, such as cortisol in saliva, skin temperature and respiratory rate via infrared thermography, and various animal welfare threats via vocalization analysis are highlighted. The information reviewed was used to discuss the feasible and most reliable methods with which to monitor the impact of relevant stressors commonly presented by intense production systems on the welfare of farmed pigs.
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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: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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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Boyle LA, Edwards SA, Bolhuis JE, Pol F, Šemrov MZ, Schütze S, Nordgreen J, Bozakova N, Sossidou EN, Valros A. The Evidence for a Causal Link Between Disease and Damaging Behavior in Pigs. Front Vet Sci 2022; 8:771682. [PMID: 35155642 PMCID: PMC8828939 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.771682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Damaging behaviors (DB) such as tail and ear biting are prevalent in pig production and reduce welfare and performance. Anecdotal reports suggest that health challenges increase the risk of tail-biting. The prevalence of tail damage and health problems show high correlations across batches within and between farms. There are many common risk factors for tail-biting and health problems, notably respiratory, enteric and locomotory diseases. These include suboptimal thermal climate, hygiene, stocking density and feed quality. The prevalence of tail damage and health problems also show high correlations across batches within and between farms. However, limited evidence supports two likely causal mechanisms for a direct link between DB and health problems. The first is that generalized poor health (e.g., enzootic pneumonia) on farm poses an increased risk of pigs performing DB. Recent studies indicate a possible causal link between an experimental inflammation and an increase in DB, and suggest a link between cytokines and tail-biting. The negative effects of poor health on the ingestion and processing of nutrients means that immune-stimulated pigs may develop specific nutrient deficiencies, increasing DB. The second causal mechanism involves tail-biting causing poor health. Indirectly, pathogens enter the body via the tail lesion and once infected, systemic spread of infection may occur. This occurs mainly via the venous route targeting the lungs, and to a lesser extent via cerebrospinal fluid and the lymphatic system. In carcasses with tail lesions, there is an increase in lung lesions, abscessation, arthritis and osteomyelitis. There is also evidence for the direct spread of pathogens between biters and victims. In summary, the literature supports the association between poor health and DB, particularly tail-biting. However, there is insufficient evidence to confirm causality in either direction. Nevertheless, the limited evidence is compelling enough to suggest that improvements to management and housing to enhance pig health will reduce DB. In the same way, improvements to housing and management designed to address DB, are likely to result in benefits to pig health. While most of the available literature relates to tail-biting, we suggest that similar mechanisms are responsible for links between health and other DB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A. Boyle
- Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Cork, Ireland
- *Correspondence: Laura A. Boyle
| | - Sandra A. Edwards
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - J. Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Manja Zupan Šemrov
- Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sabine Schütze
- Chamber of Agriculture of North Rhine-Westphalia, Animal Health Services, Bad Sassendorf, Germany
| | - Janicke Nordgreen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nadya Bozakova
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
| | - Evangelia N. Sossidou
- Ellinikos Georgikos Organismos-DIMITRA (ELGO-DIMITRA), Veterinary Research Institute, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anna Valros
- Department of Production Animal Medicine, Research Centre for Animal Welfare, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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8
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Bai X, Plastow GS. Breeding for disease resilience: opportunities to manage polymicrobial challenge and improve commercial performance in the pig industry. CABI AGRICULTURE AND BIOSCIENCE 2022; 3:6. [PMID: 35072100 PMCID: PMC8761052 DOI: 10.1186/s43170-022-00073-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Disease resilience, defined as an animal's ability to maintain productive performance in the face of infection, provides opportunities to manage the polymicrobial challenge common in pig production. Disease resilience can deliver a number of benefits, including more sustainable production as well as improved animal health and the potential for reduced antimicrobial use. However, little progress has been made to date in the application of disease resilience in breeding programs due to a number of factors, including (1) confusion around definitions of disease resilience and its component traits disease resistance and tolerance, and (2) the difficulty in characterizing such a complex trait consisting of multiple biological functions and dynamic elements of rates of response and recovery from infection. Accordingly, this review refines the definitions of disease resistance, tolerance, and resilience based on previous studies to help improve the understanding and application of these breeding goals and traits under different scenarios. We also describe and summarize results from a "natural disease challenge model" designed to provide inputs for selection of disease resilience. The next steps for managing polymicrobial challenges faced by the pig industry will include the development of large-scale multi-omics data, new phenotyping technologies, and mathematical and statistical methods adapted to these data. Genome editing to produce pigs resistant to major diseases may complement selection for disease resilience along with continued efforts in the more traditional areas of biosecurity, vaccination and treatment. Altogether genomic approaches provide exciting opportunities for the pig industry to overcome the challenges provided by hard-to-manage diseases as well as new environmental challenges associated with climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechun Bai
- Livestock Gentec, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada
| | - Graham S. Plastow
- Livestock Gentec, Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada
