Pig

Let’s stay together: Implications of social housing for laboratory pig welfare and management

Appropriately accommodating the pig's normal social behavior is an essential step in protecting its well-being in managed environments. Doing so is particularly important in laboratory settings in which distress due to social isolation and other factors can introduce unnecessary variability...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Human-Animal Interaction, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Croney, C. 2014. Let's stay together: Implications of social housing for laboratory pig welfare and management. Enrichment Record 19, 14-19.

Current understanding and use of environmental enrichment in China

In practice, consideration is given to providing most of the species used in research,testing and education withsome level of environmental enrichment. However, although the current level of awareness and understanding about the benefits of environmental enrichment appears similar across different...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General, Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Dog, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Qi, K., De-mi, S., Chuan, Q. 2014. Current understanding and use of environmental enrichment in China. Enrichment Record 20, 8-11.

Evaluation of analgesic efficacy in piglets using a novel pig grimace scale

There is a critical lack of information surrounding methods to improve the wellbeing of piglets undergoing painful procedures. It is not uncommon for piglets to undergo potentially painful procedures without anesthesia or analgesia, particularly for agricultural research projects. The objectives...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Body Modification/Mutilation, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Turner, P. V., Viscardi, A., Lawli, P. et al. 2014. Evaluation of analgesic efficacy in piglets using a novel pig grimace scale. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 530 (Abstract #PS12).

Nest building and posture changes and activity budgets of gilts housed in pens and crates

The aim of the present work was to study nest building, posture changes and the overall activity budget of gilts in pens vs. crates. Twenty-three HB gilts (high piglet survival day 5) and 21 LB gilts (low piglet survival day...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Andersen, I. L., Vasdal, G., Pedersen, L. J. 2014. Nest building and posture changes and activity budgets of gilts housed in pens and crates. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 159, 29-33.

How much is enough? The amount of straw necessary to satisfy pigs’ need to perform exploratory behaviour

Since 10 years, EU-legislation states that "pigs must have permanent access to sufficient quantity of material to enable proper investigation and manipulation activities." While much research has focused on which materials enable proper investigation and manipulation activities, little has been...

Year Published: 2014Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Pedersen, L. J., Herskin, M.S., Forkman, B. et al. 2014. How much is enough? The amount of straw necessary to satisfy pigs' need to perform exploratory behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 160, 46-55.

Effects of group housing on sow welfare: a review

Factors that have been shown to impact the welfare of group-housed sows are discussed in this review. Floor space allowance markedly affects sow welfare. In addition to quantity of floor space, the quality of space is important: spatial separation between...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Verdon, M., Hansen, C. F., Rault, J. L. et al. 2015. Effects of group housing on sow welfare: a review. Journal of Animal Science 93(5), 1999-2017.

Persistency of a piglet’s reactivity to the handler following a previous positive or negative experience

A central question in the stockman-animal relationship is how animals perceive humans depending on previous interactions with them. This study aimed at measuring the influence of a previous experience with humans on subsequent reactivity to humans of weaned piglets. Treatments...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Brajon, S., Laforest, J. P., Bergeron, R. et al. 2015 Persistency of a piglet's reactivity to the handler following a previous positive or negative experience. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 162, 9-19.

The influence of neonatal environment on piglet play behaviour and post-weaning social and cognitive development

Research has shown that the domestic pig is highly playful throughout its development and that play is an important aspect of social and cognitive development. Therefore, the neonatal environment is fundamental to successful stimulation of play in neonatal pigs, which...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Martin, J. E., Ison, S. H., Baxter, E. M. 2015. The influence of neonatal environment on piglet play behaviour and post-weaning social and cognitive development. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 163, 69-79.

Early human handling in non-weaned piglets: Effects on behaviour and body weight

Early handling of animals including tactile stimulation (TS) has been shown to have beneficial effects on the physical and psychological development of species where considerable maternal interaction, e.g. in the form of licking, already occurs. But little is known about...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: de Oliveira, D., da Costa, J. R. P., Zupan, M. et al. 2015. Early human handling in non-weaned piglets: Effects on behaviour and body weight. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 164, 56-63.

Effects of stocking density and environmental enrichment on behavior and fecal corticosteroid levels of pigs under commercial farm conditions

In intensive pig farming of Western and Southern Europe, welfare concerns are still often related to barren environments and crowded conditions. Pig producers need to balance the requirements to improve welfare conditions at farm with practical considerations. The aim of...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Cornale, P., Macchi, E., Miretti, S. et al. 2015. Effects of stocking density and environmental enrichment on behavior and fecal corticosteroid levels of pigs under commercial farm conditions. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 10(6), 569-576.