Behaviour Of Pigs Research Articles

Inclusion of silage in diets to fattening pigs: effect on gastric ulcers and skin lesions

Limited access to high-quality feed protein for pigs has made it necessary to evaluate new protein sources that both promote sustainable pig production and meet the nutritional requirements of pigs. Providing pigs with roughage has positive effects on their behaviour and gut health. However, roughage is seldom given as a part of the pigs’ diet and often has a long straw length. Knowledge is lacking on the effect of feeding silage with smaller particle size and as a part of the pigs' diet on pig behaviour and welfare. This study evaluated the influence of feeding fattening pigs silage with different particle sizes on aggressive encounters, measured as the number of skin lesions, and on the occurrence of gastric lesions and ulcers. In total, 128 Swedish Yorkshire × Hampshire pigs were fed either a commercial control feed without silage (Pellet-C), or silage mixed with commercial feed, either in a pellet (Pellet-S) or in a total mixed ration (TMR) with chopped (TMR-Ch) or intensively treated silage (TMR-Ex). Skin lesions were assessed twice in the study according to the Welfare Quality® protocol. The first assessment was performed when the pigs were 105 days old and the second assessment at 132 days of age. Gastric lesions were examined in both the pars oesophagea and the pars glandularis region of the stomach. Stomachs were collected after slaughter, and gastric lesions were scored based on established scoring criteria. There was a treatment × assessment interaction on the number of skin lesions on the ear (P = 0.049). Apart from this interaction, no other effect of treatment on the number of skin lesions could be observed between the treatments or the assessment occasions. Treatment had a clear effect on the occurrence of gastric lesions and pigs fed the fresh silage (TMR-Ch and TMR-Ex) had a lower occurrence of gastric lesions and ulcers compared to the pelleted treatments (Pellet-C and Pellet-S) (P = 0.001). This study could not show any clear reduction effect of dietary silage inclusion on skin lesions. However, feeding silage in TMR significantly reduced the occurrence of stomach ulcers.

Interactions of environmental conditions, day-night cycles, and growing periods on postural behavior of pigs

Heat stress conditions can alter the physiology of animals, and these changes can be detrimental to their performance and health. The behavior of the animals is associated with their welfare and health. Understanding animals’ behavior in response to their environment is significant for better management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavioral response of pigs in terms of postural changes in different thermal conditions (thermoneutral and heat stress). A total of 26 growing pigs [(Largewhite x Landrace) x Duroc] were used for the evaluation. The effects of the thermal conditions, day-night cycles (daytime and nighttime), growing periods, and their interactions were determined using analysis of variance of a 2x2x3 Completely Randomized Design factorial. The results showed that 80% of the pigs were lying. It increased under heat stress condition and during the daytime. Lateral lying increased (p < 0.05) under heat stress condition, which was also affected by the day-night cycles and the growing period. High sternal lying (p < 0.05) was observed in the thermoneutral condition, and both groups had increasing (p < 0.05) sternal lying throughout growing periods. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in standing posture between groups. However, pigs in the thermoneutral condition had high standing at night and high standing during daytime in the heat stress condition. In conclusion, pigs behave differently based on their postural changes in different thermal conditions. Their behavior also differs between daytime and nighttime and throughout the growing period.

Adapted Original Music as an Environmental Enrichment in an Intensive Pig Production System Reduced Aggression in Weaned Pigs during Regrouping

In intensive swine production systems,, the practice of regrouping unfamiliar pigs is common, often leading to aggressive behavior. Although the effect of different musical genres composed for humans has been evaluated in pigs to mitigate aggression, there have been few attempts to create music specifically for pigs. Here, we assess whether sensory stimulation through music, created by adapting the acoustic parameters in the sound mix, induces changes in the aggressive behaviors of pigs during regrouping. Six litters of 10-week-old piglets were randomly selected and assigned to different treatments. The control group (Group A) received no intervention, while Group B was exposed to music for two continuous hours in the morning and afternoon from the time of regrouping. Group C received musical stimulation for one continuous hour in the morning following regrouping. A significant reduction in the frequency and duration of aggressive behaviors was observed in the groups that received musical stimulation during regrouping. Additionally, social, and individual play behaviors showed a decrease in the musical stimulation groups. These findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of created music as a strategy in reducing aggressive behavior during pig regrouping, which can enhance the welfare of pigs and offer a practical solution for pig producers to minimize aggression and its associated negative impacts.