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Pastorelli G, Serra V, Turin L, Redaelli V, Luzi F, Barbieri S. Tranquillizing Effect of Passiflora incarnata Extract: Outcome on Behavioral and Physiological Indicators in Weaning Pigs with Intact Tails. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020203. [PMID: 35049826 PMCID: PMC8773376 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Post-weaning is the most critical phase in pig farming, characterized by efforts to ensure health, performance and welfare of animals. Despite that EU Directive 2008/120/EC prohibits the practice of tail docking, it is still commonly applied in intensive farming to avoid tail biting. From a nutritional perspective, the dietary supplementation with natural extracts with calming properties could represent a promising approach to overcome common production stressors, reducing abnormal behaviors such as tail biting. This study intended to determine the effects of the dietary inclusion of Passiflora incarnata, known for its tranquillizing activity, on skin lesions, thermal imaging, behavior, salivary cortisol and IgA levels on post-weaning piglets reared with intact tails. Growth performances were also monitored. No differences were recorded between diets regarding growth performance, whereas findings concerning aggressive and abnormal behaviors, such as tail and ear biting, and lower levels of cortisol confirmed the hypothesis of the calming effect of P. incarnata on post-weaning piglets. Abstract Tail docking has been used in the pig industry to decrease the occurrence of tail biting behavior. This abnormal behavior has a multifactorial origin since it is a response to simultaneous environmental, nutritional and management changes. Given the calming properties of Passiflora incarnata, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation with the extract in weaned pigs could result in a modification of behavior and physiologic indicators linked to stress. Weaned piglets (n = 120, mean body weight 9.07 ± 2.30 kg) were randomly allocated to one of two dietary treatments: control diet (CON) and CON supplemented with 1 kg/t of P. incarnata (PAS). The trial was 28 days long. The presence of skin lesions was assessed at d-1, d-10, d-19, and d-28, and saliva samples were collected for IgA and cortisol determinations at the same sampling times. Results showed the PAS group was characterized by equal growth performance as the CON group, fewer ear lesions (p < 0.05), less aggressive behavior (p < 0.001), higher enrichment exploration (p < 0.001) and lower cortisol levels (p < 0.01). Time effect was observed for tail lesions (p < 0.001) and behavioral observations (p < 0.001). Additional research is required to determine the effect of P. incarnata extract using a larger number of animals and longer period of supplementation when risks associated with tail biting are uncontrolled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grazia Pastorelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
| | - Valentina Serra
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
- Correspondence: (V.S.); (L.T.); Tel.: +39-02-503-34762 (V.S.); +39-02-503-34518 (L.T.)
| | - Lauretta Turin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
- Correspondence: (V.S.); (L.T.); Tel.: +39-02-503-34762 (V.S.); +39-02-503-34518 (L.T.)
| | - Veronica Redaelli
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Via della Commenda 10, 20100 Milano, Italy; (V.R.); (F.L.)
| | - Fabio Luzi
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Via della Commenda 10, 20100 Milano, Italy; (V.R.); (F.L.)
| | - Sara Barbieri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
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Kobek-Kjeldager C, Schönherz AA, Canibe N, Pedersen LJ. Diet and microbiota-gut-brain axis in relation to tail biting in pigs: A review. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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11
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Hakansson F, Bolhuis J. Tail-biting behaviour pre-weaning: Association between other pig-directed and general behaviour in piglets. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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12
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Henry M, Jansen H, Amezcua MDR, O’Sullivan TL, Niel L, Shoveller AK, Friendship RM. Tail-Biting in Pigs: A Scoping Review. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2002. [PMID: 34359130 PMCID: PMC8300120 DOI: 10.3390/ani11072002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tail-biting is globally recognized as a welfare concern for commercial swine production. Substantial research has been undertaken to identify risk factors and intervention methods to decrease and understand this vice. Tail-biting appears to be multifactorial and has proven difficult to predict and control. The primary objective of the scoping review was to identify and chart all available literature on the risk factors and interventions associated with tail-biting in pigs. A secondary objective was to identify gaps in the literature and identify the relevance for a systematic review. An online literature search of four databases, encompassing English, peer-reviewed and grey literature published from 1 January 1970 to 31 May 2019, was conducted. Relevance screening and charting of included articles were performed by two independent reviewers. A total of 465 citations were returned from the search strategy. Full-text screening was conducted on 118 articles, with 18 being excluded in the final stage. Interventions, possible risk factors, as well as successful and unsuccessful outcomes were important components of the scoping review. The risk factors and interventions pertaining to tail-biting were inconsistent, demonstrating the difficulty of inducing tail-biting in an experimental environment and the need for standardizing terms related to the behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie Henry
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (M.H.); (H.J.); (M.d.R.A.); (T.L.O.); (L.N.)
| | - Hannah Jansen
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (M.H.); (H.J.); (M.d.R.A.); (T.L.O.); (L.N.)
| | - Maria del Rocio Amezcua
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (M.H.); (H.J.); (M.d.R.A.); (T.L.O.); (L.N.)
| | - Terri L. O’Sullivan
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (M.H.); (H.J.); (M.d.R.A.); (T.L.O.); (L.N.)
| | - Lee Niel
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (M.H.); (H.J.); (M.d.R.A.); (T.L.O.); (L.N.)
| | - Anna Kate Shoveller
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada;
| | - Robert M. Friendship
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada; (M.H.); (H.J.); (M.d.R.A.); (T.L.O.); (L.N.)
