Behavior of Japanese Wild Boars, Sus Scrofa leucomystax, during the First Week after Parturition in Farrowing Pens

Abstract

In general pig management, suckling period is very important. Mortality with problems such as crushing and diarrhea is higher in the suckling period than in other stages. Wild boars also require much care in this stage. In the present research, observations were carried out on Japanese wild boars under captive conditions in order to clarify the mother-infant behavior during the first week after farrowing. Four females and their litters (4, 5, 6 and 7 boarlets respectively) were observed. Each family was housed in a farrowing pen and videotaped by time lapse recorder. The behavior and location of mother and her boarlets on 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days after farrowing were recorded by scan sampling method at 1 min intervals from 05:00 to 18:00. In mothers, the proportion of resting reduced from 55% on day 1 to 39% on day 7 (P<0.05). The ratio of nursing on day 1 was more than that of other days, while the ratio of exploration and walking on day 1 was less than that in other days. The time spent in care-giving was almost the same during this period. The time spent in feeding increased step by step (P<0.05). Boarlets became more active with age. Especially, the proportion of exploration, drinking and play behaviors increased significantly (P<0.05). The total time spent resting of boarlets decreased gradually, but it occupied more than 60% even on day 7. When boarlets were in the nursing box, their mothers rested with her nose into the entrance of the box.