Three trials were carried out in a completely randomized design aiming to assess the behavior of pigs in growth phase in enriched environments. Trial 1 evaluated the effects of frequency of availability of environmental enrichment. The animals were assigned to four treatments: 1) control with no enrichment object; 2) objects provided for six consecutive days uninterruptedly; 3) objects provided on alternate days, and 4) objects provided for six consecutive days taken away by the end of the afternoon and replaced at dawn. Trial 2 assessed the effects of scent on animals’ acceptance and maintenance of interest in objects. Animals were assigned to four treatments: 1) unscented object; 2) object with banana scent; 3) object with rum scent; 4) object with scents alternated every other day. Trial 3 aimed to assess the influence of environmental enrichment based on providing rewards at different difficulty levels. Animals were assigned to three treatments: 1) object with no reward; 2) object with a reward at an easy level; 3) object with a reward at a difficult level. Each trial had six days of behavioral observations every ten minutes for eight hours each day using images from video cameras. Enrichment objects stimulated the animals’ natural behavior of nuzzling and exploring the environment. The way the objects were available did not impact the success of their use. Offering enrichment on alternate days or removing the objects by the end of the day was not an effective strategy to extend the animals’ interest. The olfactory stimulus in environmental enrichment objects had no positive effect on extending the animals’ interest on them, nor did alternating the aromas. The tactile stimulus was a key factor for object attractiveness. Providing environmental enrichment objects with rewards stimulated the exploratory behavior of pigs. The level of difficulty to obtain the reward may discourage the animals.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and influence of urinary tract infection on the reproductive performance of sows. The animals underwent urine tests using reagent strips and diagnosed as positive or negative. They were then divided into two groups of 30 positive and 30 negative sows for urinary tract infection. Each sow was considered an experimental unit and was followed from labor to weaning. The animals were assessed for their reproductive performance (labor duration, number of live births, mummified piglets, and stillbirths, and postpartum diseases). After weaning, the weaning-estrus interval and rate of return to estrus were assessed. A thermographic camera was used to identify hyperthermia of the mammary system and its relation with the onset of urinary tract infections. The prevalence of urinary tract infection in prepartum sows was 41.1%. Urinary tract infection does not impact labor duration, number of live births, mummified piglets, and stillbirths, number of sows culled, weaning-estrus interval, or return to estrus after insemination. However, it was considered a predisposing factor for the occurrence of postpartum vaginal discharge. There is no correlation between the occurrence of urinary tract infection and mammary system temperature in sows.

RESUMOÉ cada vez maior a preocupação da comunidade científica e do mercado consumidor em relação aos métodos que os animais são produzidos. As novas exigências do mercado externo, em relação à qualidade ética dos produtos disponibilizados para o consumo, requerem novas técnicas direcionadas ao bem-estar animal. Na suinocultura industrial, os animais, geralmente, vivem confinados em todas as fases da vida. Portanto, estudos vêm sendo realizados para minimizar os efeitos do estresse gerados pelos monótonos ambientes de confinamento. O uso de objetos de enriquecimento ambiental pode ser uma alternativa viável de adaptação ao sistema de produção de suínos presente no Brasil. Contudo, sua eficácia ainda é limitada devido à rápida habituação dos suínos aos objetos disponibilizados. O objetivo deste artigo é revisar alternativas de enriquecimento ambiental usadas na suinocultura.Palavras-chave: bem-estar animal; brinquedos; suinocultura. ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT AND BEHAVIOUR OF PIGS: REVIEW ABSTRACTThere is a great concern in the scientific community and the consumer market over the methods that animals are produced. The new demands of the external market, in relation to the ethical quality of the products available to the consumer, require new techniques directed to animal welfare. In industrial pig farming, animals usually live confined in all stages of life. Therefore, studies are being conducted to minimize the effects of stress generated by the confinement environmental. The use of objects for environmental enrichment may be a viable alternative for adaptation of Brazilian swine production. However, its efficacy is still limited due to rapid habituation of pigs to objects provided. The aim of this paper is to review alternatives for environmental enrichment used in pig farming.