Productive Behavior of Pigs Fed with Pelled Feed Plus the Addition of a Microbial Preparation

Abstract 
 This study aimed to assess the performance of pigs in terms of productivity when they were given pelleted feed along with microbial preparations at Paty Pig Farm in Yaruquies parish, Riobamba Canton, Chimborazo province. The duration of the study was 90 days and included 48 piglets of Yorkshire x Landrace crossbreed. These piglets were weaned at 21 days of age and weighed an average of 6.5 kg, with 24 males and 24 females. The study used three different levels (2%, 4%, and 6%) of microbial preparation in comparison to a control group. A completely randomized design (DCA) was used in combination with two factors: prebiotic addition (factor A) and animal gender (factor B). The productive behavior of pigs showed no significant differences in the parameters such as feed intake, total feed intake, and feed conversión, among the groups. However, the final weight and weight gain showed better results in the groups that received microbial preparation. The study suggested that microbial preparation levels of 2%, 4%, and 6% can be used as it improved the final weight and weight gain by 37.57 kg and 30.70 kg, respectively, compared to the control group. No mortality was reported due to the use of microbial preparation. The study recommends the use of microbial preparation in other stages of pig production to verify its benefits.
 Keywords: pig fattening, microbial preparation, pelletized feed, productive parameters.
 Resumen
 El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo evaluar el comportamiento productivo de los cerdos alimentados con alimento peletizado más la adición de preparado microbianos en la Granja Porcina Paty en la parroquia de Yaruquies del Cantón Riobamba, de la provincia de Chimborazo. El tiempo de duración de la investigación fue de 90 días, para el desarrollo se utilizaron 48 lechones que son un cruce de Yorkshire x Landrace estos fueron destetados de 21 días de edad y de un peso promedio de 6,5 kg, de los cuales 24 fueron machos y 24 hembras. Para el desarrollo de la presenta investigación se utilizaron tres niveles (2, 4 y 6 %) de adición de preparado microbiano, para ser comparados con un tratamiento control. Se aplicó un diseño completamente al azar (DCA), en arreglo combinatorio de dos factores; donde el factor A corresponde a la adición de probióticos y el factor B al sexo de los animales. El comportamiento productivo de los cerdos durante el crecimiento y engorde no reportó diferencias significativas en los parámetros consumo de balanceado, consumo total de alimento y conversión alimenticia; mientras que para las variables peso final y ganancia de peso se reporta resultados favorables para los tratamientos que se utilizó un preparado microbiano. Se concluyó que se puede utilizar los niveles de preparado microbianos (2, 4 y 6 %) debido a que mejoró el peso final 37,57 kg y ganancia de peso 30,70 kg, en comparación con el tratamiento testigo, además con su utilización no se reporta mortalidad alguna. Se recomienda utilizar el preparado microbiano en otras etapas de producción de cerdos para comprobar sus beneficios.
 Palabras Clave
 <ENGORDE DE CERDOS>, <PREPARADO MICROBIANOS>, <ALIMENTO PELETIZADO>, <PARÁMETROS PRODUCTIVOS>.

PSX-19 Does Housing Pigs with Access to a Ramp Alter Pig Behavior During the Nursery period?

Abstract Previous work by our group has found that housing pigs with a ramp in the pen during only the nursery period increased the speed of trailer ramp loading at marketing. However, the presence of the ramp may also alter pig behavior during the nursery period. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether ramp exposure affects pig behavior during the nursery period. We predicted that pigs exposed to a ramp would exhibit reduced aggressive behaviors, but similar eating, drinking, and postural behaviors during the nursery period compared with pigs not given access to a ramp. Two hundred four pigs (17 to 21 d of age) were placed in 8 pens (n = 24 to 27 pigs per pen) that were allocated to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) RAMP (n = 4 pens; standard commercial pen equipped with a ramp), or 2) CONTROL (n = 4 pens; standard commercial pen without a ramp). One day after placement (D1) and again 18 days later (D2), incidences of eating, drinking, aggressive, and postural (standing, lying) behaviors within each pen were collected for a period of 60 min at 0800, 1200, and 1600 h using a 5-min instantaneous scan sampling strategy. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure in SAS with treatment, experimental day (D1, D2), hour (0800, 1200, 1600 h), and all 2-way interactions as fixed effects. Pen was included as a random effect. No treatment differences (P > 0.55) were detected for the evaluated behaviors. Greater incidences of eating were observed on D2 than on D1 (P < 0.0001). There were fewer pigs drinking at 1600 h on D1 than all other time points (P < 0.04) except for 1200 h on D1 (P = 0.64). There were also fewer pigs drinking at 1200 h on D1 than at 1600 h on D2 (P = 0.047). A greater incidence of aggressive behavior was observed at 0800 h on D1 compared with all other time points (P < 0.01), with no other differences observed (P > 0.40). Standing behavior was greater at 0800 h on D1 compared with all other time points (P < 0.02) except for 1600 h on D2 (P = 0.42). There were also fewer incidences of standing at 1600 h on D1 than 0800 or 1200 h on D2 (P = 0.01 and 0.03, respectively). Finally, there were more lying incidences at 1600 h on D1 than all other time points (P < 0.02) except for 1200 h on D1 (P = 0.81). Taken together, eating, drinking, aggressive, and postural behaviors changed by experimental day and hour after weaning. However, pig behavior was not altered due to ramp exposure.

