A meta-analysis of the combined effect of housing and environmental enrichment characteristics on the behaviour and performance of pigs

Averós, Xavier; Brossard, Ludovic; Dourmad, Jean-Yves; Greef, K.H. de; Edge, H.L.; Edwards, Sandra A.; Meunier-Salaün, Marie-Christine

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2010.09.010

Cited by 76 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Floor type might affect OC prevalence and increase animal welfare. This would be in compliance with the EU directive 2008/120/EC stating that pig husbandry requires environmental enrichment of which bedding on floors would be a good candidate as supported by studies (Spoolder et al, 2000;Bolhuis et al, 2006;Averos et al, 2010). Results indicate that there does not seem to be a clear age-dependent effect of floor type on OC prevalence.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

The influence of floor type before and after 10 weeks of age on osteochondrosis in growing gilts1

Koning

Grevenhof

Laurenssen

et al. 2014

Journal of Animal Science

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Osteochondrosis (OC) is a degenerative joint condition developing in a short time frame in young growing gilts that may cause lameness at an older age, affecting welfare and leading to premature culling of breeding sows. Causes of OC are multifactorial including both genetic and environmental factors. Floor type has been suggested to affect OC prevalence and effects might be age dependent during the rearing period. The aim of this study was to investigate possible agedependent effects of floor type, conventional concrete partially slatted versus wood shavings as deep bedding, on OC prevalence in gilts (Dutch Large White × Dutch Landrace) at slaughter (24 wk of age; 106.5 [14.7 SD] kg of BW). At weaning (4 wk of age; 6.9 [1.3 SD] kg of BW), 212 gilts were subjected to 1 of 4 flooring regimens. Gilts were either subjected to a conventional floor from weaning until slaughter (CC), wood shavings as bedding from weaning until slaughter (WW), a conventional floor from weaning until 10 wk of age after which gilts were switched to wood shavings as bedding (CW), or wood shavings as bedding from weaning until 10 wk of age after which gilts were switched to a conventional floor (WC). After slaughter the elbow, hock, and knee joints were macroscopically examined for OC and scored on a 5 point scale where 0 indicates no OC and 4 indicates the severest form of OC. There was no significant difference (P > 0.4) between treatments on the overall OC prevalence for any joint assessed or at the animal level (all joints combined). At the animal level, however, gilts had greater odds to have OC scores 3 and 4 in the CW treatment (odds ratios [OR] = 2.3; P = 0.05), WC treatment (OR = 2.6; P = 0.02), and WW treatment (OR = 3.7; P < 0.001) compared with gilts in the CC treatment. The results indicate that there are no age-dependent effects of floor types on overall OC prevalence. However, wood shavings as bedding seems to increase the odds for severe OC and might affect animal welfare in the long term.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 50%

The influence of floor type before and after 10 weeks of age on osteochondrosis in growing gilts1

Koning

Grevenhof

Laurenssen

et al. 2014

Journal of Animal Science

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“…This might be important, or different forms of investigatory behaviour may substitute for one another in preventing tail biting, as long as the pigs are occupied. Hanging objects thus may have potential: in a meta-analysis of the time spent by pigs interacting with enrichment, properties promoting this interaction included enrichments which were suspended and/or deformable (Averós et al, 2010). For example pigs show sustained interest in interacting with destructible ropes (Trickett et al, 2009), or hanging objects with an edible component ( Van de Weerd et al, 2003), and 'flavoured rope' devices for pigs are being sold commercially in Finland.…”

Section: Availability Of Manipulable Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Injurious tail biting in pigs: how can it be controlled in existing systems without tail docking?

