Pig

Role of illumination and light colour temperature in the preference behaviour of weaned piglets

This study investigated the preference behaviour of 24 four-week-old weaned piglets under different lighting conditions (0 lux with 0 Kelvin vs. 80 lux with 3000 Kelvin vs. 6500 Kelvin). Two trials with 12 piglets each were conducted over five weeks...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Götz, S., Reiter, K., Wensch-Dorendorf, M. et al. 2025. Role of illumination and light colour temperature in the preference behaviour of weaned piglets. Animals 15(21), 3116.

Intertwining of the IGF system and animal welfare

To date, husbandry categories are defined based on the human concept of animal needs, however, to objectively assess animal welfare in defined husbandry systems, animal-related indicators must be evaluated. Here, we studied the impact of differential housing conditions on factors...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Galow, A.-M., Ohde, D., Eggert, A. et al. 2026. Intertwining of the IGF system and animal welfare. Scientific Reports 16(1), 8259.

Biopierces: Drug-eluting ear tags for infection prevention in animal tagging

Ear tagging is a routine practice in livestock management, but it can be associated with bacterial colonization and infection at puncture sites. This study evaluated drug-eluting ear tags (Biopierce), incorporating chlorhexidine (CHX) in a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) matrix, due to...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Identification MethodAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Cartmell, C., Naseri, E., Kerr, R. G. et al. 2026. Biopierces: Drug-eluting ear tags for infection prevention in animal tagging. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12.

Care and welfare of animals in a high containment unit

The Pirbright Institute is a world-leading centre of excellence in the research and surveillance of viral diseases of livestock and viruses that spread from animals to humans. In this field some animal models cannot be replaced and due to the...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Carder, L. 2025. Care and welfare of animals in a high containment unit. Animal Technology and Welfare 24(3), 248–250.

Potential new biomarkers in pig saliva for differentiating between the effects of different conditions of mixing and density at pre-slaughter: A preliminary proteomicstudy

The intensification of pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) production systems raises concerns regarding animal welfare, particularly during pre-slaughter conditions, a phase associated with significant stress. Saliva is increasingly recognised as a non-invasive matrix for detecting stress-related biomarkers in pigs. This preliminary...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Euthanasia, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Botía, M., Muñoz-Prieto, A., Bustillo, A. O. et al. 2026. Potential new biomarkers in pig saliva for differentiating between the effects of different conditions of mixing and density at pre-slaughter: A preliminary proteomicstudy. Animal Welfare 35, e4.

Influence of group size on performance and tail biting in growing-finishing pigs with intact tails

This study investigated the effect of group size on tail damage and growth performance in growing-finishing pigs with intact tails. A total of 432 pigs were housed indoors on fully-slatted floors and assigned to either small (nine pigs per pen)...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Archer, C., Forster, S., Hilbrands, A. et al. 2026. Influence of group size on performance and tail biting in growing-finishing pigs with intact tails. Animal Welfare 35, e1.

A comparison of respiratory function in pigs anaesthetised by propofol or alfaxalone in combination with dexmedetomidine and ketamine

Background: General anaesthesia in pigs maintained with intravenous drugs such as propofol may cause respiratory depression. Alfaxalone gives less respiratory depression than propofol in some species. The aim of the investigation was to compare respiratory effects of propofol–ketamine–dexmedetomidine and alfaxalone–ketamine–dexmedetomidine...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Anesthesia & SedationAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Lervik, A., Toverud, S. F., Krontveit, R. et al. 2020. A comparison of respiratory function in pigs anaesthetised by propofol or alfaxalone in combination with dexmedetomidine and ketamine. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 62(1), 1-9.

A high enrichment replenishment rate reduces damaging behaviors and increases growth rate in undocked pigs kept in fully slatted pens

One of the difficulties in complying with the prohibition of routine tail docking is a lack of effective alternative solutions to prevent tail biting, especially in fully slatted systems. This study compared three slat-compatible enrichment replenishment strategies for pigs. Forty-eight...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Body Modification/Mutilation, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Chou, J.-Y., Sandercock, D. A., D'Eath, R. B. et al. 2020. A High Enrichment replenishment rate reduces damaging behaviors and increases growth rate in undocked pigs kept in fully slatted pens. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 584706.

The influence of early life socialisation on cognition in the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica)

Previously, the benefits of early-life socialisation on later-life social development have been reported in pigs. Here we investigated the effect of pre-weaning socialisation on the later-life cognitive ability of pigs using a range of techniques. Pre-weaning, 101 piglets had access...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Weller, J. E., Turner, S. P., Futro, A. et al. 2020. The influence of early life socialisation on cognition in the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica). Scientific Reports 10(1), 19077.

Which types of rooting material give weaner pigs most pleasure?

Provision of rooting material as enrichment for pigs has been primarily oriented towards reducing negative affect (suffering). Information is also needed on the impact of different types of rooting materials in promoting positive affect (pleasure). We hypothesised that repeated addition...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Ocepek, M., Newberry, R. C., Andersen, I. L. 2020. Which types of rooting material give weaner pigs most pleasure? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 231, 105070.