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Teixeira DL, Bagaria M, Vidal R, Verdú M, Parés R, Fàbrega E. Prevalence of tail damage and ear lesions in docked and undocked pigs during trials to find alternatives to tail docking on Spanish commercial farms. Vet Rec 2024:e4436. [PMID: 39198994 DOI: 10.1002/vetr.4436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tail docking is widely used to control tail biting in pigs, but it is a painful and stressful procedure. The impact of non-docking trials on tail damage (TD) and ear lesions (EL) from weaning to slaughter was assessed on four commercial farms. METHODS A total of 898 docked pigs (396 DP) or undocked pigs (502 UP) were assessed for tail damage and ear lesions at the beginning and end of the weaner stage, during fattening and at the abattoir during slaughter. RESULTS The percentage of UP with shortened tails increased significantly from weaning to fattening, but the percentage of non-inflamed tails and tails without fresh lesions increased. In terms of severity of lesion, a lower percentage of pigs scored as 'no visible lesion' at the end of weaning compared to fattening, both for UP and DP (p < 0.05). DP always had a lower percentage of TD, whereas UP had a lower percentage of EL at the end of weaning. LIMITATION It was not possible to statistically compare different preventive strategies trialed on farms as alternatives to docking. CONCLUSION This study highlights that combining tail length and lesion score at slaughter could be a reliable on-farm welfare indicator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayane Lemos Teixeira
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Monells, Spain
| | - Marc Bagaria
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Monells, Spain
| | - Roger Vidal
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Monells, Spain
| | - Marçal Verdú
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Industry, bonÀrea Agrupa, Guissona, Spain
| | - Ricard Parés
- Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Emma Fàbrega
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Monells, Spain
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Zhang Y, Yang X, Sun F, Zhang Y, Yao Y, Bai Z, Yu J, Liu X, Zhao Q, Li X, Bao J. Emotional "Contagion" in Piglets after Sensory Avoidance of Rewarding and Punishing Treatment. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1110. [PMID: 38612349 PMCID: PMC11011006 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
In the pig farming industry, it is recommended to avoid groups when treating individuals to reduce adverse reactions in the group. However, can this eliminate the adverse effects effectively? Piglets were assigned to the Rewarding Group (RG), the Punishing Group (PG), and the Paired Control Group (PCG). There were six replicates in each group, with two paired piglets per replicate. One piglet of the RG and PG was randomly selected as the Treated pig (TP), treated with food rewards or electric shock, and the other as the Naive pig (NP). The NPs in the RG and PG were unaware of the treatment process, and piglets in the PCG were not treated. The behavior and heart rate changes of all piglets were recorded. Compared to the RG, the NPs in the PG showed longer proximity but less contact behavior, and the TPs in the PG showed more freezing behavior. The percentage change in heart rate of the NPs was synchronized with the TPs. This shows that after sensory avoidance, the untreated pigs could also feel the emotions of their peers and their emotional state was affected by their peers, and the negative emotions in the pigs lasted longer than the positive emotions. The avoidance process does not prevent the transfer of negative emotions to peers via emotional contagion from the stimulated pig.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Xuesong Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Fang Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Yaqian Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Yuhan Yao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Ziyu Bai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Jiaqi Yu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Xiangyu Liu
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China;
| | - Qian Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Jun Bao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (X.Y.); (F.S.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (J.Y.); (Q.Z.)
