Pig

Effects of early and current environmental enrichment on behavior and growth in pigs

Enriched environments are known to beneficially affect the behavior of pigs, as compared with barren pens. The influence of enrichment may, however, depend on pigs' early life housing experiences. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Luo, L., Reimert, I., Middelkoop, A. et al. 2020. Effects of early and current environmental enrichment on behavior and growth in pigs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 268.

Early and later life environmental enrichment affect specific antibody responses and blood leukocyte subpopulations in pigs

This study addressed the impact of early and later life environmental enrichment, and their combination, on specific antibody responses and peripheral blood leukocyte subpopulations in pigs. Pigs were kept in either barren (B1) or enriched (E1) housing from birth, and...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Luo, L., Jansen, C. A., Bolhuis, J. E. et al. 2020. Early and later life environmental enrichment affect specific antibody responses and blood leukocyte subpopulations in pigs. Physiology & Behavior 217, 112799.

Enrichment use in finishing pigs and its relationship with damaging behaviours: Comparing three wood species and a rubber floor toy

Environmental enrichment in pig housing is a legal requirement under current EU legislation, but some recommended loose materials may cause obstructions in fully-slatted systems. Wood is an organic material that could be compatible with slatted systems. This study investigated enrichment...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Chou, J.-Y., D’Eath, R. B., Sandercock, D. A. et al. 2020. Enrichment use in finishing pigs and its relationship with damaging behaviours: Comparing three wood species and a rubber floor toy. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 224, 104944.

Frothy saliva—A novel indicator to assess stereotypies in sows?

The present study aimed at introducing a reliable and more feasible indicator to evaluate stereotypies in sows in comparison with the Welfare Quality® animal welfare assessment protocol for sows and piglets’. Therefore, the indicators for the assessment of stereotypies of...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Friedrich, L., Krieter, J., Kemper, N. et al. 2020. Frothy saliva—A novel indicator to assess stereotypies in sows? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 222, 104897.

Gastrostomy tube placement via a laparotomic procedure in growing conventional piglets to perform multidose preclinical paediatric drug studies

The use of juvenile conventional pigs as a preclinical animal model to perform pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD) and safety studies for the paediatric population is increasing. Repetitive oral administration of drugs to juvenile pigs is however challenging. A representative method...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Millecam, J., van Bergen, T., Devreese, M. 2020. Gastrostomy tube placement via a laparotomic procedure in growing conventional piglets to perform multidose preclinical paediatric drug studies. Laboratory Animals 54(3), 261-271.

Human proximity seeking in family pigs and dogs

Family dogs (Canis familiaris) seek human contact from an early age, can discriminate and prefer their caregivers over other humans. To investigate if being kept as a family animal is sufficient to induce similar early human proximity-seeking in another domestic...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Dog, Pig

Citation: Pérez Fraga, P., Gerencsér, L., Andics, A. 2020. Human proximity seeking in family pigs and dogs. Scientific Reports 10(1), 20883.

Interobserver reliability of measures of the Welfare Quality® animal welfare assessment protocol for sows and piglets

The aim of this study was to assess the interobserver reliability of the measures forming the Welfare Quality® animal welfare assessment protocol for sows and piglets. The study was carried out at nine farms in Northern Germany. Two trained observers...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Friedrich, L., Krieter, J., Kemper, N. et al. 2020. Interobserver reliability of measures of the Welfare Quality® animal welfare assessment protocol for sows and piglets. Animal Welfare 29(3), 323-337.

It’s Okay to Cry – Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum [LAREF], Volume V

This is the 5th volume of selected discussions that took place on the electronic Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum between February 2016 and December 2019. The forum was created in October 2002; it allows the international animal care community...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Animal Training, Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Drug/Substance Administration, Environmental Enrichment, External Bodily Equipment, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Cat, Chinchilla, Dog, Ferret, Guinea Pig, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Reinhardt, V. (ed.) 2020. It’s Okay to Cry - Discussions by the Laboratory Animal Refinement & Enrichment Forum [LAREF], Volume V. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Putting our best foot forward: Care and conditioning for swine hooves

Maintaining the hooves of swine in research is vital to their health and welfare. Ideal flooring provides stable footing and a surface for wearing down the hooves. Otherwise, injuries can occur, or repeated anesthesia may be needed for regular hoof...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Lane, S. E., Sellers, A. S., Shepard, N. D. et al. 2020. Putting our best foot forward: Care and conditioning for swine hooves. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 8(1) (January/February), 40-42.

Maize silage as enrichment material improves the welfare of growing-finishing pigs in environmentally-friendly pens

Provision of enrichment in welfare- and environmentally-friendly pig pens is important for sustainable pig production. The primary aim of the present experiment was to investigate the effects of maize silage as a singular enrichment compared to a combination of maize...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Ocepek, M., Goold, C. M., Busančić, M. et al. 2020. Maize silage as enrichment material improves the welfare of growing-finishing pigs in environmentally-friendly pens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 230, 105043.