Announcing the arrival of enrichment increases play behaviour and reduces weaning-stress-induced behaviours of piglets directly after weaning

Abstract

Piglets have difficulties with the abrupt changes at weaning associated with conventional pig production systems. Previously, it has been shown in rats that reward and announcement of reward counteracts impact of stress effects. In the present study, it was investigated if announcement of an environmental enrichment, more than enrichment alone, could facilitate play behaviour and reduce weaning-stress-induced behaviours such as increased aggression with subsequent increased injuries and increased social manipulative behaviours (i.e., tail biting, belly nosing, mounting). Twenty-four litters of conventional housed fattening piglets were kept under three different experimental conditions: sound cue (conditioned stimulus, CS) paired with an environmental enrichment (unconditioned stimulus, US) with a maximum delay between the CS and US of 30 s (CS-US paired) in which anticipatory behaviour develops; cue-environmental enrichment unpaired (CS-US unpaired) and no cue and no environmental enrichment (No CS-US). At two weeks of age the so-called 'anticipation procedure' started and ended two days after weaning. Growth, play, aggressive, social manipulative, eating and inactive behaviour, and injury rates were measured before and after weaning. Results of this study indicated that announcement of enrichment and not enrichment alone significantly increased play behaviour after weaning.

Effects of Enrichment Type, Presentation and Social Status on Enrichment Use and Behavior of Sows—Part 2: Free Access Stall Feeding

“…In contrast, there was an increase on lesion scores on day 12 for the Stimulus treatment. This finding contradicts previous research, in which the announcement of enrichment (straw and mixed seeds) by an acoustic cue (doorbell with a sound pressure of 80 dB at 1 m distance) reduced aggressive behavior and injuries compared to enrichment alone in weaned piglets [ 7 ]. In this regard, it has been proposed that acoustic cues reduce stress by increasing predictability and controllability of events [ 38 ].…”

Effects of Enrichment Type, Presentation and Social Status on Enrichment Use and Behavior of Sows—Part 2: Free Access Stall Feeding

“…In contrast, there was an increase on lesion scores on day 12 for the Stimulus treatment. This finding contradicts previous research, in which the announcement of enrichment (straw and mixed seeds) by an acoustic cue (doorbell with a sound pressure of 80 dB at 1 m distance) reduced aggressive behavior and injuries compared to enrichment alone in weaned piglets [ 7 ]. In this regard, it has been proposed that acoustic cues reduce stress by increasing predictability and controllability of events [ 38 ].…”

Exposure to a novel feedstuff by goat dams during pregnancy and lactation versus pregnancy alone does not further improve post‐weaning acceptance of this feedstuff by their kids

“…This observation can probably be explained by the fact that there is some flavour learning associated with milk feeding or the presence of COLM in the neighbourhood, which reduces the latency to eat. This reasoning is in line with the observation that perinatal flavour learning in pigs can reduce the reluctance to eat feeds with low palatability …”

“…This reasoning is in line with the observation that perinatal flavour learning in pigs can reduce the reluctance to eat feeds with low palatability. 24 The differences in intake, intake rate and meal size compared to the values observed in the previous study 9 cannot be unequivocally explained but they are probably related to the different breed used in the current study. The goats used in the present experiment were pure bred Co with lower body weights than the cross-breed (Bachthao × Co) goats that were used in the previous study.…”

Music during play-time: Using context conditioning as a tool to improve welfare in piglets

“…Although we did not find the expected facilitation of play behaviour or reduction of aggression behaviour in the Playroom group on W1 (when no music had been replayed yet), we did find a reduced injury score on W1 and on the following days. It therefore appears that the playroom exposed group did show some decrease in aggressive tendencies, although the magnitude of the effect seems less than previously reported (Dudink et al, 2006). Again, this smaller effect may be explained by the fact that our controls may have received more play experience through exposure to playing piglets in the neighbouring playroom, than the controls used in the Dudink-study.…”

Effects of Enrichment Type, Presentation and Social Status on Enrichment Use and Behavior of Sows—Part 2: Free Access Stall Feeding