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3
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Zhang Y, Yu J, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Sun F, Yao Y, Bai Z, Sun H, Zhao Q, Li X. Emotional Contagion and Social Support in Pigs with the Negative Stimulus. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3160. [PMID: 37893884 PMCID: PMC10603741 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This study expects to confirm the existence of emotional transmission in pigs from multiple perspectives and to provide theoretical references for improving animal welfare in livestock farming. A group that could directly observe (DO) and a group that could not directly observe (NO) were created based on whether or not their peers observed the treatment process, as the treated pig (TP) was treated with electrical shock and the companion pig (CP) either witnessed the treatment inflicted upon TP or not, and a third group was a control group, in which neither pig was stimulated. The behavioral responses of both the TPs and CPs were recorded to evaluate the emotional reaction. The results found that in both the DO and NO groups, the frequency of TP freezing was significantly higher than that of CP, and CP was significantly higher than that of the control group. Interestingly, although the social interaction responses of the CPs were not similar in the DO and NO groups, there were no significant differences between the behaviors of TPs in the DO and NO groups, except for nose-nose contact and a single approach to the partition, which allowed us to conclude that, whether or not the pigs directly observed the negative treatment, they were able to respond accordingly to fear and provide similar social support to their companions who were treated negatively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Jiaqi Yu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Yu Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Yaqian Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Fang Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Yuhan Yao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Ziyu Bai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Hanqing Sun
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Qian Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China; (Y.Z.); (J.Y.); (Y.Z.); (Y.Z.); (F.S.); (Y.Y.); (Z.B.); (H.S.); (Q.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Swine Facilities, Ministry of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Changjiang Road No. 600, Harbin 150030, China
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Gavaud S, Haurogné K, Buchet A, Garcia Vinado I, Allard M, Lehébel A, Leblanc-Maridor M, Bach JM, Belloc C, Lieubeau B, Hervé J. Effects of improved early-life conditions on health, welfare, and performance of pigs raised on a conventional farm. Animal 2023; 17:100810. [PMID: 37172358 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, most pigs are raised indoors, on intensive farms providing a poor environment. In these conditions, the risk of the occurrence of damaging behaviours is high, with dramatic consequences for animal health and welfare as well as economic losses for farmers. Early-life conditions may predispose individuals to develop damaging behaviours later in life. In contrast, reinforcing affiliative behaviours between piglets before weaning might help to prevent tail-biting episodes. In this field study, we aimed at improving early-life conditions of piglets on a commercial farm by completely suppressing painful procedures and staggering their exposure to weaning stress factors. The alternative early-life management strategy combined housing in free-farrowing pens with temporary crating of the sow, socialisation during the lactation period with whole-life maintenance of the hierarchical groups, and delayed transfer to the postweaning room after sow removal. Control conditions included birth in farrowing crates, tail docking, absence of socialisation during the lactation period, abrupt weaning with immediate transfer to the postweaning room and mixing with non-littermates. We evaluated the health, welfare, and performance of alternatively raised pigs (n = 80) as compared to controls (n = 75). Visits were made throughout the lifespan of individuals to evaluate their growth and health status. Body and tail lesions were scored as proxy measures of aggressiveness and impaired welfare. Blood and bristle samples were periodically collected to evaluate stress, inflammation and immune competence. While the whole-life performance of pigs was similar among groups, the alternative early-life conditions prevented the growth slowdown usually observed after weaning. In addition, alternatively raised pigs displayed more neutrophils, eosinophils and monocytes the day after weaning, as well as higher C-Reactive Protein levels. One week later, their monocytes displayed greater phagocytic capacity. Altogether, these data suggest an enhanced innate immune competence for alternatively raised pigs around weaning. Piglets reared under alternative conditions also exhibited fewer and less severe body lesions than standard pigs, one week after weaning. In contrast, they showed more tail lesions on days 36 and 66 associated with greater levels of acute phase proteins (C-Reactive Protein and haptoglobin). To conclude, alternative early-life management better prepared piglets for weaning. However, the whole-life maintenance of early-established social groups was not sufficient to prevent the occurrence of damaging behaviours in undocked pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Gavaud
- Oniris, INRAE, IECM, Nantes, France
| | | | - A Buchet
- Cooperl Innovation, Lamballe, France
| | | | - M Allard
- Oniris, INRAE, IECM, Nantes, France
| | - A Lehébel
- Oniris, INRAE, BIOEPAR, Nantes, France
| | | | - J M Bach
- Oniris, INRAE, IECM, Nantes, France
| | - C Belloc
- Oniris, INRAE, BIOEPAR, Nantes, France
| | | | - J Hervé
- Oniris, INRAE, IECM, Nantes, France.
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5
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Miller R, Grott A, Patzkéwitsch D, Döring D, Abendschön N, Deffner P, Reiser J, Ritzmann M, Saller AM, Schmidt P, Senf S, Werner J, Baumgartner C, Zöls S, Erhard M, Bergmann S. Behavior of Piglets in an Observation Arena before and after Surgical Castration with Local Anesthesia. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030529. [PMID: 36766418 PMCID: PMC9913414 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030529] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Surgical castration of piglets is generally recognized as a painful procedure, but there is currently no gold standard for the assessment of pain behavior in piglets. However, pain assessment is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of local anesthetics. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of four local anesthetics in terms of pain relief during and after surgical castration in three sequential study parts. To do so, we filmed 178 piglets before the applied procedures, after injection of the local anesthetic, and up to 24 h after castration (five observation times in total) in an observation arena and compared their behavior before and after castration and between treatments and control groups. The results showed significant differences in the behavior of the piglets before and after castration and between the sham-castrated control group and the control group castrated without anesthesia. The different local anesthesia treatment groups showed diverging differences to the control groups. The most frequently shown pain-associated behaviors of the piglets were changes in tail position and hunched back posture. We observed a reduction but no complete elimination of the expressed pain-associated behaviors after local anesthesia. Several behavioral changes-such as changes in tail position, hunched back posture or tail wagging-persisted until the day after castration. Owing to the limited duration of the effects of the local anesthetics, local anesthesia did not influence long-term pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Miller
- Department of Veterinary Science, Chair of Animal Welfare, Ethology, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence: (R.M.); (S.B.)