PSXIII-6 Effects of High Humidity Under High-Temperature Conditions on Growing Pigs

Abstract Global warming and climate change have become major concerns. These changes have led to more frequent and prolonged heat waves, resulting in economic losses for livestock industry. Pigs are particularly vulnerable to heat stress under high temperatures due to their thick skin layers and limited sweat glands. Panting is a common behavior in pigs to dissipate heat through evaporation, but this process is less effective in high humidity environments. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of high humidity under high temperature conditions on rectal temperature, growth performance, blood profiles, and immune responses of growing pigs. A total of 48 growing pigs [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc; initial body weight (BW): 23.21 ± 3.77 kg] were randomly assigned to two environmental treatments (2 pigs/pen; 12 replicates/treatment) in a randomized complete block design (block = initial BW): thermal neutral conditions (TN: 23.5℃, 35%) and heat stress conditions (HS: 32.5℃, 80%). Throughout two weeks of experiment, the pigs had ad libitum access to a basal grower diet based on corn and soybean meal. The rectal temperature of each pig was measured daily throughout the experimental period to monitor changes in body temperature. Blood samples were collected from 1 pig per pen at the beginning and end of the experiment. Measurements included growth performance [BW, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain to feed ratio], blood profiles [the number of white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet] measured by an automated hematology analyzer calibrated for porcine blood, and immune responses (cortisol, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, interleukin-1beta, and transforming growth factor-beta1) by the ELISA kits. Statistical analysis was performed using the general linear model procedure of the SAS program. Experimental unit was a pen. The statistical model included environmental treatment as a main effect and BW as a covariate for rectal temperature, growth performance, blood profiles, and immune responses. During the entire experimental period, the mean rectal temperature was 39.9℃ for TN and 40.5℃ for HS. Pigs under HS had decreased (P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI than those under TN. The WBC counts of pigs under HS were decreased (P < 0.05) than those under TN. In contrast, serum cortisol concentrations of pigs under HS were greater (P < 0.05) than those under TN. In conclusion, this study suggests that exposure to high humidity in combination with high temperatures has a negative impact on the growth performance and immune responses of growing pigs.

