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Baert S, Aubé L, Haley DB, Bergeron R, Devillers N. The protective role of wallowing against heat stress in gestating and lactating sows housed outdoors. Physiol Behav 2022; 254:113898. [PMID: 35792155 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113898] [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: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to describe the physiological response of gestating and lactating sows to naturally-occurring environmental conditions, and to identify factors that may contribute to or prevent heat stress, while being kept outdoors in Québec, Canada during the summer. Six groups of 4 Yorkshire-Landrace sows lived in outdoor pens equipped with a wallow, shade structure, farrowing huts and access to a pasture from July to September, 2018. Between week 15 of gestation and week 3 of lactation (inclusive), we recorded the location of each sow 5 days/week during 5 daily 15-min observation periods, and additionally measured the sow's respiratory rate and mud cover at the end of each observation period. Simultaneously, we collected sow body temperature data with vaginal temperature loggers 24h/d on week 15 of gestation and week 2 of lactation, and monitored environmental conditions with temperature and humidity loggers to calculate the temperature humidity index (THI). Sows had significantly higher and more variable body temperatures during lactation compared to gestation (P≤0.0001), and when THI was analyzed as a continuous variable, it was positively associated with sow body temperature during the night in lactation. During gestation, neither respiratory rate nor body temperature were associated with high or low levels of THI (P=0.15 and 0.79, respectively) or mud cover (P=0.29 and 0.94, respectively). However, in lactation, respiratory rate was higher when, simultaneously, THI exceeded 74 and mud cover was low (P=0.006), while a THI higher than 74 and a low mud cover had independent effects on body temperature (P=0.012 and 0.004, respectively). In lactation, sows that spent an entire observation period in the farrowing hut also had a higher respiratory rate than sows that left the hut at least once (P=0.009). In summary, lactating sows were more likely to show increases in respiratory rate and body temperature in warmer conditions than gestating sows, and our findings also suggest that time in the farrowing hut may be a risk factor for heat stress. However, mud cover may limit these physiological consequences when sows have access to a wallow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Baert
- Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, 2000 College Street, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, J1M 1Z3; Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Gordon Street & College Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1.
| | - Lydiane Aubé
- Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, 2000 College Street, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, J1M 1Z3.
| | - Derek B Haley
- Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Gordon Street & College Avenue West, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1.
| | - Renée Bergeron
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1.
| | - Nicolas Devillers
- Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, 2000 College Street, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, J1M 1Z3.
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How Housing Conditions Determine the Welfare of Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11123484. [PMID: 34944259 PMCID: PMC8697881 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans who care for pigs prefer an environment that not only allows the pigs to express their natural behaviors but also limits the development of aggression and stereotypes. Most of the behavioral and health problems encountered by pigs in barren, conventional conditions are solved by alternative housing systems. However, it is not known whether these systems are advantageous in terms of the performance of pigs. In this work, we review the effects of housing systems on pigs' behaviors and performance, which are among the major indicators of the welfare of these animals. Research results point out that outdoor systems are more ideal for sows and fatteners than buildings. Nonetheless, outdoor housing is associated with two major effects in both groups: increased activity due to environmental exploration and higher space allowance, and increased incidence of injuries compared to indoor systems. Sows are more active when housed in groups, but they experience an increased frequency of injuries. According to the literature, group-housed sows give birth to healthy piglets with good daily weight gains. The difference in the fattening and slaughter performance of pigs raised indoors vs. outdoors remains unclear, and the results reported so far are inconsistent. Outdoor systems seem to be associated with a higher incidence of osteochondrosis and lesions of elbow and hock joints, whereas indoor systems cause a greater degree of body soiling in pigs. Based on the reviewed literature, it may be concluded that outdoor housing helps to solve behavioral issues in pigs but leads to other problems in pig production.