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13
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Kim J, Park Y, Kim EJ, Jung H, Yoon M. Relationship between oxytocin and serotonin and the fearfulness, dominance, and trainability of horses. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2021; 63:453-460. [PMID: 33987618 PMCID: PMC8071747 DOI: 10.5187/jast.2021.e29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) and serotonin (5-HT) are essential neurotransmitters associated
with the behavior of animals. Recently, we found that the plasma concentration
of OXT is positively correlated with horse docility and friendliness toward
humans. However, the relationships between the neurotransmitters and other
temperaments such as fearfulness, dominance, and trainability are unknown. This
study aimed to identify whether the plasma concentration of OXT or 5-HT is
correlated with fearfulness, dominance, and trainability of horses. Blood
samples of 34 horses were collected at the Horse Industry Complex Center of
Jeonju Kijeon College. The concentration of OXT and 5-HT was measured in the
plasma samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The fearfulness,
dominance, and trainability of horses were scored by three professors who were
very familiar with the horses. One-way analysis of variance with the least
significant difference post-hoc analysis was used to compare the scores for
fearfulness and dominance among groups. The trainability of horses was compared
using the student t-test. The 5-HT was negatively correlated
with dominance, but it had no relation with fearfulness. The OXT appeared to be
negatively correlated with fearfulness and dominance in horses. Furthermore, OXT
was positively correlated with the trainability of horses. Additionally, 5-HT
appeared to enhance trainability. In conclusion, the concentration of OXT or
5-HT in horse blood plasma can be used as a biomarker to monitor the
fearfulness, dominance, or trainability of horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyoung Kim
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Sangju 37224, Korea
| | - Youngjae Park
- Department of Equine Industry and Sports with Therapeutic Riding, Jeonju Kijeon College, Jeonju 54989, Korea
| | - Eun Joong Kim
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Sangju 37224, Korea
| | - Heejun Jung
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, Korea
| | - Minjung Yoon
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Kyungpook National University, Sangju 37224, Korea
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14
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Rabhi N, Thibodeau A, Côté JC, Devillers N, Laplante B, Fravalo P, Larivière-Gauthier G, Thériault WP, Faucitano L, Beauchamp G, Quessy S. Association Between Tail-Biting and Intestinal Microbiota Composition in Pigs. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:563762. [PMID: 33363226 PMCID: PMC7756002 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.563762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tail-biting (TB) in pigs is a serious behavioral disorder. It is an important challenge in swine production as it impacts animal welfare and health and the economics and safety of the pork meat supply chain. To prevent TB, approaches including enrichment material and tail docking are proposed but none are optimal. Nutrition appears to be an important factor in TB behavior, perhaps by modulating the intestinal microbiota (IM). Our aim was to assess the association between TB behavior and IM in pigs through comparisons of IM in groups of biter, bitten and non-biter/non-bitten pigs. Each group composed of 12 pigs was formed at the beginning of the growing/finishing phase based on a target behavior analysis centered on TB behavior for the biter group and a score of damages caused to the tail for the bitten group. Blood and fecal samples were collected from each pig during a TB episode, at time 0, t0, and when the TB episode was considered finished, 4 weeks later, at time 1, t1. Serum cortisol level was determined by ELISA and used as an indicator of stress. The pig's fecal microbiota was analyzed from DNA extracted from freshly collected fecal matter using amplicon sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Serum cortisol levels were significantly higher in either the biter or bitten pig groups compared to the negative control group (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). The microbiota alpha-diversity was not significantly different between all groups, biter, bitten and negative control. Analyses of beta-diversity, however, revealed a significant difference between either the biter or the bitten group in comparison to the non-biter/non-bitten negative control group in terms of structure and composition of the microbiota. Lactobacillus were significantly more abundant in the negative control group compared to the two other groups (p = 0.001). No significant difference was revealed between the biter and bitten groups. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) confirmed that lactobacilli were more abundant in the negative control group. Our study indicates that TB behavior is associated with the IM composition in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nassima Rabhi
- Chaire de Recherche en Salubrité des Viandes - Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada (CRSV-CRSNG), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole - Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies (CRIPA-FRQNT), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Alexandre Thibodeau
- Chaire de Recherche en Salubrité des Viandes - Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada (CRSV-CRSNG), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole - Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies (CRIPA-FRQNT), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Charles Côté
- Chaire de Recherche en Salubrité des Viandes - Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada (CRSV-CRSNG), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole - Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies (CRIPA-FRQNT), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Nicolas Devillers
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | | | - Philippe Fravalo
- Chaire de Recherche en Salubrité des Viandes - Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada (CRSV-CRSNG), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole - Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies (CRIPA-FRQNT), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Guillaume Larivière-Gauthier
- Chaire de Recherche en Salubrité des Viandes - Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada (CRSV-CRSNG), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole - Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies (CRIPA-FRQNT), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - William P Thériault
- Chaire de Recherche en Salubrité des Viandes - Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada (CRSV-CRSNG), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole - Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies (CRIPA-FRQNT), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Luigi Faucitano
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Guy Beauchamp
- Chaire de Recherche en Salubrité des Viandes - Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada (CRSV-CRSNG), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole - Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies (CRIPA-FRQNT), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvain Quessy