Fentanyl increases locomotion, stiff gait, and repetitive behaviours in pigs

Fentanyl increases locomotion, stiff gait, and repetitive behaviours in pigs

181 Effect of Mixing at Weaning and Dietary Nutrient Density on Growth Performance and Welfare of Pigs

Abstract Mixing pigs at weaning compromises animal welfare and may reduce growth performance (GP). Reducing nutrient density of the nursery diet is a strategy to avoid gastrointestinal problems in newly weaned pigs. However, the potential for compensatory growth in subsequent stages and the impact on welfare are still unknown. This study investigated the effect of mixing and reducing dietary nutrient density on GP, body lesions (BL), and behavior in pigs from weaning to slaughter. Forty-eight litters [554 pigs, 11-12 pigs/litter; Danish Duroc × (Large White × Landrace)] were included in the trial. At 28 days of age, pigs were housed in the nursery rooms as litter pens (INTACT, n = 24) or mixed with other litters by body weight to reduce variability within pen (MIXED, n = 24). A dietary regimen meeting the nutritional requirements (CON) of the pigs and a low-density regimen (LOW; -10% energy and protein) completed a 2x2 factorial arrangement (Mixing x Diet, n =12). On day 73, pigs moved to a growing-finishing room without further mixing and all pigs received the CON dietary regimen. At the beginning and at the end of each production phase, the number of BL and the frequency of aggressions and damaging behavior were determined. Data were analyzed using general linear mixed models. Mixing increased FCR by 4.0 % during the nursery period (P = 0.003; Table 1). Pigs fed LOW had decreased GP during the nursery period but better feed conversion ratio (FCR; P = 0.008) during the growing-finishing period, when all groups were fed the same diet. However, pigs fed LOW showed a lower slaughter weight (-2.6 kg; P = 0.025). Initial differences in the coefficient of variation (CV) between MIXED (10.4%) and INTACT (17.6%; P < 0.001) were reduced in CON pens (6.9 % to 0.5 %) but not in LOW pens (7.9 % to 4.5 %; interaction P = 0.025) at the end of the nursery period. Pigs in MIXED pens showed 358% more BL (P < 0.001), more aggressions (P = 0.005) and damaging behavior (P = 0.042) at weaning, and more aggressions (P = 0.003) after being moved to growing-finishing rooms. Animals fed LOW showed more aggressions at weaning (P < 0.001) and more damaging behavior at the end of the nursery period (P < 0.001). When their diet was changed to CON, they showed 14% more BL (P = 0.009) but less aggressions (P = 0.004). Mixing animals at weaning had little impact on GP, but lesions, aggressions and damaging behavior towards pen mates indicate a detrimental effect on welfare and strategies to avoid mixing should be studied. The provision of a low-density diet during the nursery period had negative effects on welfare and growth was not totally compensated during the growing-finishing period.

182 Influence of Group Size on Performance and Tail Damage Caused by Tail Biting in Undocked Growing-Finishing Pigs

Abstract Tail biting is both an economic and welfare problem of grower-finishing pigs. This destructive chewing behavior of tails of pen-mates causes challenges for farmers who raise pigs with intact tails, resulting in the need to find management solutions. Our objective was to determine if group size influences growth performance and tail damage caused by biting behavior of undocked growing-finishing pigs. Pigs (n = 432; initial BW = 22 ± 3.8 kg) with intact tails were allocated to small pens or large pens on totally slatted floors, with equal ratio of barrows to gilts in each pen and balanced for average initial BW across pens. Small pens (SM; n = 24) housed 9 pigs/pen and large pens (LG; n = 12) held 18 pigs/pen. Floor space allowance (0.76 m2/pig) and feeder-space allowance (4 feeder spaces/9 pigs) were consistent across group sizes. Pigs were weighed individually and feed intake was recorded on a pen basis every 4 weeks for 16 weeks until market weight (120 kg ± 3.8 kg), from which ADG, ADFI, and Gain:Feed were calculated. Number of pigs that were dead (mortality) and removed (morbidity) from the study due to tail biting, lameness, and other health issues were recorded throughout the study period. Tail damage was evaluated using a 0 to 4 scale scoring system: 0 = no evidence of tail biting; 1 = evidence of chewing without visible blood; 2 = evidence of tail bitten with visible blood and no signs of infection; 3 = open wounds or abscesses with signs of infection; 4 = partial or total loss of the tail. Tail damage was assessed once weekly during the study period, and the maximum tail score (MTS) that each pig received over the entire 16 weeks was recorded. Data were analyzed using SAS software, with a mixed procedure for performance variables and a frequency procedure with chi-square test for mortality, morbidity, and MTS. Group size did not affect growth performance (all P > 0.70; Table 1), mortality, or morbidity (Chi-square = 2.33, df = 2; P = 0.31). However, group size affected MTS (chi-square = 10.78, df = 4; P = 0.03). Pigs in SM experienced a marginally lower prevalence of tail biting compared with LG (16% vs. 9% of pigs receiving an MTS of 0); but greater severity with 13.0% of pigs in SM vs. 7.4% of pigs in LG receiving an MTS of 4. These results suggest group size did not influence growth performance, mortality, or morbidity; but affect severity of tail damage caused by tail biting. Compared with LG, SM had more pigs that lost their tails due to tail biting, which seriously compromised pig welfare.