| | - Andrea Grott
- Department of Veterinary Science, Chair of Animal Welfare, Ethology, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Dorian Patzkéwitsch
- Department of Veterinary Science, Chair of Animal Welfare, Ethology, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Dorothea Döring
- Department of Veterinary Science, Chair of Animal Welfare, Ethology, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Nora Abendschön
- Clinic for Swine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Pauline Deffner
- Clinic for Swine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Judith Reiser
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Mathias Ritzmann
- Clinic for Swine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Anna M. Saller
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Paul Schmidt
- Statistical Consulting for Science and Research, Große Seestr. 8, 13086 Berlin, Germany
| | - Steffanie Senf
- Clinic for Swine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Julia Werner
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Christine Baumgartner
- Center for Preclinical Research, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Zöls
- Clinic for Swine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany
| | - Michael Erhard
- Department of Veterinary Science, Chair of Animal Welfare, Ethology, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Shana Bergmann
- Department of Veterinary Science, Chair of Animal Welfare, Ethology, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, LMU Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence: (R.M.); (S.B.)
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Boone G, Romaniuk AC, Barnard S, Shreyer T, Croney C. The Effect of Early Neurological Stimulation on Puppy Welfare in Commercial Breeding Kennels. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010071. [PMID: 36611681 PMCID: PMC9818019 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010071] [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: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout their lives, dogs may experience various stressful events. Early neurological stimulation (ENS), which was shown to alter stress responses beneficially in some animals, has not been fully explored in dogs. Seventy-six small-breed puppies from one commercial breeding kennel were divided into three treatment groups: ENS, held, and control. Puppies in the ENS group received 30 s of handling exercises for 21 days after birth; puppies in the held group were simply held for the same amount of time. Puppies in the control group were managed as per normal breeder practices (i.e., routine husbandry and physical health checks). Physical health was assessed weekly, and puppies were generally healthy and clean. Behavioral responses to stranger approach and isolation tests were evaluated pre- and post-ground-transportation to a distributor. Puppies were more affiliative toward a stranger post-isolation than pre-isolation (p < 0.001), and post-transport than pre-transport (p < 0.001). At the distributor, puppies in the isolation test spent less time in exploratory locomotion (p < 0.001) and vocalized more than at the breeder’s kennel (p = 0.011). Treatment did not affect these results. Overall, the results suggest that the type of ENS used in this study may not provide the purported benefits to puppies’ stress responses in commercial breeding populations.
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Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin‐Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Schmidt G, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Padalino B, Roberts HC, Stahl K, Velarde A, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Edwards S, Ivanova S, Leeb C, Wechsler B, Fabris C, Lima E, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Van der Stede Y, Vitali M, Spoolder H. Welfare of pigs on farm. EFSA J 2022; 20:e07421. [PMID: 36034323 PMCID: PMC9405538 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of pigs on farm, and is based on literature and expert opinion. All pig categories were assessed: gilts and dry sows, farrowing and lactating sows, suckling piglets, weaners, rearing pigs and boars. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal-based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. Recommendations are also provided on quantitative or qualitative criteria to answer specific questions on the welfare of pigs related to tail biting and related to the European Citizen's Initiative 'End the Cage Age'. For example, the AHAW Panel recommends how to mitigate group stress when dry sows and gilts are grouped immediately after weaning or in early pregnancy. Results of a comparative qualitative assessment suggested that long-stemmed or long-cut straw, hay or haylage is the most suitable material for nest-building. A period of time will be needed for staff and animals to adapt to housing lactating sows and their piglets in farrowing pens (as opposed to crates) before achieving stable welfare outcomes. The panel recommends a minimum available space to the lactating sow to ensure piglet welfare (measured by live-born piglet mortality). Among the main risk factors for tail biting are space allowance, types of flooring, air quality, health status and diet composition, while weaning age was not associated directly with tail biting in later life. The relationship between the availability of space and growth rate, lying behaviour and tail biting in rearing pigs is quantified and presented. Finally, the panel suggests a set of ABMs to use at slaughter for monitoring on-farm welfare of cull sows and rearing pigs.