- Chaire de Recherche en Salubrité des Viandes - Conseil de Recherches en Sciences Naturelles et en Génie du Canada (CRSV-CRSNG), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.,Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie Porcine et Avicole - Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies (CRIPA-FRQNT), Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
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15
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Nordgreen J, Edwards SA, Boyle LA, Bolhuis JE, Veit C, Sayyari A, Marin DE, Dimitrov I, Janczak AM, Valros A. A Proposed Role for Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines in Damaging Behavior in Pigs. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:646. [PMID: 33134341 PMCID: PMC7562715 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickness can change our mood for the worse, leaving us sad, lethargic, grumpy and less socially inclined. This mood change is part of a set of behavioral symptoms called sickness behavior and has features in common with core symptoms of depression. Therefore, the physiological changes induced by immune activation, for example following infection, are in the spotlight for explaining mechanisms behind mental health challenges such as depression. While humans may take a day off and isolate themselves until they feel better, farm animals housed in groups have only limited possibilities for social withdrawal. We suggest that immune activation could be a major factor influencing social interactions in pigs, with outbreaks of damaging behavior such as tail biting as a possible result. The hypothesis presented here is that the effects of several known risk factors for tail biting are mediated by pro-inflammatory cytokines, proteins produced by the immune system, and their effect on neurotransmitter systems. We describe the background for and implications of this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janicke Nordgreen
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sandra A. Edwards
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Laura Ann Boyle
- Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - J. Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Christina Veit
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Amin Sayyari
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Daniela E. Marin
- National Institute for Research and Development for Biology and Animal Nutrition, Balotesti, Romania
| | | | - Andrew M. Janczak
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anna Valros
- Department of Production Animal Medicine, Research Centre for Animal Welfare, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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16
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Haigh A, Chou JY, O'Driscoll K. Variations in the Behavior of Pigs During an Open Field and Novel Object Test. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:607. [PMID: 33102553 PMCID: PMC7494949 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Tail biting is a serious welfare concern in pig production. It not only causes distress for victims, but may occur where pigs are unable to cope, and become biters. An animal's ability to cope with stressful situations may vary between individuals, but the behavioral response could be consistent across different fear eliciting situations. We exposed 75 pigs to open field (OF) and novel object (NO) tests at 14 weeks of age. Within each pen of pigs (n = 16 pens, 55 pigs/pen), 6 pigs were selected for testing using the following criteria: 3 pigs that had severe bite wounds (BITTEN), 1 confirmed biter (BITER), 1 pig which could be easily approached and trained to provide a saliva sample (BOLD) and 1 pig which was extremely evasive, and was unable to be trained to willingly provide a saliva sample (SHY). Given that responses may be consistent in different scenarios, we hypothesized that SHY pigs would display more characteristics of a fear response (i.e., less movement in the open field, more time spent by the door, and longer latency to approach the novel object) than human BOLD pigs. We also hypothesized that BITTEN pigs would behave similarly to SHY and BITERS similarly to BOLD. The BOLD and BITER pigs spent more time exploring (P < 0.05) and less time by the door (P < 0.01) than the BITTEN and SHY pigs. Although there was an overall increase in cortisol level from before to after the tests (P < 0.001), this was only significant for BITTEN (P < 0.001) and SHY (P < 0.05) pigs. Therefore, as hypothesized, for several measures, BOLD, and BITER pigs behaved similarly, and differently to SHY and BITTEN. However, the low sample size potentially meant that for several measures, although numeric differences were in the direction hypothesized, there were no statistical differences. Further work in which a greater number of BITER pigs were included in the sample, may elucidate our hypotheses more clearly, as to whether responses to fear tests in pigs could be associated with the likelihood of being a tail biter, or victim.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Haigh
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Jen-Yun Chou
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland.,Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, United Kingdom.,Animal and Veterinary Sciences Research Group, Roslin Institute Building, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Easter Bush, United Kingdom
| | - Keelin O'Driscoll
- Pig Development Department, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Ireland
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17
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Omics Application in Animal Science-A Special Emphasis on Stress Response and Damaging Behaviour in Pigs. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11080920. [PMID: 32796712 PMCID: PMC7464449 DOI: 10.3390/genes11080920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing stress resilience of livestock is important for ethical and profitable meat and dairy production. Susceptibility to stress can entail damaging behaviours, a common problem in pig production. Breeding animals with increased stress resilience is difficult for various reasons. First, studies on neuroendocrine and behavioural stress responses in farm animals are scarce, as it is difficult to record adequate phenotypes under field conditions. Second, damaging behaviours and stress susceptibility are complex traits, and their biology is not yet well understood. Dissecting complex traits into biologically better defined, heritable and easily measurable proxy traits and developing biomarkers will facilitate recording these traits in large numbers. High-throughput molecular technologies (“omics”) study the entirety of molecules and their interactions in a single analysis step. They can help to decipher the contributions of different physiological systems and identify candidate molecules that are representative of different physiological pathways. Here, we provide a general overview of different omics approaches and we give examples of how these techniques could be applied to discover biomarkers. We discuss the genetic dissection of the stress response by different omics techniques and we provide examples and outline potential applications of omics tools to understand and prevent outbreaks of damaging behaviours.
