Effects of pen size, partial stalls and method of feeding on welfare-related behavioural and physiological responses of group-housed pigs

Barnett, J.L.; Hemsworth, P.H.; Cronin, G. M.; Newman, Erica A.; McCallum, T.H.; Chilton, D.

doi:10.1016/s0168-1591(05)80116-9

Cited by 115 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Lesion scoring Previous research on aggressive behavior among sows mixed into static pens reports lesion scores are highest 3 days post-mixing (Arey, 1999) as well as suggests that lesion scores, especially of the anterior region, could identify which individuals engage in increased fighting frequency, severity or duration (Barnett et al, 1992). Lesion scores were assessed via an operationally defined scale measuring quality (A: Thin (<2 mm wide) and shallow; epidermis may be broken with mild surface inflammation; B: Moderately deep cuts (2 to 4 mm wide); epidermal and dermal layers may be broken with moderate inflammation; C: Occurrence of a wide (>4 mm) or deep cuts; dermal layers broken with severe inflammation) and lesion quantity (1: ⩽ 5 cuts; 2: 6 to 10 cuts; 3: 11 to 20 cuts; 4: 21 to 30 cut; 5: > 31 cuts).…”

Section: Personality In Gestating Sowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Body condition scoring was based on the quantity of backfat and prominence of hipbones and spine using the following scale: 1: emaciated; 2: thin; 3: ideal; 4: fat; and 5: overly fat (Coffey et al, 1999). (Barnett et al, 1992). Lesion scores were assessed via an operationally defined scale measuring quality (A: Thin (<2 mm wide) and shallow; epidermis may be broken with mild surface inflammation; B: Moderately deep cuts (2 to 4 mm wide); epidermal and dermal layers may be broken with moderate inflammation; C: Occurrence of a wide (>4 mm) or deep cuts; dermal layers broken with severe inflammation) and lesion quantity (1: ⩽ 5 cuts; 2: 6 to 10 cuts; 3: 11 to 20 cuts; 4: 21 to 30 cut; 5: > 31 cuts).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Temporal stability of personality traits in group-housed gestating sows

Horback

Parsons

2016

Animal

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The movement of sows (Sus scrofa domesticus) out of individual gestation stalls and into group housing can introduce new sources of stress due to the enhanced environmental and social complexity. Some sows may have the behavioral capacity to adapt to these changes better than others. However, little is known about individual differences in behavioral responses, or personality traits, in gestating sows and how they impact the animal's ability to cope with group housing. The temporal consistency in the assessment of an animal's behavior is a prerequisite to the establishment of personality traits and was addressed at an interval of approximately five months during two consecutive gestation periods in the present study. Forty-six group-housed sows from a commercially available genetic line were assessed for aggressive and social behaviors at mixing into a group, reaction to human approach, ease of handling, exploration of an open field, and reaction to a novel object. Principal component analysis revealed the presence of three traits accounting for over 60% of the variance in behaviors: aggressive/dominant, avoidant of humans and active/exploratory. Individual component scores were significantly correlated between pregnancies demonstrating temporal stability of trait assessment. Significant relationships were found between aggressive/dominant component scores and individual feed rank at electronic sow feeding stations and skin lesion scores, as well as between avoidant of humans component scores and average number of stillbirths per litter. These findings provide evidence for the temporal stability of distinct behaviors contributing to personality traits within a group of genetically similar sows and demonstrate how these traits may be useful in identifying individuals likely to succeed in group housing.Keywords: sow, group-housed, gestation, behavior, personality ImplicationsDue to both legislative and market driven initiatives, swine farmers have been asked to transition their sows from individual gestation stalls to group pens. These housing systems introduce increased complexity of environmental and social stimuli. A better understanding of the variation in individual behavior of gestating sows and its consequences can inform pork producers on how best to manage sows at an individual level in group housing. IntroductionDetermining differences in personality traits for livestock may help to identify certain individuals which possess an increased ability to cope with environmental and/or social stressors (Gosling, 2001;Bolhuis et al., 2003). For example, personality differences have been shown to be significantly related to immunity function and stress response (Segerstrom, 2000;Koolhaas, 2008). Therefore, personality assessment of gestating sows may help in identifying individuals better able to cope with the enhanced environmental and social complexities associated with the transition from stall to group housing. Both legislative initiatives (EU Council Directive 2008/120/EC) and market forces (Matthews and Hem...