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Albernaz-Gonçalves R, Olmos Antillón G, Hötzel MJ. Linking Animal Welfare and Antibiotic Use in Pig Farming-A Review. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:216. [PMID: 35049838 PMCID: PMC8773261 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Preventative measures, such as biosecurity and vaccinations, are essential but not sufficient to ensure high standards of health in pig production systems. Restrictive, barren housing and many widely used management practices that cause pain and stress predispose high-performance pigs reared in intensive systems to disease. In this context, antibiotics are used as part of the infrastructure that sustains health and high levels of production in pig farms. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global emergency affecting human and animal health, and the use of antibiotics (AMU) in intensive livestock farming is considered an important risk factor for the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria from animals to humans. Tackling the issue of AMR demands profound changes in AMU, e.g., reducing their use for prophylaxis and ending it for growth promotion. In support of such recommendations, we revise the link between animal welfare and AMU and argue that it is crucial to sustainably reduce AMU while ensuring that pigs can live happy lives. In support of such recommendations, we aimed to revise the link between animal welfare and AMU in pigs by analysing stress factors related to housing and management and their impact on pig welfare. In particular, we reviewed critical management practices that increase stress and, therefore, pigs' susceptibility to disease and reduce the quality of life of pigs. We also reviewed some alternatives that can be adopted in pig farms to improve animal welfare and that go beyond the reduction in stress. By minimising environmental and management stressors, pigs can become more immunocompetent and prepared to overcome pathogenic challenges. This outcome can contribute to reducing AMU and the risk of AMR while simultaneously improving the quality of life of pigs and, ultimately, maintaining the pig industry's social license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Albernaz-Gonçalves
- Campus Santa Rosa do Sul, Instituto Federal Catarinense, Santa Rosa do Sul 88965-000, SC, Brazil;
- Laboratório de Etologia Aplicada e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Rod. Admar Gonzaga 1346, Itacorubi, Florianópolis 88034-001, SC, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Olmos Antillón
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Maria José Hötzel
- Laboratório de Etologia Aplicada e Bem-Estar Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Rod. Admar Gonzaga 1346, Itacorubi, Florianópolis 88034-001, SC, Brazil
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9
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Impact of Routine Management Procedures on the Welfare of Suckling Piglets. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9010032. [PMID: 35051116 PMCID: PMC8778417 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Piglets often undergo several painful treatments during the initial days of their lives. In this review, we investigate the acute (i.e., immediate), short-, and long-term implications of piglet processing on behavioral, physiological, clinical, and performance parameters, and how welfare impairments depend on performance instead of sham procedure, alternative techniques, or the age of the piglets. Welfare indicators that have been used to determine the least distressing procedures and knowledge gaps with regard to the procedures are identified and discussed. Tail docking and especially piglet castration have been the most researched topics, whereas marking for identification has been rarely addressed. Few or no studies have investigated the effects of teeth resection and tail docking on piglets of different age groups. Additionally, results are often found to be inconsistent, highlighting the need for additional research to determine the optimal age for processing. Studies comparing different processing techniques have produced contradictory results, but ear notching, teeth clipping, hot cautery tail docking, and tearing during castration have been determined to result in increased pain. Generally, a shorter procedure duration can reduce stress, with operator training having a distinct impact on piglet welfare during processing. As such, these topics should be further investigated.
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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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Schillings J, Bennett R, Rose DC. Exploring the Potential of Precision Livestock Farming Technologies to Help Address Farm Animal Welfare. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2021.639678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rise in the demand for animal products due to demographic and dietary changes has exacerbated difficulties in addressing societal concerns related to the environment, human health, and animal welfare. As a response to this challenge, Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies are being developed to monitor animal health and welfare parameters in a continuous and automated way, offering the opportunity to improve productivity and detect health issues at an early stage. However, ethical concerns have been raised regarding their potential to facilitate the management of production systems that are potentially harmful to animal welfare, or to impact the human-animal relationship and farmers' duty of care. Using the Five Domains Model (FDM) as a framework, the aim is to explore the potential of PLF to help address animal welfare and to discuss potential welfare benefits and risks of using such technology. A variety of technologies are identified and classified according to their type [sensors, bolus, image or sound based, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)], their development stage, the species they apply to, and their potential impact on welfare. While PLF technologies have promising potential to reduce the occurrence of diseases and injuries in livestock farming systems, their current ability to help promote positive welfare states remains limited, as technologies with such potential generally remain at earlier development stages. This is likely due to the lack of evidence related to the validity of positive welfare indicators as well as challenges in technology adoption and development. Finally, the extent to which welfare can be improved will also strongly depend on whether management practices will be adapted to minimize negative consequences and maximize benefits to welfare.