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18
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Shen C, Tong X, Chen R, Gao S, Liu X, Schinckel AP, Li Y, Xu F, Zhou B. Identifying blood-based biomarkers associated with aggression in weaned pigs after mixing. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.104927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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19
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Prunier A, Averos X, Dimitrov I, Edwards SA, Hillmann E, Holinger M, Ilieski V, Leming R, Tallet C, Turner SP, Zupan M, Camerlink I. Review: Early life predisposing factors for biting in pigs. Animal 2020; 14:570-587. [PMID: 31436143 PMCID: PMC7026718 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731119001940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The pig industry faces many animal welfare issues. Among these, biting behaviour has a high incidence. It is indicative of an existing problem in biters and is a source of physical damage and psychological stress for the victims. We categorize this behaviour into aggressive and non-aggressive biting, the latter often being directed towards the tail. This review focusses specifically on predisposing factors in early life, comprising the prenatal and postnatal periods up to weaning, for the expression of aggressive and non-aggressive biting later in life. The influence of personality and coping style has been examined in a few studies. It varies according to these studies and, thus, further evaluation is needed. Regarding the effect of environmental factors, the number of scientific papers is low (less than five papers for most factors). No clear influence of prenatal factors has been identified to date. Aggressive biting is reduced by undernutrition, cross-fostering and socialization before weaning. Non-aggressive biting is increased by undernutrition, social stress due to competition and cross-fostering. These latter three factors are highly dependent on litter size at birth. The use of familiar odours may contribute to reducing biting when pigs are moved from one environment to another by alleviating the level of stress associated with novelty. Even though the current environment in which pigs are expressing biting behaviours is of major importance, the pre-weaning environment should be optimized to reduce the likelihood of this problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Prunier
- INRA, PEGASE, Agrocampus-Ouest, Saint Gilles 35590, France
| | - X. Averos
- Department of Animal Production, Neiker-Tecnalia Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Vitoria-Gasteiz 01080, Spain
| | - I. Dimitrov
- Agricultural Institute, Stara Zagora 6000, Bulgaria
| | - S. A. Edwards
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - E. Hillmann
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Berlin 10115, Germany
| | - M. Holinger
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - V. Ilieski
- University Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Skopje 1000, Republic of North Macedonia
| | - R. Leming
- Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Tartu 51014, Estonia
| | - C. Tallet
- INRA, PEGASE, Agrocampus-Ouest, Saint Gilles 35590, France
| | - S. P. Turner
- SRUC, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - M. Zupan
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Domžale 1230, Slovenia
| | - I. Camerlink
- University of Veterinary Medicine (Vetmeduni) Vienna, Institute of Animal Welfare Science, Veterinärplatz 1, Vienna 1210, Austria
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20
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Buijs S, Muns R. A Review of the Effects of Non-Straw Enrichment on Tail Biting in Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9100824. [PMID: 31635339 PMCID: PMC6826462 DOI: 10.3390/ani9100824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Tail biting, a damaging behaviour that one pig directs at another, causes pain, wounding and health problems. It reduces both pig welfare and market value. Enrichment can reduce tail biting substantially. Many pig producers are reluctant to use straw as enrichment, but many non-straw alternatives exist. We aimed to evaluate their ability to reduce tail biting based on studies on the effects of enrichment on tail damage and manipulation of other pigs, and on the duration of interaction with enrichment. Additionally, we reviewed how pigs interact with different enrichments (e.g., by rooting or chewing it). This was done to clarify which type of enrichment could satisfy which behavioural motivation (that may lead to tail biting if not satisfied). However, very little information on separate enrichment-directed behaviours was uncovered. Several effective types of non-straw enrichment were identified, but these correspond poorly with the types of enrichment commonly applied on commercial farms. More detailed observations of how pigs interact with different enrichments, other pigs, and their environment would improve our understanding of how to combine enrichments to minimize tail biting. This is essential because although single non-straw enrichments can reduce tail biting significantly, the remaining levels of damage can still be high. Abstract Tail biting remains a common problem in pig production. As producers are reluctant to use straw to reduce this behaviour, we review studies on the effectiveness of other types of enrichment. Roughage, hessian sacks, compost, fresh wood, space dividers, rope, and providing new objects regularly can significantly reduce tail damage. These results should be interpreted with some caution, as often only one study per enrichment could be identified. No evidence was found that commonly applied enrichment objects (processed wood, plastic or metal) reduce tail biting significantly unless exchanged regularly, even though multiple studies per type of enrichment were identified. Many studies evaluated the duration of enrichment use, but few evaluated the manner of use. This hampers identification of combinations of enrichment that will satisfy the pig’s motivation to eat/smell, bite, root and change enrichments, which is suggested to reduce tail biting. New objects designed to satisfy specific motivations were shown to receive high levels of interaction, but their effectiveness at reducing tail damage remains unknown. More in-depth study of how pigs interact with non-straw enrichment, which motivations this satisfies and how this affects behaviour towards conspecifics, is necessary to optimize enrichment strategies. Optimization is necessary because ceasing tail docking in a way that improves pig welfare requires more effective enrichments than those described in this review, or alternatively, better control over other factors influencing tail biting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Buijs
- Agriculture Branch, Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough BT26 6DR, UK.
| | - Ramon Muns
- Agriculture Branch, Sustainable Agri-Food Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Hillsborough BT26 6DR, UK.