“…In contrast, there was an increase on lesion scores on day 12 for the Stimulus treatment. This finding contradicts previous research, in which the announcement of enrichment (straw and mixed seeds) by an acoustic cue (doorbell with a sound pressure of 80 dB at 1 m distance) reduced aggressive behavior and injuries compared to enrichment alone in weaned piglets [ 7 ]. In this regard, it has been proposed that acoustic cues reduce stress by increasing predictability and controllability of events [ 38 ].…”

Exposure to a novel feedstuff by goat dams during pregnancy and lactation versus pregnancy alone does not further improve post‐weaning acceptance of this feedstuff by their kids

“…This observation can probably be explained by the fact that there is some flavour learning associated with milk feeding or the presence of COLM in the neighbourhood, which reduces the latency to eat. This reasoning is in line with the observation that perinatal flavour learning in pigs can reduce the reluctance to eat feeds with low palatability …”

“…This reasoning is in line with the observation that perinatal flavour learning in pigs can reduce the reluctance to eat feeds with low palatability. 24 The differences in intake, intake rate and meal size compared to the values observed in the previous study 9 cannot be unequivocally explained but they are probably related to the different breed used in the current study. The goats used in the present experiment were pure bred Co with lower body weights than the cross-breed (Bachthao × Co) goats that were used in the previous study.…”

Music during play-time: Using context conditioning as a tool to improve welfare in piglets

“…Although we did not find the expected facilitation of play behaviour or reduction of aggression behaviour in the Playroom group on W1 (when no music had been replayed yet), we did find a reduced injury score on W1 and on the following days. It therefore appears that the playroom exposed group did show some decrease in aggressive tendencies, although the magnitude of the effect seems less than previously reported (Dudink et al, 2006). Again, this smaller effect may be explained by the fact that our controls may have received more play experience through exposure to playing piglets in the neighbouring playroom, than the controls used in the Dudink-study.…”

Effects of Enrichment Type, Presentation and Social Status on Enrichment Use and Behavior of Sows—Part 2: Free Access Stall Feeding

“…In contrast, there was an increase on lesion scores on day 12 for the Stimulus treatment. This finding contradicts previous research, in which the announcement of enrichment (straw and mixed seeds) by an acoustic cue (doorbell with a sound pressure of 80 dB at 1 m distance) reduced aggressive behavior and injuries compared to enrichment alone in weaned piglets [ 7 ]. In this regard, it has been proposed that acoustic cues reduce stress by increasing predictability and controllability of events [ 38 ].…”

Exposure to a novel feedstuff by goat dams during pregnancy and lactation versus pregnancy alone does not further improve post‐weaning acceptance of this feedstuff by their kids

“…This observation can probably be explained by the fact that there is some flavour learning associated with milk feeding or the presence of COLM in the neighbourhood, which reduces the latency to eat. This reasoning is in line with the observation that perinatal flavour learning in pigs can reduce the reluctance to eat feeds with low palatability …”

“…This reasoning is in line with the observation that perinatal flavour learning in pigs can reduce the reluctance to eat feeds with low palatability. 24 The differences in intake, intake rate and meal size compared to the values observed in the previous study 9 cannot be unequivocally explained but they are probably related to the different breed used in the current study. The goats used in the present experiment were pure bred Co with lower body weights than the cross-breed (Bachthao × Co) goats that were used in the previous study.…”

Music during play-time: Using context conditioning as a tool to improve welfare in piglets

“…Although we did not find the expected facilitation of play behaviour or reduction of aggression behaviour in the Playroom group on W1 (when no music had been replayed yet), we did find a reduced injury score on W1 and on the following days. It therefore appears that the playroom exposed group did show some decrease in aggressive tendencies, although the magnitude of the effect seems less than previously reported (Dudink et al, 2006). Again, this smaller effect may be explained by the fact that our controls may have received more play experience through exposure to playing piglets in the neighbouring playroom, than the controls used in the Dudink-study.…”