Environmental enrichment improves the performance and behavior of piglets in the nursery phase

Oliveira, Rodrigo Fortunato de; Soares, R. T. R. N.; Molino, Juliano Pelição; Costa, Renata Lins da; Bonaparte, Talita Pinheiro; Júnior, E. T. Silva; Pizzutto, Cristiane Schilbach; Santos, Iasmim

doi:10.1590/1678-4162-8253

Cited by 10 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Reduced feed neophobia may result in increased feed intake 10 and consequently better performance post-weaning. It has been shown, for example, that providing hanging ropes and tyres to piglets during several weeks after weaning improved piglet growth and reduced fearful responses towards a person 15 , and providing hanging ropes and wood shavings also improved piglet growth and increased exploration behaviour 16 . Other studies demonstrated that providing peat (for 5 weeks post-weaning) or providing increased space combined with straw, peat and branches (for 2 weeks post-weaning) reduced pig-directed oral manipulation behaviour, and increased exploration behaviour and growth 4 , 17 , 18 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Providing live black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) improves welfare while maintaining performance of piglets post-weaning

Ipema

Bokkers

Gerrits

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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During weaning, piglets experience concurrent social, physical, and nutritional stressors. Consequently, piglets often have poor feed intake and display increased oral manipulative behaviours post-weaning, indicative of compromised welfare. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) possess many attractive properties for pigs and could therefore function as effective edible enrichment, potentially alleviating weaning stress by facilitating exploration and promoting feed intake. In this study, pairs of piglets received a small amount of either live BSFL or wood shavings (8 pens/treatment) scattered throughout the pen twice a day for 11 days after weaning. Home-pen behaviour was scored by instantaneous scan sampling on day 2, 5 and 8, and behavioural responses to a novel environment and novel object were scored on day 10/11. Performance-related parameters were observed regularly. Larvae provisioning increased floor-directed exploration and decreased object-directed exploration, pig-directed oral manipulation, fighting and eating of pellets, and reduced neophobia towards a novel object. Pellet intake was significantly decreased by BSFL provisioning during day 4–11 post-weaning, although feed and net energy intake including BSFL never differed between treatments. BSFL provisioning did not influence piglet growth, feed efficiency, energy efficiency, and faecal consistency. To conclude, live BSFL provisioning positively affected post-weaning piglet behaviour while maintaining performance.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Providing live black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) improves welfare while maintaining performance of piglets post-weaning

Ipema

Bokkers

Gerrits

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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“…There was higher play behaviour of weaned pigs in the treatment group during the early and late periods. Moreover, the lower proportion of agonistic and belly nosing behaviour had a positive influence on body weight gain of the animals assigned to the toy supplied group (Oliveira et al 2016). In spite of the fact that the rubber toy use in this study has very few traits mentioned in the EU Recommendation, it is still effective for the welfare of weaned pigs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…Especially, environmental enrichment is an obligatory requirement in the EU defined by Directive Animal welfare is one of the most important issues in the modern pig industry (Benson and Rollin 2004). Welfare conditions could be especially important in critical stages, such as weaning of pigs when their performance may be influenced by behavioural, nutritional, and physiological changes (Oliveira et al 2016). Pigs of similar age and body weight are bred in intensive pig production systems (Gracner et al 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of toys on behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing

Hwang¹,

Lee²,

Eom³

et al. 2021

CZECH J ANIM SCI

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This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a toy on the behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing. Two groups (192 pigs in total, control: without toy; treatment: with toy placed on the floor) of weaned pigs housed in pens (1.8 m × 1.4 m, 4 pigs/pen) were This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a toy on the behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing. Two were observed with the aid of video technology for nine consecutive hours in the early (days 1 and 2) and late (days 38 and 39) period after mixing. Bodyweight of pigs at the end of the study (Mann-Whitney U-test, Z = –2.46, P = 0.01) and the average daily gain (Z = –2.75, P < 0.01) were 10% higher in the treatment group than in the control group. The presence of the toy in the pen influenced the pig behaviours. In pens enriched with toys, there was an increase in feeding behaviour and a decrease in agonistic and belly nosing behaviours. Toy supply reduced negative social behaviours and thereby improved the bodyweight of weaned pigs. The results of this study suggest that toys used as environmental enrichment are useful for enhancing pig welfare and effective for farmers.

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“…Beattie et al [34] reported that environmental enrichment reduces time spent inactive and time spent involved in harmful social and aggressive behaviour while increasing the time spent in exploratory behaviour (Table 1). Oliveira et al [35] indicated that environmental enrichment with wood shavings and hanging toys increases the interaction of animals, allowing them to exhibit natural behaviours.…”

Section: Improving Pig Productivity Through Enrichmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of environmental enrichment on behaviour, physiology and performance of pigs — A review

Mkwanazi

Ncobela

Kanengoni³

2019

Asian-Australas J Anim Sci

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The aim of this paper is to critically analyse and synthesise existing knowledge concerning the use of environmental enrichment and its effect on behaviour, physiology and performance of pigs housed in intensive production systems. The objective is also to provide clarity as to what constitute successful enrichment and recommend on when and how enrichment should be used. Environmental enrichment is usually understood as an attempt to improve animal welfare and to lesser extent, performance. Common enrichment objects used are straw bedding, suspended rope and wood shavings, toys, rubber tubing, coloured plastic keys, table tennis balls, chains and strings. These substrates need to be chewable, deformable, destructible and ingestible. For enrichment to be successful four goals are the prerequisite. Firstly, enrichment should increase the number and range of normal behaviours (2) prevent the phenomenon of anomalous behaviours or reduce their frequency (3) increase positive use of the environment such as space and (4) increase the ability of the animals to deal with behavioural and physiological challenges. The performance, behaviour and physiology of pigs in enriched environments is similar or in some cases slightly better when compared with barren environments. In studies where there was no improvement, it should be born in mind that enriching the environment may not always be practical and yield positive results due to factors such as type of enrichment substrates, duration of provision and type of enrichment used. The review also identifies possible areas which still need further research, especially in understanding the role of enrichment, novelty, breed differences and other enrichment alternatives.

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Environmental enrichment improves the performance and behavior of piglets in the nursery phase

Cited by 10 publications

References 14 publications

Providing live black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) improves welfare while maintaining performance of piglets post-weaning

Providing live black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) improves welfare while maintaining performance of piglets post-weaning

Effect of toys on behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing

Effects of environmental enrichment on behaviour, physiology and performance of pigs — A review

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