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21
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22
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Munsterhjelm C, Nordgreen J, Aae F, Heinonen M, Valros A, Janczak AM. Sick and grumpy: Changes in social behaviour after a controlled immune stimulation in group-housed gilts. Physiol Behav 2018; 198:76-83. [PMID: 30290182 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Poor health is associated with an increased risk of tail biting outbreaks in pigs. We propose that this is because illness changes social dynamics either by changing the behaviour of the sick pig towards its penmates, the behaviour of the healthy penmates towards the sick pig, or both. We tested the effect of immune stimulation (lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection: O111:B4; 1.5 μg kg-1 IV) on social behaviour in gilts housed in triplets in a cross-over experiment. Each pen was subjected to the control treatment (all three pigs injected with saline) and then LPS treatment (one pig injected with LPS, two injected with saline), or vice versa. LPS injected pigs had a shift in social motivation and performed more tail- and ear- directed behaviour than saline pigs two days after injection. They seemed to fit the description of 'sick and grumpy'. This change was seen about 40 h after the signs of acute illness dissipated and was not accompanied by a similar increase in activity. We discuss possible mechanisms for this behavioural change in light of changes in neurotransmitter levels at three days after LPS injection described in a previous experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Munsterhjelm
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Janicke Nordgreen
- Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
| | - Frida Aae
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
| | - Mari Heinonen
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna Valros
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andrew M Janczak
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
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23
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Camerlink I, Ursinus WW, Bartels AC, Bijma P, Bolhuis JE. Indirect Genetic Effects for Growth in Pigs Affect Behaviour and Weight Around Weaning. Behav Genet 2018; 48:413-420. [PMID: 29922987 PMCID: PMC6097724 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-018-9911-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Selection for indirect genetic effects (IGE), i.e. the genetic effect of an individual on a trait of another individual, is a promising avenue to increase trait values in plant and animal breeding. Studies in livestock suggest that selection for IGE for growth (IGEg) might increase animals' capacity to tolerate stress. We assessed the effect of a stressful phase (weaning) on the behaviour and performance of pigs (n = 480) divergently selected for high or low IGEg. High IGEg pigs were significantly slower to explore the feed and gained less weight than low IGEg pigs in the days after weaning. In line with previous findings, high IGEg animals may have prioritized the formation of social ranks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Camerlink
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Animale Welfare, University for Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Winanda W Ursinus
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Animal Behaviour & Welfare, Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea C Bartels
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Piter Bijma
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - J Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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24
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Nordgreen J, Munsterhjelm C, Aae F, Popova A, Boysen P, Ranheim B, Heinonen M, Raszplewicz J, Piepponen P, Lervik A, Valros A, Janczak AM. The effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on inflammatory markers in blood and brain and on behavior in individually-housed pigs. Physiol Behav 2018; 195:98-111. [PMID: 30077671 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Most of us have experienced deterioration of mood while ill. In humans, immune activation is associated with lethargy and social withdrawal, irritability and aggression; changes in social motivation could, in theory, lead to less functional interactions. This might also be the case for animals housed in close confinement. Tail biting in pigs is an example of damaging social behavior, and sickness is thought to be a risk factor for tail biting outbreaks. One possible mechanism whereby sickness may influence behavior is through cytokines. To identify possible mediators between immune activation and behavioral change, we injected 16 gilts with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; O111:B4; 1.5 μg kg-1 IV through a permanent catheter). In LPS-treated pigs, a significant increase in cortisol, TNF-α, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-6, and IL-8 was observed alongside decreased activity within the first 6 h after the injection. CRP was elevated at 12 and 24 h after injection, and food intake was reduced for the first 24 h after injection. Three days post-injection, LPS pigs had lower levels of noradrenaline in their hypothalamus, hippocampus and frontal cortex compared to saline-injected pigs. Pigs injected with LPS also had higher levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IFN-γ in their frontal cortex compared to saline-injected pigs. Thus, a low dose of LPS can induce changes in brain cytokine levels and neurotransmitter levels that persist after inflammatory and stress markers in the periphery have returned to baseline levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janicke Nordgreen
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway; Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Camilla Munsterhjelm
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Frida Aae
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
| | - Anastasija Popova
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
| | - Preben Boysen
- Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Birgit Ranheim
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
| | - Mari Heinonen
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Joanna Raszplewicz
- Small Animal Teaching Hospital, University of Liverpool, Chester High Road, Neston CH64 7TE, UK
| | - Petteri Piepponen
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, 00014, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andreas Lervik
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
| | - Anna Valros
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Andrew M Janczak
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Oslo, Norway
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Li YZ, Zhang HF, Johnston LJ, Martin W, Peterson JD, Coetzee JF. Effects of tail docking and tail biting on performance and welfare of growing-finishing pigs in a confinement housing system. J Anim Sci 2018; 95:4835-4845. [PMID: 29293713 DOI: 10.2527/jas2017.1571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of tail docking on the welfare and performance of victimized pigs by tail biting and tail biters. Pigs ( = 240; 25.7 ± 2.9 kg average weight), including 120 pigs that were tail docked at birth and 120 pigs that remained with intact tails, were used. Pigs were housed in 8 pens of 30 pigs in a confinement barn for 16 wk, with 4 pens each housing pigs of both sexes with docked or intact tails. Tail biters and victimized pigs with damaged tails were identified during outbreaks of tail biting. Growth performance was monitored, and skin lesions on the tail, ears, and body were assessed. Blood samples were collected from focal tail biters, victimized pigs, and nonvictimized pigs for analysis of total serum protein, IgG, and substance P concentrations. When pigs were marketed, carcass weights and the number of pigs with carcass trim loss were recorded. During the growing-finishing period, 48% of pigs with docked tails and 89% of pigs with intact tails experienced lesions on their tails, including 5% of docked pigs and 30% of intact pigs identified as victimized pigs that experienced puncture wounds with signs of infection on their tails or loss of tails ( < 0.001). Victimized pigs tended to gain less weight ( = 0.07) between 17 and 21 wk of age than other pigs when tail biting prevailed in this study. Victimized pigs were more frequently ( = 0.04) sold for less than full value and had a lower dressing percentage ( < 0.001) compared with nonvictimized pigs. For victimized pigs, total serum protein and IgG concentrations were elevated 5 d after tails were injured, suggesting that tail damage can cause inflammation, which may lead to carcass abscesses and trim loss. Compared with victimized pigs and nonvictimized pigs, tail biters had lower total serum protein ( = 0.01) and IgG ( = 0.01) concentrations, indicating that tail biters may experience poor immune functions. Results of this study demonstrated that tail docking reduced tail damage in pigs kept in a confinement system. Tail damage can cause inflammation and reduce the value of market pigs. More research is needed to test whether compromised immune functions predispose pigs to tail biting.