316 Awardee Talk: Development and Assessment of Predictive Models for Improved Swine Farming

Abstract Prediction of outcomes is critical in swine breeding and management. This necessitates the development of predictive models that address challenges in swine farming. For predictive modeling, there have been significant advances in machine learning. Nevertheless, there are needs to adapt predictive models for specific swine farming problems including genomic prediction and behavior analysis. Furthermore, there is not yet a clear guideline on how to validate novel models in these fields. The overarching goal of this work was to validate a collection of predictive models for improved swine farming with applications to precision management, phenotyping, and breeding. The first study addressed the pig genomic prediction problem. Differential evolution algorithm was utilized to optimize hyperparameters of deep learning (DL) models, which affected the predictive performance of DL. Performance of optimized DL was compared with “best practice” DL architectures selected from literature and baseline DL models with randomly specified hyperparameters. Optimized models showed clear improvement. Despite the success of genomic prediction, phenotyping has become a bottleneck in breeding programs as it is still time-consuming and labor-intensive. The second study aimed at collecting a video dataset to study agonistic behavior of pigs and adapting a state-of-the-art DL pipeline to classify agonistic behaviors of pigs through video analysis. The pipeline was validated through various training-validation data partitions, where the training data were used for model development and the validation data were used for model evaluation. Results showed that splitting the training and validation sets at random led to over-optimistic estimates of model performance. Social behavior continues to be an important topic in animal behavior studies. However, less attention was paid to the modeling of animal social behavior. The last study focused on developing and validating a statistical model for the analysis of social interactions of pigs. Generalized linear mixed models were fitted, and a Bayesian framework was used for parameter estimation and posterior predictive model checking. The predictive performance of the models varied depending on the validation strategy, where three strategies were defined: random cross-validation, block-by-social-group cross-validation, and block-by-focal-animals validation. Collectively, the research items presented how state-of-the-art predictive models can be adapted for and validated in swine farming applications. The findings are also informative to livestock farming in general, as genomic prediction and animal social behavior (of group-housed animals) are popular topics in livestock species.

Shaped by you: The effect of social partner on cortisol and behavior during adolescence in a female rodent

AbstractAdolescence is a sensitive phase when cues from the social environment can shape consistent individual differences in behavioral and hormonal profiles, but the effect of the social partner on these phenotypes is not well‐understood, especially for females. We therefore aimed to investigate whether the age class and sex of the housing partner affect social behavior and cortisol concentrations in female guinea pigs during adolescence and estimate the repeatability of cortisol concentrations in this life stage. Female guinea pigs were housed upon weaning for 4 weeks with either an adult female, adolescent female, or adolescent male. Social behavior was observed in the home enclosure and a preference test and social interaction test were carried out at the end of the experiment. Cortisol concentrations (baseline and response to a challenge) were measured prior to the start of the experiment and 2 and 4 weeks after pair formation. We hypothesized that the social partner would affect behavior and cortisol concentrations. We found that females housed with an adult female were less aggressive and more consistently displaced by their housing partner than females housed with an adolescent female. Sex of the housing partner did not affect focal female behavior. Regarding hormones, baseline cortisol concentration was neither significantly repeatable nor significantly affected by the housing partner. However, cortisol responsiveness was highly repeatable both 1 h and 2 h after the onset of a challenge. The age class of the housing partner affected cortisol responsiveness, with higher cortisol concentrations measured at 1 h in females housed with an adult female. These results indicate that adolescent female guinea pigs exhibit consistent individual differences in cortisol responsiveness while retaining plasticity to adjust to cues from the social environment. Taken together, we show in a female rodent that the social environment can significantly shape behavioral and endocrine parameters during adolescence.

Detection of Pig Movement and Aggression Using Deep Learning Approaches.

Motion and aggressive behaviors in pigs provide important information for the study of social hierarchies in pigs and can be used as a selection indicator for pig health and aggression parameters. However, relying only on visual observation or surveillance video to record the number of aggressive acts is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and lasts for only a short period of time. Manual observation is too short compared to the growth cycle of pigs, and complete recording is impractical in large farms. In addition, due to the complex process of assessing the intensity of pig aggression, manual recording is highly influenced by human subjective vision. In order to efficiently record pig motion and aggressive behaviors as parameters for breeding selection and behavioral studies, the videos and pictures were collected from typical commercial farms, with each unit including 8~20 pigs in 7~25 m2 space; they were bred in stable social groups and a video was set up to record the whole day's activities. We proposed a deep learning-based recognition method for detecting and recognizing the movement and aggressive behaviors of pigs by recording and annotating head-to-head tapping, head-to-body tapping, neck biting, body biting, and ear biting during fighting. The method uses an improved EMA-YOLOv8 model and a target tracking algorithm to assign a unique digital identity code to each pig, while efficiently recognizing and recording pig motion and aggressive behaviors and tracking them, thus providing statistics on the speed and duration of pig motion. On the test dataset, the average precision of the model was 96.4%, indicating that the model has high accuracy in detecting a pig's identity and its fighting behaviors. The model detection results were highly correlated with the manual recording results (R2 of 0.9804 and 0.9856, respectively), indicating that the method has high accuracy and effectiveness. In summary, the method realized the detection and identification of motion duration and aggressive behavior of pigs under natural conditions, and provided reliable data and technical support for the study of the social hierarchy of pigs and the selection of pig health and aggression phenotypes.