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Arroyo L, Valent D, Carreras R, Peña R, Sabrià J, Velarde A, Bassols A. Housing and road transport modify the brain neurotransmitter systems of pigs: Do pigs raised in different conditions cope differently with unknown environments? PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210406. [PMID: 30650149 PMCID: PMC6334955 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
How housing and transport conditions may affect welfare in porcine production is a leading topic in livestock research. This study investigated whether pigs present a different neurological response to management conditions and to ascertain whether pigs living partially outdoors cope differently with road transport-associated stress. Twenty-four female pigs were divided in two groups: one living indoors (ID, n = 12) and the other housed combining indoor conditions with 4 hours per day of outdoor pasture (OD, n = 12). After one month, one set of animals from each housing condition were driven in a truck to the slaughterhouse in low-stress conditions (5 min drive, no mixing groups, soft management, LS group, n = 12) or high-stress conditions (2 hours drive, mixing groups, harsh management, HS group, n = 12). At the slaughterhouse, blood was collected, and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the hippocampus (HC) dissected. OD pigs had lower serum haptoglobin and increased dopaminergic pathway (DA-system) in the PFC, suggesting that living outdoors increases their wellbeing. HS conditions increased serum creatine kinase (CK) and affected several brain pathways: activation of the noradrenergic (NA-system) and DA -system in the PFC and the activation of the DA-system and an increase in c-Fos as well as a decrease in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the HC. The serotonergic system (5-HT-system) was mildly altered in both areas. There was an interaction between housing and transport in serum NA and the DA-system in the HC, indicating that living conditions affected the response to stress. Multivariate analysis was able to discriminate the four animal groups. In conclusion, this work indicates that housing conditions and road transport markedly modifies the neurophysiology of pigs, and suggests that animals raised partially outdoors respond differently to transport-associated stress than animals raised indoors, indicating that they cope differently with unknown environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Arroyo
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Daniel Valent
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Ricard Carreras
- IRTA, Animal Welfare Subprogram, Veïnat de Sies, s/n, Monells, Spain
| | - Raquel Peña
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Servei de Bioquímica Clínica Veterinària, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Josefa Sabrià
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Antonio Velarde
- IRTA, Animal Welfare Subprogram, Veïnat de Sies, s/n, Monells, Spain
| | - Anna Bassols
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Veterinària, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- * E-mail:
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Wei S, Guo Y, Yan P. Comparison of two housing systems on behaviour and performance of fattening pigs. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/09712119.2018.1561372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shengjuan Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuguang Guo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Peishi Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
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Park HS, Min B, Oh SH. Research trends in outdoor pig production - A review. ASIAN-AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCES 2017; 30:1207-1214. [PMID: 28728401 PMCID: PMC5582275 DOI: 10.5713/ajas.17.0330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Since the industrialization of swine production in the late 1900s, swine farms in the United States, as well as in Europe, have largely become consolidated. Pig farms became larger in size but fewer in number, with 91% of market pigs being produced by large operations with 5,000 or more pigs on-site in the US, and only 3% of the total utilized agricultural land representing organic farming. Such change in the market made it difficult for small farmers to stay competitive, forcing them to find alternative ways to reduce the cost of production and increase profit using the outdoor production system. In contrast to the indoor confinement system, outdoor production system uses pasture-based units and/or deep-bedded hoop structures that promote animal welfare and environmental sustainability with a lower capital investment. In accord with the growing concern for animal and environmental welfare and food safety by the consumers, small farmers practicing an outdoor production system are seeing increased opportunities for marketing their products in the pork niche market. Unlike the general belief that the reproductive and growth performance measures of the outdoor sows and piglets are poorer in comparison with the animals reared indoors, studies showed that there was no significant difference in the performance measures, and some traits were even better in outdoor animals. Improved reproductive and production traits can increase the sustainability of outdoor farming. Present study reviewed the recent studies comparing the performance measures, meat quality and health of indoor and outdoor animals, as well as the efforts to improve the outdoor production system through changes in management such as hut types and breed of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Suk Park
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, North Carolina A&T State University, NC 27411, USA
| | - Byungrok Min
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD 21853, USA
| | - Sang-Hyon Oh
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, North Carolina A&T State University, NC 27411, USA
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