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van der Meer Y, Gerrits WJJ, Jansman AJM, Kemp B, Bolhuis JE. A link between damaging behaviour in pigs, sanitary conditions, and dietary protein and amino acid supply. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0174688. [PMID: 28481880 PMCID: PMC5421778 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The tendency to reduce crude protein (CP) levels in pig diets to increase protein efficiency may increase the occurrence of damaging behaviours such as ear and tail biting, particularly for pigs kept under suboptimal health conditions. We studied, in a 2×2×2 factorial design, 576 tail-docked growing-finishing entire male pigs in 64 pens, subjected to low (LSC) vs. high sanitary conditions (HSC), and fed a normal CP (NP) vs. a low CP diet (LP, 80% of NP) ad libitum, with a basal amino acid (AA) profile or supplemented AA profile with extra threonine, tryptophan and methionine. The HSC pigs were vaccinated in the first nine weeks of life and received antibiotics at arrival at experimental farm at ten weeks, after which they were kept in a disinfected part of the farm with a strict hygiene protocol. The LSC pigs were kept on the same farm in non-disinfected pens to which manure from another pig farm was introduced fortnightly. At 15, 18, and 24 weeks of age, prevalence of tail and ear damage and of tail and ear wounds was scored. At 20 and 23 weeks of age, frequencies of biting behaviour and aggression were scored for 10×10 min per pen per week. The prevalence of ear damage during the finisher phase (47 vs. 32% of pigs, P < 0.0001) and the frequency of ear biting (1.3 vs. 1.2 times per hour, P = 0.03) were increased in LSC compared with HSC pigs. This effect on ear biting was diet dependent, however, the supplemented AA profile reduced ear biting only in LSC pigs by 18% (SC × AA profile, P < 0.01). The prevalence of tail wounds was lower for pigs in LSC (13 ± 0.02) than for pigs in HSC (0.22 ± 0.03) in the grower phase (P < 0.007). Regardless of AA profile or sanitary status, LP pigs showed more ear biting (+20%, P < 0.05), tail biting (+25%, P < 0.10), belly nosing (+152%, P < 0.01), other oral manipulation directed at pen mates (+13%, P < 0.05), and aggression (+30%, P < 0.01) than NP pigs, with no effect on ear or tail damage. In conclusion, both low sanitary conditions and a reduction of dietary protein increase the occurrence of damaging behaviours in pigs and therefore may negatively impact pig welfare. Attention should be paid to the impact of dietary nutrient composition on pig behaviour and welfare, particularly when pigs are kept under suboptimal (sanitary) conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne van der Meer
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- De Heus Animal Nutrition, Ede, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Walter J. J. Gerrits
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Bas Kemp
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - J. Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Takarinda KC, Mutasa-Apollo T, Madzima B, Nkomo B, Chigumira A, Banda M, Muti M, Harries AD, Mugurungi O. Malnutrition status and associated factors among HIV-positive patients enrolled in ART clinics in Zimbabwe. BMC Nutr 2017. [DOI: 10.1186/s40795-017-0132-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
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Munsterhjelm C, Heinonen M, Valros A. Can tail-in-mouth behaviour in weaned piglets be predicted by behaviour and performance? Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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29
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Brantsæter M, Nordgreen J, Rodenburg TB, Tahamtani FM, Popova A, Janczak AM. Exposure to Increased Environmental Complexity during Rearing Reduces Fearfulness and Increases Use of Three-Dimensional Space in Laying Hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). Front Vet Sci 2016; 3:14. [PMID: 26973843 PMCID: PMC4770049 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The complexity of the rearing environment is important for behavioral development and fearfulness. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that laying hens reared in a complex aviary system with exposure to mild intermittent stressors would be less fearful, less sensitive to stress, and would use elevated areas of the pen more often as adults than hens reared in a barren cage environment. Laying hens (N = 160) were housed in the same rearing house; half of the birds (n = 80) in an aviary and the other half (n = 80) in cages. At 16 weeks of age, the birds were transported to the experimental facilities. Their behavior was recorded at 19 and 23 weeks of age and analyzed by analysis of variance on individual scores for a fearfulness-related principal component generated using principal component analysis. The results indicate that aviary-reared birds have lower levels of fearfulness compared with cage-reared birds both at 19 weeks and at 23 weeks of age. When comparing the response induced by initial exposure to a novel object at 19 and 23 weeks of age, more aviary-reared birds tended to fly up at 19 weeks compared to the cage-reared birds, indicating a tendency toward a more active behavioral response in the aviary-reared birds than in cage-reared birds. There was no difference between treatments in the flight response at 23 weeks. The groups did not differ in defecation frequency or the concentration of fecal corticosterone metabolites at either age. At 19 weeks, observation of the spatial distribution in the home pens indicated that more aviary-reared birds spent time on the low perch, the elevated platform, and the upper perch, compared to the cage-reared birds. However, at 23 weeks of age, these differences were no longer detected. The results of this study support the hypothesis that increased environmental complexity during rearing reduces fearfulness of adult laying hens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margrethe Brantsæter
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, NMBU School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - Janicke Nordgreen
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, NMBU School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - T. Bas Rodenburg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Fernanda M. Tahamtani
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, NMBU School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anastasija Popova
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, NMBU School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - Andrew M. Janczak
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, NMBU School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