Circadian rhythms and diurnal patterns in the feed intake behaviour of growing-finishing pigs

The feeding behaviour of growing-finishing pigs is an important indicator of performance, health and welfare, but this use is limited by its large, poorly-understood variation. We explored the variation in basal feed intake of individual pigs by detecting circadian rhythms, extracting features of diurnal patterns and assessing consistency over time, from day-to-day and across age. Hourly feed intake data of individual pigs (n = 110) was obtained during one growing-finishing phase, using electronic feeding stations. We applied wavelet analysis to assess rhythms and a hurdle generalised additive model to extract features of diurnal patterns. We found that circadian rhythms could be detected during 58 ± 3% (mean ± standard error) of days in the growing-finishing phase (range 0–100%), predominantly at older ages. Although the group diurnal intake pattern was alternans (small morning peak, larger afternoon peak), individual pigs showed a range of diurnal patterns that changed with age, differing mostly in the extent of night fasting and day-to-day consistency. Our results suggest that the type, day-to-day consistency and age development of diurnal patterns in feed intake show general group patterns but also differ between pigs. Using this knowledge, promising features may be selected to compare against production, health and welfare parameters.

Standardized ileal digestible tryptophan and lysine affects the eating and sleeping behavior of 15-30 kg barrows.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of standardized ileal digestible (SID) tryptophan (Trp) and lysine (Lys) levels on eating and sleeping behavior and the respective feed intake of barrows. Sixty-four pigs, averaging 15.00 ± 1.63 kg of initial body weight, were used and distributed in a randomized blocks design, in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme, consisting of four levels of SID Trp (0.155, 0.185, 0.215, 0.245%) and four levels of SID Lys (0.972, 1.112, 1.252, and 1.392%). Behavior evaluation was performed by an instantaneous sampling using 10-min intervals during 24 h, at each 7 days (days 7, 14, and 21), and each day was divided into four times of 6 h each one (08:30-14:20, 14:30-20:20, 20:30-02:20, and 02:30-08:20 h), during all the experimental period, yielding a total of 3 × 24 h behavior recordings (72 h) × 6 10-min intervals, totalizing 432 observations per animal. Data were analyzed by classifying behavior into eating or sleeping. All these behaviors were measured in order to obtain the estimated frequency of the eating and sleeping behaviors. Changes were observed (P<0.05) for all the behavioral parameters during the starting phase. SID Trp and SID Lys showed an interactive positive effect on the estimated frequency of eating behavior, and mainly SID Trp increased the estimated frequency of the sleeping behavior of starting pigs in the nocturnal time. Pig diets with increasing levels of SID Trp and SID Lys until 0.245 and 1.392%, respectively, increased the average daily feed intake, and the interaction of the amino acids increased the estimated frequency of eating behavior during all the starting phase, and mainly the increasing levels of SID Trp increased the estimated frequency of sleeping behavior of pigs from the middle to the end of the starting phase, from 2:30 to 8:20 h.

Comportamiento de los índices productivos en cuyes utilizando avena de corte e hidropónica

In the study, the use of hydroponic green oats (Arrenatherium elatius) was evaluated in the productive behavior of guinea pigs for the analysis it was handled with a completely randomized design (DBCA), it was also verified with an analysis of variance (ADEVA) and significant Turkey tests at 5%. The treatments used were: T1: (100:0) =100% cut oats and 0% hydroponic, T2: (75:25) =75% cut oats and 25% hydroponic, T3: (50:50) =50% oats cut oats and 50% hydroponic, T4: (25:75) =25% cut oats and 75% hydroponic, T5: (0:100) =0% cut oats and 100% hydroponic. The study variables used in the investigation, such as feed consumption, final weight and weight gain, feed conversion, mortality, and carcass yield, T1 and T2 showed significant differences with means of 332.41g and 329.69, placing them in the range A of food consumption. The best feed conversion was treatment T3, showing an average of 0.86 ICA, followed by T3 with a mean of 662.g in weight gain, placing it in range A, unlike T4 and T1 with 588.05 and 575.15, respectively, they had a AB range. Regarding mortality and carcass yield, there were no significant differences. Finally, the T5 reached a profitability of 45.29% and the benefit/cost ratio of 1.82; concluding that using the FVH improves the performance of the productive parameters and decreases the total costs. Keywords: Feed conversion, Carcass yield, Costs, Mortality, Weight gains

Comprehensive Genome and Transcriptome Analysis Identifies SLCO3A1 Associated with Aggressive Behavior in Pigs.