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Section: Personality In Gestating Sowsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal stability of personality traits in group-housed gestating sows

Horback

Parsons

2016

Animal

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“…Animals in LR/HR(d) and HR/HR pairs, especially in the latter ones, also suffered from more skin damage. Because this was also observed at 7 days post-mixing, incidences of aggressive acts, previously shown to correlate with lesion scores (Barnett et al, 1992), seemed to persist for a prolonged time, indicative for unstable social relationships (social instability).…”

Section: Aggressionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Implications of coping characteristics and social status for welfare and production of paired growing gilts

Ruis

Brake²,

Engel³

et al. 2002

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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This paper considers the question whether knowledge on individual coping characteristics of growing pigs may be used to improve welfare and production after mixing. Gilts with either reactive or proactive coping characteristics were identified according to behavioural resistance in a backtest, respectively, being low (LR) and high resistant (HR) in this test. At 7 weeks of age, several pairs of unfamiliar gilts were formed, and pairs and dominance relationships were studied over a 3-week period. The following pairs (combinations) were established: two LR gilts (LR/LR; n ¼ 12), two HR gilts (HR/HR; n ¼ 12), one LR and one HR gilt (LR gilt dominant: LR(d)/HR; n ¼ 11), and one LR and one HR gilt (HR gilt dominant: LR/HR(d); n ¼ 12). Results showed that on the day of mixing, aggression subsided less quickly and increases in body temperature were higher in LR/ HR(d) and HR/HR pairs. Also, during the first week post-mixing, feed efficiency was lower and skin damage was higher in LR/HR(d) and HR/HR pairs. Mixing of two HR gilts caused highest levels of stress, indicated by greater catecholamine concentrations in urine following the day of mixing, and higher baseline levels of plasma ACTH at 1 week post-mixing. The lower tendency of gilts within HR/HR pairs to contact a novel object may present higher fearfulness. In contrast to those of LR/HR(d) pairs, responses of LR(d)/HR pairs revealed much lower levels of stress, which emphasised the importance of dominance relationships, being independent of coping characteristics of individual gilts. We speculate that in LR/HR pairs, dominant LR gilts were able to suppress aggressiveness of HR subordinates. HR or proactive gilts, however, may become aggressive when being dominant. General effects of social status, independent of combination, were also found. Compared to dominants, subordinates showed higher acute cortisol, body temperature and vocal responses to mixing. In the longer term, they showed a higher vocal and parasympathetic responsitivity towards the novel object, and their body growth was impaired. Measures not influenced by combination and social status included those of leucocyte subsets, prolactin, and average heart rates during novelty tests. To conclude, aggressive conditions in newly formed groups, and consequently welfare and production, may largely depend on coping characteristics of individual pigs, but also on dominance relationships. Accordingly, the practical value of the backtest is being discussed. #

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“…This could be ascribed to differences in pen design as regards skin lesions. Partitioning walls have, in previous studies, been shown to reduce aggression levels (Barnett et al, 1992), as this provides an opportunity to escape an aggressor. Partitioning walls were present in herds 4 and 5, where the mean number of lesions was also smallest.…”

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confidence: 93%

Influence of social mixing and group size on skin lesions and mounting in organic entire male pigs

Thomsen

Edwards

Rousing

et al. 2016

Animal

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Alternatives to surgical castration are needed, due to stress and pain caused by castration of male pigs. One alternative is production of entire male pigs. However, changed behaviour of entire males compared with castrated males might adversely affect the welfare of entire males and changes in management procedures and production system might be needed. Elements from the organic pig production system might be beneficial in this aspect. The aim of this article is to investigate the effect of grouping strategy including social mixing and group size on levels of mounting behaviour and skin lesions, hypothesising that procedures that disrupt the social stability (e.g. regrouping) will have a larger negative effect in small groups compared with large groups. Approximately 1600 organic entire male pigs of the breed (Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc were reared in parallel in five organic herds, distributed across four batches in a 2 × 2 factorial design in order to test the influence of social mixing (presence or absence of social mixing at relocation) and group size (15 and 30 animals). Animals were able to socialise with piglets from other litters during the lactation period, and were all mixed across litters at weaning. A second mixing occurred at insertion to fattening pens for pigs being regrouped. Counting of skin lesions (1348 or 1124 pigs) and registration of mounting behaviour (1434 or 1258 pigs) were done on two occasions during the experimental period. No interactive effects were found between social mixing and group size on either skin lesions or mounting frequency. Herd differences were found for both mounting frequency and number of skin lesions. No association between skin lesions and mounting were revealed. Social mixing and group size were shown as interacting effects with herds on mounting frequency ( P < 0.0001), but with no consistent pattern across all herds. In addition, no effect of social mixing was found on mean number of skin lesions, but more lesions were observed in large groups ( P < 0.036). This could indicate that keeping entire male pigs in groups of 30 animals as compared with smaller groups of 15 may marginally decrease the welfare of these animals.

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Effects of pen size, partial stalls and method of feeding on welfare-related behavioural and physiological responses of group-housed pigs

Cited by 115 publications

References 25 publications

Temporal stability of personality traits in group-housed gestating sows

Temporal stability of personality traits in group-housed gestating sows

Implications of coping characteristics and social status for welfare and production of paired growing gilts

Influence of social mixing and group size on skin lesions and mounting in organic entire male pigs

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