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Brantsæter M, Tahamtani FM, Moe RO, Hansen TB, Orritt R, Nicol C, Janczak AM. Rearing Laying Hens in Aviaries Reduces Fearfulness following Transfer to Furnished Cages. Front Vet Sci 2016; 3:13. [PMID: 26955634 PMCID: PMC4767898 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Appropriate rearing is essential for ensuring the welfare and productivity of laying hens. Early experience has the potential to affect the development of fearfulness. This study tested whether rearing in aviaries, as opposed to cages, reduces the fearfulness of laying hens after transfer to furnished cages. Fear responses were recorded as avoidance of a novel object in the home cage. Lohmann Selected Leghorns were reared in an aviary system or conventional rearing cages and then transported to furnished cages at 16 weeks, before the onset of lay. Observations of a selection of birds were conducted at 19 (N = 50 independent cages) and 21 (N = 48 independent cages) weeks of age. At 19 and 21 weeks, cage-reared birds showed higher levels of fearfulness indicated by spending more time away from the novel object compared to aviary-reared birds. These results suggest that rearing in an enriched aviary environment reduces fearfulness up to the fifth week after transfer to a new housing system, compared to rearing in cages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margrethe Brantsæter
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, NMBU School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - Fernanda M. Tahamtani
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, NMBU School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - Randi O. Moe
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, NMBU School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tone B. Hansen
- Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rachel Orritt
- School of Psychology, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Christine Nicol
- Division of Animal Health and Husbandry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Andrew M. Janczak
- Animal Welfare Research Group, Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, NMBU School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway
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Munsterhjelm C, Heinonen M, Valros A. Effects of clinical lameness and tail biting lesions on voluntary feed intake in growing pigs. Livest Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2015.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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32
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Evidence for a link between tail biting and central monoamine metabolism in pigs (Sus scrofa domestica). Physiol Behav 2015; 143:151-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.02.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2014] [Revised: 02/24/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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33
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Ursinus WW, Wijnen HJ, Bartels AC, Dijvesteijn N, van Reenen CG, Bolhuis JE. Damaging biting behaviors in intensively kept rearing gilts: the effect of jute sacks and relations with production characteristics. J Anim Sci 2014; 92:5193-202. [PMID: 25253806 DOI: 10.2527/jas.2014-7918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pigs may display biting behavior directed at pen mates, resulting in body damage such as tail wounds. We assessed the suitability of jute sacks (hung vertically at wall) to reduce biting behaviors and tail wounds in rearing gilts. Additionally, we assessed several characteristics of different types of tail biters. Tail docked rearing gilts originated from 72 litters, which were kept in partly slatted pens with jute sacks (J) or barren control pens (CON; 36 litters per treatment). Tail and ear damage were observed at weaning (4 wk) and during the weaner and rearing phase (17 J and 19 CON pens). Sow (dam) damage was also considered. Biting behaviors (tail, ear, and other) were observed during the weaner and rearing phase. Weight was recorded at birth, weaning, and end of the weaner phase and ADG was calculated from birth till weaning and from weaning till 9 wk. Furthermore, estimated breeding values for litter size, litter birth weight, back fat, and growth between birth and ∼ 105 kg, and ∼ 25 to 105 kg were determined. Jute sacks reduced tail and ear damage at weaning (both P < 0.001) and tended to reduce sow tail damage (P = 0.09). Jute sacks also reduced tail damage post-weaning (P < 0.001 to 0.03), with a 5-fold reduction of (mild) tail wounds at the age of 13 wk. Biting behaviors directed at pen mates were up to 50% lower in J pens (P < 0.001 to 0.04). Higher genotypic litter size, litter birth weight, growth, and lower back fat seemed associated with higher levels of ear or tail-biting behavior (P = 0.002 to 0.09), albeit dependent on treatment and phase. Higher phenotypic litter sizes were associated with higher levels of biting behaviors (P = 0.004-0.08). High-tail-biters and Medium-tail-biters (the latter less pronounced) stemmed from larger litters (P = 0.01 to 0.05), were heavier (P = 0.03 to 0.04), grew faster (P = 0.05 to 0.08), and displayed higher levels of all kinds of biting behavior directed to pen mates and the jute sack (P < 0.001 to 0.10) compared with non-tail-biters, the effect size dependent on treatment and phase of life. To conclude, jute sacks may profoundly reduce damaging behaviors and tail wounds in rearing gilts, probably because they partly meet the behavioral need of pigs for rooting and chewing. Furthermore, (tail) biting is associated with production level of the gilts (phenotypically and genetically), which suggests a role for breeding programs and additional research focusing on metabolic demands of (tail) biting pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- W W Ursinus
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Adaptation Physiology Group, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands Wageningen UR Livestock Research, Animal Behaviour & Welfare, PO Box 338, 8200 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - H J Wijnen
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Adaptation Physiology Group, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - A C Bartels
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Adaptation Physiology Group, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - N Dijvesteijn
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands TOPIGS Research Center IPG B.V., PO Box 43, 6640 AA Beuningen, The Netherlands
| | - C G van Reenen
- Wageningen UR Livestock Research, Animal Behaviour & Welfare, PO Box 338, 8200 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Animal Production Systems Group, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - J E Bolhuis
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Adaptation Physiology Group, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
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