Effects of Three Distinct 2-Week Long Diet Strategies After Transport on Weaned Pigs' Short and Long-Term Welfare Markers, Behaviors, and Microbiota

Parois, Séverine; Duttlinger, Alan W; Richert, B. T.; Lindemann, Stephen R.; Johnson, Jay S; Marchant‐Forde, Jeremy N.

doi:10.3389/fvets.2020.00140

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 109 publications

(155 reference statements)

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“…Some mycotoxins, including those to which pigs are sensitive, can lead to gastrointestinal lesions and may negatively affect the gut microbiota [ 33 ]. In turn, the microbiota, through the microbiota–gut–brain-axis [ 34 , 35 ], is associated with behaviour, including elevated levels of aggression (dogs: [ 36 ]; pigs: [ 37 ]). Changes in the microbiome, which may be induced by nutritional changes, psychological stress, and other causes, can also result in changes in the animal’s olfactory signature [ 38 ] and thereby the ability of group members to recognise the individual.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intra-Group Lethal Gang Aggression in Domestic Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus)

Camerlink

Chou

Turner

2020

Animals

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Intraspecific coalitional aggression is rare among all species, especially within stable social groups. We report here numerous cases of intraspecific lethal gang aggression within stable groups of domestic pigs. The objective was to describe this extreme aggression and to identify potential causes. Management data were collected from farms with (n = 23) and without (n = 19) gang aggression. From one farm, 91 victims were assessed for skin injuries and body condition score. Lethal gang aggression was significantly associated with deep straw bedding, which may be related to various other factors. Gang aggression tended to occur more in winter, and was unrelated to genetic line, breeding company, group size or feed type. It occurred equally in female-only and mixed sex groups (male-only groups were not represented), from around eight weeks of age. Injuries typically covered the whole body and were more severe on the front of the body. Victims who survived had a lower body condition score and fewer injuries than victims found dead. There are still many unknowns as to why this abnormal social behaviour occurs and it deserves further research attention, both for its applied relevance to animal welfare as for the evolutionary background of lethal gang aggression.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intra-Group Lethal Gang Aggression in Domestic Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus)

Camerlink

Chou

Turner

2020

Animals

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Replacing dietary antibiotics with 0.20% l-glutamine in swine nursery diets: impact on intestinal physiology and the microbiome following weaning and transport

Duttlinger

Martinez

McConn

et al. 2021

Journal of Animal Science

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Previous research demonstrates that supplementing 0.20% L-glutamine (GLN) in the diets of newly weaned and transported pigs improves growth rate to a similar extent as providing dietary antibiotics (AB). However, research comparing the effects of GLN versus AB on intestinal physiology and the microbiome is limited. Therefore, the study objective was to compare the effects of supplementing nursery diets with GLN, AB, or no dietary antibiotics (NA) on intestinal physiology and the microbiome of pigs in a production environment following weaning and transport. Mixed sex piglets (N=480; 5.62 ± 0.06 kg BW) were weaned (18.4 ± 0.2 d of age) and transported for 12 hr in central Indiana, for two replicates, during the summer of 2016 and the spring of 2017. Pens were blocked by BW and allotted to 1 of 3 dietary treatments [n = 10 pens/dietary treatment/replicate (8 pigs/pen)]; AB [chlortetracycline (441 ppm) + tiamulin (38.6 ppm)], GLN (0.20% as-fed) or NA fed for 14 d. From d 14 to 34, pigs were fed common AB free diets in two phases. On d 33, villus height:crypt depth tended to be increased (P = 0.07; 7.0%) in GLN and AB pigs vs. NA pigs. On d 33, glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) mRNA abundance was decreased (P = 0.01; 50.3%) in GLN and NA pigs vs. AB pigs. Crypt depth was increased overall on d 33 (P = 0.01; 16.2%) during the spring replicate compared to the summer replicate. Villus height:crypt depth was reduced (P = 0.01; 9.6%) during the spring replicate compared to the summer replicate on d 33. On d 13, tumor necrosis factor alpha and occludin mRNA abundance was increased (P ≤ 0.04; 45.9% and 106.5%, respectively) and zonula occludens 1 mRNA abundance tended to be greater (P = 0.10; 19.2%) in the spring replicate compared to the summer replicate. In addition, AB pigs had increased (P = 0.01; 101.3%) GLP-2 gene expression compared to GLN and NA pigs. Microbiome analysis indicated that on d 13, dietary treatment altered the microbiota community structure (P = 0.03). Specifically, the AB pigs tended to be distinct from both the NA and GLN pigs (P = 0.08), and Lactobacillus was increased nearly 2-fold in AB compared to NA pigs (q = 0.04) and GLN pigs (q = 0.22). In conclusion, GLN supplementation tended to improve some morphological markers of intestinal health similarly to AB pigs while the microbiome composition in GLN pigs was more similar to NA pigs than AB pigs.

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Improving young pig welfare on-farm: The Five Domains Model

Johnson

Rault

Marchant

et al. 2022

Journal of Animal Science

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Considering welfare through the “neonatal and nursery pig perspective” is an exciting approach, and one that resonates with consumers. Overlaying this with the Five Domains Model, as we suggest in this review, points to practical on-farm improvements that provide each pig the opportunity to experience positive mental states. The Five Domains Model is broken into physical and functional states, that includes Domain 1 Nutrition, Domain 2 Physical Environment, Domain 3 Health and, Domain 4 Behavioral Interaction, and Domain 5 Mental State. The Five Domains Model can build on the breadth and depth of swine welfare science to highlight opportunities to improve welfare on-farm. In Domain 1 management of increasingly large litters is considered, with examples of sow vs. artificial rearing, colostrum quality and quantity, and creep feed management strategies. Efforts can result in positive mental states such as feeling full and content and the ability to experience pleasure of drinking and food tastes/smells. Domain 2 considers space complexity and access to key resources, along with thermal and physical amenities, to promote feelings of physical comfort. Domain 3 considers pig health in three broad, yet inter-linking categories, (a) congenital and hereditary health, (b) environmental pathogen load and, (c) colostrum quality and quantity, and its effect on the microbiome. Improvements can result in a pig that displays vitality and feels healthy. Domain 4 provides the pig opportunities to express its rich behavioral repertoire, specifically positive social interactions, play, and exploration. These efforts can result in pigs feeling calm, safe, comfortable, having companionship, engaged, interested and rewarded. In conclusion, using the Five Domains Model can highlight numerous opportunities to improve current and future housing and management through the “neonatal and nursery pig perspective” with a focus on inducing positive mental states that can result in improved quality of life and welfare state.

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Effects of Three Distinct 2-Week Long Diet Strategies After Transport on Weaned Pigs' Short and Long-Term Welfare Markers, Behaviors, and Microbiota

Cited by 8 publications

References 109 publications

Intra-Group Lethal Gang Aggression in Domestic Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus)

Intra-Group Lethal Gang Aggression in Domestic Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus)

Replacing dietary antibiotics with 0.20% l-glutamine in swine nursery diets: impact on intestinal physiology and the microbiome following weaning and transport

Improving young pig welfare on-farm: The Five Domains Model

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