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12
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Fife-Cook I, Franks B. Koi ( Cyprinus rubrofuscus) Seek Out Tactile Interaction with Humans: General Patterns and Individual Differences. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:706. [PMID: 33807873 PMCID: PMC7998956 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of human-animal interactions has provided insights into the welfare of many species. To date, however, research has largely focused on human relationships with captive mammals, with relatively little exploration of interactions between humans and other vertebrates, despite non-mammals constituting the vast majority of animals currently living under human management. With this study, we aimed to address this gap in knowledge by investigating human-fish interactions at a community garden/aquaponics learning-center that is home to approximately 150 goldfish (Carassius auratus) and seven adult and two juvenile koi (Cyprinus rubrofuscus). After a habituation period (July-September 2019) during which time the fish were regularly provided with the opportunity to engage with the researcher's submerged hand, but were not forced to interact with the researcher, we collected video data on 10 non-consecutive study days during the month of October. This procedure produced 18~20-min interaction sessions, 10 during T1 (when the experimenter first arrived and the fish had not been fed) and eight during T2 (20-30 min after the fish had been fed to satiation; two sessions of which were lost due equipment malfunction). Interactions between the researcher and the seven adult koi were coded from video based on location (within reach, on the periphery, or out of reach from the researcher) and instances of physical, tactile interaction. Analyses revealed that overall, koi spent more time than expected within reach of the researcher during both T1 (p < 0.02) and T2 (p < 0.03). There were also substantial differences between individuals' overall propensity for being within-reach and engaging in physical interaction. These results show that koi will voluntarily interact with humans and that individual koi display unique and consistent patterns of interaction. By providing quantitative data to support anecdotal claims that such relationships exist around the world, this research contributes to the ongoing discoveries highlighting the profound dissonance between how humans think about and treat fish and who fish actually are, thereby emphasizing the necessity of stronger moral and legal protections for fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Becca Franks
- Department of Environmental Studies, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA;
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13
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Wilder T, Krieter J, Kemper N, Honeck A, Büttner K. Tail-directed behaviour in pigs – relation to tail posture and tail lesion. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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14
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Chronic (or persistent) postsurgical pain: a veterinary problem? Vet Anaesth Analg 2020; 48:4-6. [PMID: 33308999 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaa.2020.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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15
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On-Farm Welfare Assessment Protocol for Suckling Piglets: A Pilot Study. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10061016. [PMID: 32532111 PMCID: PMC7341312 DOI: 10.3390/ani10061016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Piglets experience welfare issues during the nursery phase. This pilot study aimed to test a protocol for identifying the main welfare issues in suckling piglets and to investigate relationships among animal-based indicators and management conditions. Litters (n = 134), composed of undocked and tail-docked piglets, were assessed at two farms. After birth, observations were made at the age of 7 days and 20 days. At each observation, housing conditions (HCs) were measured, and 13 animal-based indicators, modified from Welfare Quality, Classyfarm, Assurewel and others introduced ex novo, were recorded. A generalized linear mixed model was used, considering animal-based indicators as dependent variables and farm, piglets' age, tail docking and HCs as independent variables. The main welfare issues were lesions of the limb (32.6%) and the front area of the body (22.8%), a poor body condition score (BCS) (16.1%), ear lesions (15.5%), and tail lesions (9.7%). Negative social behaviour (e.g., fighting and biting) represented 7.0% of the active behaviour, with tail biting observed in 8.7% of the piglets. While lesions on the front areas of the body were mostly associated with the farm, tail lesions, low BCS, tear staining, and diarrhoea were associated with light and nest temperature (p < 0.05). In particular, tail biting increased with scarce light (p = 0.007). Tail docking did not influence any animal-based indicator except for tear staining which was higher in the tail-docked as compared to the undocked piglets (p = 0.05), increasing awareness on this practice as a source of negative emotion in piglets. The protocol tested may be a promising tool for assessing on-farm piglets' welfare.
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