Tag Archives: Stress

Effect of intermittent draught on behaviour of weaned pigs

Manipulation, Pigs, Tail biting, ,

Scheepens, C.J.M., M.J.C. Hessing, E. Laarakker, W.G.P. Schouten, M.J.M. Tielen. 1991. Influences of intermittent daily draught on the behaviour of weaned pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 31: 69-82.

Abstract

The influence of time-unpredictable and uncontrollable draught (forced cold air) on the behaviour of pigs was observed in a climate-controlled pig house with two identical rooms each with five pens. Two days after farrowing, pigs were matched pairwise to correct for genetic, weight and sex differences, and weaned at an average age of 35 days. From then on, the pigs in the experimental room were submitted to draught in a time-unpredictable way. Days with time-unpredictable draught were followed by days without draught.

Behavioural studies started on Day 35 and ended on Day 75 of the experiment. The total activity of the pigs was higher during draught (P<0.005). Explorative behaviour was four times higher during draught periods than during non-draught periods. Redirected explorative behaviour on penmates, including earbiting, occurred more during draught periods (P<0.05). Agonistic behaviour increased strongly during draught periods (P<0.005); headknocks with biting as an excessive form of aggression occurred only during these periods.

Even in periods without draught, pigs in the experimental room had a sternum: recumbent lying ratio which was higher that that of pigs in the control room and lay in contact with penmates more than did pigs in the control room. Unpredictable and uncontrollable draught as a climatic stressor had enormous effects on the behaviour of pigs; redirected explorative behaviour on penmates and excessive aggression could be detrimental for health and the performance of pigs.

See also:

Scheepens CJ, Hessing MJ, Hensen EJ, Henricks PA., 1994. Effect of climatic stress on the immunological reactivity of weaned pigs. Vet Q. 16 :137-43.

Prenatal stress and enrichment affect piglet behaviour

Brain, Enrichment, Pigs, Welfare

Impact of prenatal stress and environmental enrichment prior to weaning on activity and social behaviour of piglets (Sus scrofa). By Sophie Brajon, Nadine Ringgenberg, Stephanie Torrey, Renée Bergeron, Nicolas Devillers, 2017. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 197: 15-23.

Highlights

• Prenatal stress (PNS) can have detrimental effects on piglets behaviour and welfare.

• Pre-weaning enrichment may compensate negative effects of PNS in piglets.

• PNS effects were delayed after weaning at d 27 as shown by an increased inactivity.

• Enrichment had positive effects but its removal at weaning affected behaviour.

• Pre-weaning enrichment did not compensate for the effects of PNS.

Abstract

Prenatal stress (PNS) can have detrimental effects on behaviour and welfare, such as decreased exploration. Whether housing enrichment before weaning compensate negative effect of PNS in commercial pigs is unknown. To address this question, 44 sows were assigned to either a mixing stress (T) or a control (C) treatment in mid-gestation. During lactation, half of the T and C sows were housed with their 12-piglets litter in straw enriched pens (E) while the others were housed in standard farrowing crates (S). At weaning, 6 piglets per litter were selected and moved to non-enriched standard pens. Lying down, exploration and social behaviour were recorded in the home-pen before weaning (d 6, d 12, d 20), on the day of weaning (d 21), and after weaning (d 22, d 27) using scan and one-zero samplings. Three piglets per litter were individually subjected to a social isolation test and a social confrontation test at d 17. Data were analysed by day using mixed models with PNS, housing enrichment and their interaction as fixed effects. We found no interaction between the treatments, suggesting the absence of a compensatory effect of enrichment on PNS. Pre-weaning enrichment promoted exploration (P< 0.004) and seemed to improve comfort, as piglets spent more time lying down (P< 0.02), but was associated with reduced locomotion and play fighting (P< 0.03) compared to no enrichment. After weaning, E piglets explored less (P< 0.01) and played less (locomotion and fighting play: P< 0.0003) than S piglets. They also performed more belly-nosing at d 27 (P =0.04). These results support the idea that the removal of enrichment at weaning negatively affects piglets. The E piglets exhibited higher emotional reactivity than S piglets (i.e. more high-pitched calls and escape attempts) during the social isolation test, but no clear effect was observed during the confrontation test. The effects of prenatal stress on behaviour were only apparent after weaning. On d 27, T piglets spent more time lying (P =0.02), and showed reduced exploration (P =0.004), locomotion play (P=0.03), fighting play (P=0.04) and mounting behaviour (P =0.002) than C piglets. In conclusion, both prenatal stress and pre-weaning enrichment affected piglet behaviour, but a compensatory effect of enrichment on the negative effects of prenatal stress could not be demonstrated.

Enrichment may be joyful and reduce stress in young pigs

Enrichment, Manipulation, Pigs, Straw, Tail biting

Pre-weaning environmental enrichment increases piglets’ object play behaviour on a large scale commercial pig farm. By Chung-Hsuan Yang, Heng-Lun Ko, Laura C. Salazar, Lourdes Llonch, Xavier Manteca, Irene Camerlink, Pol Llonch, 2018. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 202: 7-12 Environmental enrichment is a legal requirement for European pig farms. The suitability of enrichment materials for neonatal pigs is understudied and has not been tested in commercial settings. This study investigates the effect of hanging objects and substrate as two enrichment strategies pre-weaning, and compares the effect of these enrichment objects on play behaviour, aggression, growth and stress coping ability during lactation until 10 days after weaning. Farrowing crates were equipped with either six hanging objects (OB), a substrate box with wood bark (SUB), or nothing (control; CON). The behaviour of over 600 piglets (∼210 piglets/treatment) was recorded weekly by instantaneous scan sampling (10 s/piglet, repeated 6 times per day for 6 days). Aggression was monitored through skin lesions on focal piglets on 1 day before weaning and 1 and 2 days after weaning. Piglets were weighed individually every week. Stress coping ability was assessed through salivary cortisol from a sample of six piglets per litter on 1 day before (baseline), and on days 1 and 2 after weaning. Both enrichment groups showed more object play during lactation as compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The amount of object play increased linearly with age (P < 0.001). Enrichment did not affect social play or locomotor play during lactation. Enrichment did not influence the amount of skin lesions before weaning, but heavier piglets had more skin lesions (P < 0.01). The enrichment strategies had no influence on weight gain at any stage. The baseline of the salivary cortisol concentration was similar amongst the treatment groups; however, the cortisol concentration of the object group and control group was significantly higher at one day after weaning than at baseline (P < 0.001) whereas the substrate group showed no significant increase. In conclusion, providing either hanging objects or substrate alone could encourage neonatal piglets to express more object play behaviour. Compared to the hanging objects, providing substrate in the commercial neonatal environment demonstrated to decrease piglets’ stress at weaning, and therefore increase animal welfare.