Copy number variation (CNV) represents a significant reservoir of genetic diversity within the genome and exhibits a strong association with economically valuable traits in livestock. The manifestation of aggressive behavior in pigs has detrimental effects on production efficiency, immune competency, and meat quality. Nevertheless, the impact of CNV on the aggressive behavior of pigs remains elusive. In this investigation, we employed an integrated analysis of genome and transcriptome data to investigate the interplay between CNV, gene expression changes, and indicators of aggressive behavior in weaned pigs. Specifically, a subset of pigs comprising the most aggressive pigs (MAP, n = 12) and the least aggressive pigs (LAP, n = 11) was purposefully selected from a herd of 500 weaned pigs following a mixing procedure based on their composite aggressive score (CAS). Subsequently, we thoroughly analyzed copy number variation regions (CNVRs) across the entire genome using next-generation sequencing techniques, ultimately revealing the presence of 6869 CNVRs. Using genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis and evaluating variance-stabilizing transformation (VST) values, we successfully identified distinct CNVRs that distinguished the MAP and LAP counterparts. Among the prioritized CNVRs, CNVR-4962 (designated as the top-ranked p-value and VST value, No. 1) was located within the Solute Carrier Organic Anion Transporter Family Member 3A1 (SLCO3A1) gene. The results of our analyses indicated a significantly higher (p < 0.05) copy number of SLCO3A1 in the MAP compared to the LAP. Furthermore, this increased copy number exhibited a positive correlation with the CAS of the pigs (p < 0.05). Furthermore, we integrated genomic data with transcriptomic data from the temporal lobe to facilitate the examination of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL). Importantly, these observations were consistent with the mRNA expression pattern of SLCO3A1 in the temporal lobe of both MAP and LAP (p < 0.05). Consequently, our findings strongly suggest that CNVs affecting SLCO3A1 may influence gene expression through a dosage effect. These results highlight the potential of SLCO3A1 as a candidate gene associated with aggressive traits in pig breeding programs.

Effect of mixing at weaning and nutrient density of the weaner diet on growth performance and welfare of pigs to slaughter

BackgroundMixing pigs at weaning can compromise pig welfare and growth. Therefore, grouping littermates together may allow a diet nutrient and energy density reduction during the nursery period to reduce feed cost without affecting slaughter weight. This study investigated the combined effect of mixing and reducing dietary energy and nutrient density on growth performance, body lesions (BL), and behaviour in pigs from weaning to slaughter.ResultsForty-eight litters [554 pigs, 11–12 pigs/litter; Danish Duroc × (Large White × Landrace)] were included in the trial. At 28 days of age, pigs were weaned and housed in nursery rooms in litter groups (INTACT, n = 24) or mixed with other litters and grouped by weight to reduce within-pen pig weight variation (MIXED, n = 24). A dietary regimen meeting pigs’ nutritional requirements (CON) and a low-density dietary regimen (LOW; -10% energy and protein) completed a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (Mixing x Diet, n = 12). On day 74 of age, pigs moved to the grower-finisher accommodation without further mixing and all pigs received the CON dietary regimen. Mixing increased FCR by 4.0% during the nursery period (p = 0.003). Nursery pigs fed LOW experienced a growth retardation which was maintained until slaughter (-2.6 kg slaughter weight; p = 0.025). Initial differences in the coefficient of variation (CV) between MIXED (10.4%) and INTACT (17.6%; p < 0.001) pigs were reduced in CON pens but not in LOW pens (interaction p = 0.025) at the end of the nursery period. MIXED pigs had more fights and BL (p < 0.001) at weaning and showed more aggression (p = 0.003) after being moved to the grower-finisher rooms. At the end of the nursery period, MIXED pigs fed LOW showed the highest number of aggressive behaviours around the feeder (interaction; p = 0.003) and pigs fed LOW showed more damaging behaviour (p < 0.001).ConclusionsMixing animals at weaning had limited impact on growth performance but impaired welfare which was aggravated by energy and nutrient reduction in the nursery diet. Decreasing dietary nutrient density in the nursery stage retarded growth, which could not be compensated for during the growing-finishing period.

