Effects of Positive Human Contact during Gestation on the Behaviour, Physiology and Reproductive Performance of Sows

Abstract

Previous positive interactions with humans may ameliorate the stress response of farm animals to aversive routine practices such as painful or stressful procedures, particularly those associated with stockpeople. We studied the effects of positive handling by providing younger (parity 1–2) and older (parity 3–8) sows housed in pens of fifteen (n = 24 pens in total) with either positive human contact (+HC) or routine human contact (control) during gestation. The +HC treatment involved a familiar stockperson patting and scratching sows and was imposed at a pen-level for 2 min daily. Measurements studied included behavioural, physiological and productivity variables. The +HC sows showed reduced avoidance of the stockperson conducting pregnancy testing and vaccination in the home pens, however the behavioural and cortisol responses of sows in a standard unfamiliar human approach test did not differ. There were no effects of +HC on aggression between sows, serum cortisol or serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations during gestation, or on the behavioural and cortisol response to being moved to farrowing crates. There were also no effects of +HC on the maternal responsiveness of sows, farrowing rate or the number of piglets born alive, stillborn or weaned. Sows in the +HC pens reduced their physical interaction with the stockpeople imposing the treatment after 2 weeks, which suggests the sows may have habituated to the novel or possible rewarding elements of the handling treatment. This experiment shows that regular positive interaction with stockpeople does reduce sows’ fear of stockpeople, but does not always confer stress resilence.

Review of the influence of farrowing and lactation housing and positive human contact on sow and piglet welfare

“…Daily positive handling, involving a feed reward, gentle touching of and softly talking to sows individually late in gestation, did not affect nesting behaviour and activity around parturition, nursing behaviour, farrowing duration, piglet mortality or piglet weight gain in comparison to routine human contact during this period (Andersen et al, 2006). Daily positive handling, involving daily patting and scratching of gestating sows in pens did not affect farrowing rate or the number of piglets born alive, stillborn or weaned in comparison to sows that received routine human contact (Hayes et al, 2021a).…”

Risk Factors for Chronic Stress in Sows Housed in Groups, and Associated Risks of Prenatal Stress in Their Offspring

“…The quality of stockmanship is determined by the stockperson's personality, attitude, and behaviour ( 50 , 152 ), and has a substantial effect on stress levels in farm animals ( 49 , 50 ). Hayes et al ( 153 ) showed the potential for positive handling to reduce fear of humans in sows, while Dokmanovic et al ( 154 ) showed numerically lower cortisol concentrations in gently handled pigs, compared to those which were handled roughly. In contrast, Manteca and Jones ( 50 ), Hemsworth and Boivin ( 155 ) showed compromised reproductive performance resulting from rough handling and fear of humans in sows.…”

“…This in turn can be associated with intense acute stress ( 158 ) occurring intermittently and contributing to chronic stress ( 18 ). Poor stockmanship is therefore a potential risk factor for chronic stress, with known detrimental consequences for sows ( 153 ).…”

Transitioning from crates to free farrowing: A roadmap to navigate key decisions

“…Repeated gentle contacts induce a decreased fear of humans and even an increased approach toward humans ( 92 ). Developing this good HAR prior to farrowing could help mitigate any potential safety issues post farrowing ( 99 , 100 ) and careful/considered handling of piglets post-farrowing also reduces fearfulness ( 69 , 101 ). Supporting the scientific evidence are reports by farmers about success factors for working with loose housed sows and the importance of stockperson' attitude toward the sows, their empathy toward them and the rewarding aspect of working with loose sows ( 18 ).…”