Pig

Effects of environmental enrichment and loose housing of lactating sows on piglet behaviour before and after weaning

Weaning of piglets in commercial husbandry systems is earlier and more abrupt than would happen under natural conditions, resulting in low feed intakes and health and welfare problems in the immediate postweaning period. Piglets in commercial systems generally have limited...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Oostindjer, M., van den Brand, H., Kemp, B. et al. 2011. Effects of environmental enrichment and loose housing of lactating sows on piglet behaviour before and after weaning. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 134(1-2), 31-41 .

The use of enrichment to facilitate data collection in a pig study

Recently a researcher approached our large animal facility manager about housing 19, 2-mo-old piglets and assisting with data collection. Part of the protocol required that the piglets be fed an individually measured high-sugar/high-fat diet over a period of 16 wk....

Year Published: 2011Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Neubauer, T., Betts, T., Evans, C. 2011. The use of enrichment to facilitate data collection in a pig study. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 762-763 (Abstract #P80).

Swine enrichment

In this review, swine behavior and various methods of enrichment are discussed. The review is based on both published journal articles and anecdotal successful enrichment methods that were shared recently on CompMed Listserve.

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Miller, S. 2011. Swine enrichment. Enrichment Record 6, 10-13.

Comparison of pig behaviour when given a sequence of enrichment objects or a chain continuously

Tail biting is a major problem in modern pig (Sus scrofa) production and results in a reduction of animal welfare and productive performance. Biting behaviour has been shown to be decreased by the use of enrichment objects. In this study,...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Van de Perre, V., Driessen, B., Van Thielen, J. et al. 2011. Comparison of pig behaviour when given a sequence of enrichment objects or a chain continuously. Animal Welfare 20(4), 641-649.

Relationship between growth rate and oral manipulation, social nosing, and aggression in finishing pigs

Pigs may affect each other's health, welfare and productivity through their behaviour. The effect of a pig on the growth rate of its pen mates is partly heritable and is referred to as its social genetic effect. Social genetic effects,...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Natural Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Camerlink, I., Bijma, P., Kemp, B. et al. 2012. Relationship between growth rate and oral manipulation, social nosing, and aggression in finishing pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 142(1-2), 11-17.

Friends with benefits: Social support and its relevance for farm animal welfare

Despite growing interest in promoting positive welfare, rather than just alleviating poor welfare, potential measures of good welfare, and means to provide it, have remained elusive. In humans social support improves stress-coping abilities, health, and promotes positive psychological welfare. Therefore,...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Natural Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle, Chicken, Equine, Fowl, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Rault, J.-L. 2012. Friends with benefits: Social support and its relevance for farm animal welfare. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 136(1), 1-14.

Indicators of positive and negative emotions and emotional contagion in pigs

For the welfare of group-housed animals, such as pigs, the emotional state of an individual pig is relevant, but also the extent to which pen mates are affected by the distress or pleasure of other individuals, i.e. emotional contagion, a...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Reimert, I., Bolhuis, J. E., Kemp, B. 2012. Indicators of positive and negative emotions and emotional contagion in pigs. Physiology & Behavior 109, 42-50.

Effect of marginal environmental and social enrichment during rearing on pigs’ reactions to novelty, conspecifics and handling

The rearing environment of farmed animals can affect their behaviour when handled, and therefore needs to be taken into account when selecting for traits such as docility. Therefore, 126 German Landrace and Pietrain × German Landrace pigs were reared in...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Toenepoehl, B., Appel, A. K., Welp, S. et al. 2012. Effect of marginal environmental and social enrichment during rearing on pigs' reactions to novelty, conspecifics and handling. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 140(3-4), 137-145.

Effects of cognitive enrichment on behavioural and physiological reactions of pigs

Cognitive enrichment, a special form of environmental enrichment, addresses the cognitive abilities of animals in captivity. Through cognitive interaction with the environment, the animals regain a certain control over their environment, and essential resources, such as food or water, act...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Zebunke, M., Puppe, B., Langbein, J. 2013. Effects of cognitive enrichment on behavioural and physiological reactions of pigs. Physiology & Behavior 118, 70-79.

The effect of rubber mats on preference and lying behaviour of group housed sows

This study analyses the preferences, as well as the lying behaviour, of sows with various types of mat in a group housing system lying area. The sows in the trial could choose between six bays with three lying surfaces (concrete,...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Baumann, S., Pflanz, W., Gallmann, E. et al. 2013. The effect of rubber mats on preference and lying behaviour of group housed sows. Landtechnik 68(6), 385-388.