Describing Behavior Sequences of Fattening Pigs Using Process Mining on Video Data and Automated Pig Behavior Recognition

This study aimed to demonstrate the application of process mining on video data of pigs, facilitating the analysis of behavioral patterns. Video data were collected over a period of 5 days from a pig pen in a mechanically ventilated barn and used for analysis. The approach in this study relies on a series of individual steps to allow process mining on this data set. These steps include object detection and tracking, spatiotemporal activity recognition in video data, and process model analysis. Each step gives insights into pig behavior at different time points and locations within the pen, offering increasing levels of detail to describe typical pig behavior up to process models reflecting different behavior sequences for clustered datasets. Our data-driven approach proves suitable for the comprehensive analysis of behavioral sequences in conventional pig farming.

Review of the influence of farrowing and lactation housing and positive human contact on sow and piglet welfare

Farrowing crates continue to be the most common system of housing farrowing and lactating sows, however continuous confinement is one of the most contentious welfare issues in livestock production. This review aims to critically evaluate the scientific literature on the implications of two important determinants of sow and piglet welfare: housing and human contact. While the evidence in sows is contradictory, there is consistent evidence of a greater short-term cortisol response in gilts introduced to farrowing crates than pens and there is limited evidence of changes in the HPA axis consistent with sustained stress in gilts during the fourth week of lactation. Confinement of sows during lactation increases stereotypic behaviour, reduces sow-piglet interactions, nursing duration and lying behaviour, and may contribute to leg and shoulder injuries in sows. Piglets reared by sows in pens display more play and less oral manipulative behaviours and generally have better growth rates than those reared in farrowing crates. However, there is increasing interest in developing alternate housing systems with minimal sow confinement and reduced piglet mortality risk. Recent research on temporary crating of sows suggests that confinement briefly around farrowing may be the best compromise between continuous housing in farrowing crates and pens, as it may reduce live-born piglet mortality, while providing the opportunity for the sow to move more freely prior to parturition. Together with housing, the behaviour of stockpeople is a key determinant of pig welfare. Recent evidence shows that positive handling of piglets during lactation reduces fear behaviour and physiological stress responses of pigs to humans, novelty and routine husbandry practices, and thus may be enriching for piglets. As a source of enrichment, positive human interactions provide several advantages: close interactions with piglets usually occur several times daily, positive interactions can be combined with routine checks, human interactions invariably provide variability in their predictability which will minimise habituation, and positive interactions may not require additional physical resources. There is a clear need for comprehensive research examining both the short- and long-term welfare implications and the practicality of less confinement of the sow, and positive handling of both sows and piglets during lactation.

Pig olfaction: the potential impact and use of odors in commercial pig husbandry

Pigs are widely acknowledged for their olfactory abilities. Research on pigs’ olfactory capacities has focused mainly on aspects of olfaction that directly impact production, such as palatability of feed and pheromones to stimulate reproduction. Several basic research questions remain unanswered, such as which odors do pigs like/dislike, and how may odors enrich their lives? This review aims to explore the currently available literature on pig olfaction to elucidate the current knowns and unknowns within the following topics: chemicals in a pig’s environment, the olfactory organs of pigs, olfactory detection and acuity, behavioral reactions to odors, aversive odors, reaction to novel odors, attractive odors, and odors as a management tool in commercial pig production. The review focuses on complex odors of non-social origin (e.g., ammonia), and when information on this topic is lacking we include information from research on other mammalian species. We found that the olfactory organs of pigs are already functional at birth and that piglets can recognize the smell of the sow within 12h postpartum. Compared with humans and several other mammalian species, the pig’s olfactory system is highly developed, and the use of their sense of smell is incorporated into their natural behavior. While sniffing is a well-known behavior in pigs’ exploratory behavioral repertoire, this review points to a lack of knowledge on pigs’ behavioral reactions specifically when exposed to odors. Some odors appear attractive to pigs, whereas others appear repellent. Depending on the properties of the odor, providing pigs access to odors may be a way to stimulate their sense of smell, and could possibly be used in commercial pig production to enrich their lives. The review lastly highlights potential risks for animal welfare caused from lacking knowledge about how pigs perceive odors in their environment, and proposes future research questions and ways to utilize pigs’ sense of smell in the daily management of these animals. Further research on the olfactory abilities of pigs could help to ensure a more sustainable pig production.