D’Eath

Arnott

Turner

et al. 2014

Animal

146

142

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Tail biting is a serious animal welfare and economic problem in pig production. Tail docking, which reduces but does not eliminate tail biting, remains widespread. However, in the EU tail docking may not be used routinely, and some 'alternative' forms of pig production and certain countries do not allow tail docking at all. Against this background, using a novel approach focusing on research where tail injuries were quantified, we review the measures that can be used to control tail biting in pigs without tail docking. Using this strict criterion, there was good evidence that manipulable substrates and feeder space affect damaging tail biting. Only epidemiological evidence was available for effects of temperature and season, and the effect of stocking density was unclear. Studies suggest that group size has little effect, and the effects of nutrition, disease and breed require further investigation. The review identifies a number of knowledge gaps and promising avenues for future research into prevention and mitigation. We illustrate the diversity of hypotheses concerning how different proposed risk factors might increase tail biting through their effect on each other or on the proposed underlying processes of tail biting. A quantitative comparison of the efficacy of different methods of provision of manipulable materials, and a review of current practices in countries and assurance schemes where tail docking is banned, both suggest that daily provision of small quantities of destructible, manipulable natural materials can be of considerable benefit. Further comparative research is needed into materials, such as ropes, which are compatible with slatted floors. Also, materials which double as fuel for anaerobic digesters could be utilised. As well as optimising housing and management to reduce risk, it is important to detect and treat tail biting as soon as it occurs. Early warning signs before the first bloody tails appear, such as pigs holding their tails tucked under, could in future be automatically detected using precision livestock farming methods enabling earlier reaction and prevention of tail damage. However, there is a lack of scientific studies on how best to respond to outbreaks: the effectiveness of, for example, removing biters and/or bitten pigs, increasing enrichment, or applying substances to tails should be investigated. Finally, some breeding companies are exploring options for reducing the genetic propensity to tail bite. If these various approaches to reduce tail biting are implemented we propose that the need for tail docking will be reduced.

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“…The confinement rearing environment is amongst the critical points for achieving satisfactory welfare, and it involves the exposure to heat stress, and social adaptability. The adoption of straw and others substrates as deepbedding is reported to perform also as recreational material, improving the general welfare status of pigs as the time budget involved in negative social behaviours increased with group size in the absence of bedding (Day et al, 2008;Averós et al, 2010). Although there may be better alternatives for the functions of deep-litter separately, it remains unlikely that these alternatives can properly replace the whole integration of rearing hygiene and environment, as well as labour and economics (Morrison et al, 2003;Hötzel et al, 2009;Averós et al, 2010).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The adoption of straw and others substrates as deepbedding is reported to perform also as recreational material, improving the general welfare status of pigs as the time budget involved in negative social behaviours increased with group size in the absence of bedding (Day et al, 2008;Averós et al, 2010). Although there may be better alternatives for the functions of deep-litter separately, it remains unlikely that these alternatives can properly replace the whole integration of rearing hygiene and environment, as well as labour and economics (Morrison et al, 2003;Hötzel et al, 2009;Averós et al, 2010). Pigs in deep-bedding flooring systems played and interacted more with each other and presented less skin lesions and less mucous problems than those reared on full concrete floor (Day et al, 2008).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Most Suitable Floor System for Growing-Finishing Piggery Under Tropical Conditions Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

Caldara

Garcia

Paz

et al. 2014

Italian Journal of Animal Science

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Studies were carried out worldwide for evaluating different types of floor systems for growing-finishing pigs, specifically for assessing their effectiveness on pig performance, health and behaviour, leaving the opportunity for using multi-criteria analysis in decisionmaking towards the selection of flooring type. This study aimed to select the most suitable floor system for growing-finishing pigs under tropical conditions, considering performance traits and farmers management aspects. The analytic hierarchy process was applied for seeking the best solution considering both the farmers' goals and the pigs' welfare. Aspects considered in the analysis were: economic feasibility, rearing thermal and aerial condition, animal behaviour, performance, and health status. The input used in the calculation was based on the results of a field trial using three treatments: whole concrete floor, coffee and rice husk bedding, and wood shavings deepbedding. Rearing conditions and pigs' physiological parameters, performance, behaviour, and health status were analysed. When the floor system was considered, the most significant criteria were economic feasibility (0.31) and overall pig performance (0.31) leading to a final deep-bedding selection ranking of coffee and rice husks (1 st ), concrete floor (2 nd ), and wood shavings (3 rd ). Conversely, when the animal welfare was considered, the most decisive criterion was health status (0.32), followed by physiological parameters (0.25), and behaviour (0.23) leading to a final bedding selection ranking of coffee and rice husks (1 st ), wood shavings (2 nd ), and concrete floor (3 rd ). Results indicate that the deep-bedding of coffee and rice husks provided the best choice for both the farmer and the growing-finishing pigs.

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A meta-analysis of the combined effect of housing and environmental enrichment characteristics on the behaviour and performance of pigs

Cited by 76 publications

References 63 publications

The influence of floor type before and after 10 weeks of age on osteochondrosis in growing gilts1

The influence of floor type before and after 10 weeks of age on osteochondrosis in growing gilts1

Injurious tail biting in pigs: how can it be controlled in existing systems without tail docking?

Assessing the Most Suitable Floor System for Growing-Finishing Piggery Under Tropical Conditions Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

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