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of environmental enrichment on the behavior of pigs in nursery and growth phases. (i) Ninety animals (females, 65 days, 25 kg) were divided into three treatments (T1- Pen enriched with objects made of destructible material by the animal, T2- Pen enriched with objects made of non-destructible material by the animal, T3- Pen without environmental enrichment objects - control treatment) - in a completely randomized design and reference of the animals by objects of enrichment of different colors (red, blue or yellow). (ii) males, 25 days old, 7 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments (cloves, garlic, alternating aromas and absence of control smells) and six replicates each. (iii) determine the appropriate ratio between the number of enrichment objects and the animals present in the animals (n = 138; females; 65 days; 25 kg) were distributed in three treatments, in a completely randomized experimental design (proportion of one enrichment object for each 1511 animals or 9 animals, respectively). Environmental enrichment objects made from destructible materials are more attractive to pigs. No preference for pigs for environmental enrichment objects of specific colors was observed. Environmental enrichment objects with garlic aroma had a repellent effect. No effect was observed of alternating perfumes in the animals retaining interest in the objects since the smell of garlic acted as a repellent. Thus, the proportion of one enrichment object for each 15 pigs is sufficient to avoid problems of dispute between the animals.

Objectives. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of sows’ of different parities and the supplement of coconut oil for piglets, on the development of litter. Materials and methods. A total of 51 sows of different parities and their 642 piglets were used in the trial. Each piglet was weighed and identified at birth in a sequential order. They were randomly distributed in two treatments (CG=control group and TG=test group). TG piglets had the first access to a dosage of 3.0 ml of coconut oil 12 hours after birth, and the second at 36 h after the first. Piglets were weighed at 21 days. In order to analyze the effect of the coconut oil supplement as a function of the weight at birth, piglets were grouped according to their weight (0.600 to 0.900 kg; 1.000 to 1.499kg; 1.500 to 1.999 kg; and 2.000 to 2.499 kg). Results. Sows parity affected the number and weight of born piglets. Sows in 4th, 5th and 7th parity had a larger litter than those from the 2nd parity. Sows from 2nd and 3rd parity had a lower number of piglets but heavier litter. No effect of the coconut oil supplement on neonatal piglets’ performance was found. Conclusions. The coconut meal was neither beneficial to neonatal piglets nor to those with low weight at birth, which usually present low body energy.RESUMENObjetivo. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el efecto del número de partos y el suplemento de aceite de coco en lechones recien nacidos. Materiales y métodos. Se utilizaron 51 cerdas de diferentes partos y sus 642 lechones. Cada lechón se pesó y se identificó al nacer en orden secuencial. Fueron distribuidos aleatoriamente en dos grupos (CG = control y TG=tratamiento). Lechones TG tenían el primer acceso a una dosis de 3.0 ml de aceite de coco 12 horas después del nacimiento, y el segunda a las 36 h después de la primera. Los lechones fueron pesados a los 21 días. Con el fin de analizar el efecto de los suplementos de aceite de coco con relación al peso al nacer. Los lechones fueron agrupados de acuerdo con su peso (0.600 a 0.900 kg; 1.000 a 1.499 kg; 1.500 a 1.999 kg y 2.000 a 2.499 kg). Resultados. El número de partos afectó el peso y el número de lechones nacidos. Cerdas en cuarto, quinto y séptimo parto, tuvieron una camada mayor que las de segundo parto. Las cerdasde segundo y tercer parto tuvieron menor número de lechones y con peso mayor. No se encontró efectodel suplemento de aceite de coco en el desarrollo de los lechones recién nacidos. Conclusiones. Loaceite de coco no es favorable para los lechones recién nacidos, tampoco para aquellos con el bajopeso al nacer, que normalmente presentan la energía corporal baja.