Spatial requirements of animals: Allometry and beyond

Petherick, J. Carol

doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2007.10.001

Cited by 47 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…One important aspect affecting the welfare of pigs is the space they are given. Much information exists on the effect this aspect has on the productive performance of pigs, but additional information is still required to better determine how behaviour and overall welfare are affected by spatial restrictions (Petherick, 2007). Allometric principles, which establish a relationship between the floor area occupied by an animal (m 2 ) and its BW (kg) by means of the expression, Area 5 k 3 BW 0.667 , and where the constant is commonly known as the k-value, are an adequate approach when calculating floor space needs (Petherick and Phillips, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, the welfare of growing-finishing pigs housed under intensive conditions may be affected by a number of environmental factors. Among these, the floor space provided to pigs has been extensively studied throughout the years, with a negative effect of highstocking densities being found on different behavioural and physiological indicators associated to impaired welfare (Meunier-Salaü n et al, 1987 and2007). Allometric space allowance, expressed as m 2 /BW 0.667 , which relates the space available per pig to its scaled body weight (BW; Petherick, 1983;Baxter, 1984), provides an adequate basis -E-mail: Ludovic.Brossard@rennes.inra.fr for the determination of the spatial needs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Quantitative assessment of the effects of space allowance, group size and floor characteristics on the lying behaviour of growing-finishing pigs

Averós

Brossard

Dourmad

et al. 2010

Animal

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To obtain quantitative information that can be later used in animal welfare modelling, the relationship between the lying behaviour of growing-finishing pigs (initial body weight (BW) between 19 and 87 kg) and different factors related to the housing conditions, with a potential negative effect on their welfare, was studied by means of a meta-analytical approach. Data from 22 experiments reported in 21 scientific publications were collected. The space allowance, expressed on an allometric basis by means of a k-value (m 2 /BW 0.667 ), the group size (n) and the floor characteristics (fully and partly slatted v. non-slatted floor), as well as their significant two-way interactions were used as fixed effects, and the experiment was used as a random factor to take into account the interexperiment effect. Further regression analyses were performed on the predicted values of observations in order to improve the adjustment of data. A significant quadratic relationship was established between space allowance ( k-value, P , 0.05; squared k-value, P , 0.01) and the percentage of time spent lying. A significant interaction between the k-value and the floor type was also found ( P , 0.05), showing that the relationship between space allowance and lying behaviour is affected by the presence or absence of slats. Threshold k-values were obtained using broken-line analyses, being about 0.039 for slatted floors and almost double for non-slatted floors. Compared to other studies, these values suggest that the ability to rest as space availability decreases may be compromised before a reduced performance becomes apparent. Group size did not show a significant effect. Additional information should be added to the model, as further data become available, to adjust the proposed parameters as well as to try to include the effect of other important aspects such as that of ambient temperature.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative assessment of the effects of space allowance, group size and floor characteristics on the lying behaviour of growing-finishing pigs

Averós

Brossard

Dourmad

et al. 2010

Animal

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“…The performance of some behavioural patterns, such as those associated with feeding, drinking, excretion and resting are critical for immediate survival, whilst other behaviours, such as locomotion/exercise, self-grooming and social behavior are only essential for longer-term health and welfare (Petherick, 2007). The North American Holstein cows are larger (Agnew et al, 2003), ingest greater amounts of food and produce more milk (Linnane et al, 2004), but are most infertile, have more diseases and have short longevity (Knaus, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between Zoometric Measurements in Holstein-Friesian Cow and Cubicle Size in Dairy Farms

Cerqueira¹,

Araújo²,

Vaz³

et al. 2013

Int. J. Morphol.

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SUMMARY:Body measurements in Portuguese Holstein-Friesian breed and its association with the dimensions of the cubicles were investigated. During a period of 5 months, body measurements and cubicles size data from 55 commercial Portuguese dairy herds were collected including in total 1054 individual cows. Data were analyzed using the general linear model and principal components. The most relevant body measurements were: height at withers (141.1±4.72 cm), height at rump (144.2±4.47 cm), length of trunk (170.8±8.31 cm), width of biiliac (55.9±4.17 cm) and perimeter of the thorax (206.8±10.43 cm). In general, the first class of parity showed significant different measures (P<0.001) associated with the development of animals. Head to head cubicle length and cubicle width were 223.0±11.0 cm and 113.0±5.0 cm respectively; whereas in cubicle against wall length was 227.0±18.0 cm and width 111.0±7.0 cm. The highest correlations were found for body measures between the different heights and between the height at chest and perimeter of the thorax. The analysis showed no relation between body measurements and dimensions of the cubicles. Principal component analysis of the different body measurements and cubicles dimensions expressed 51.4% of the total variability, in which the first factor represented 40.2% and the second factor 11.1%.

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“…However, when maintained in the confines of a small and unfamiliar metabolism pen, collared peccary may show inactivity and lack of appetite (Mendes, 2008), perhaps reflecting a depression-like state in response to the inescapable and cramped housing conditions (cf. Hansen and Berthelsen, 2000;Petherick, 2007;Lund et al, 2012). Such a state would indicate poor welfare and may also compromise scientific outcomes, as has been suggested for other species (Hansen and Berthelsen, 2000;Petherick, 2007;Fraser, 2008;Lund et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Hansen and Berthelsen, 2000;Petherick, 2007;Lund et al, 2012). Such a state would indicate poor welfare and may also compromise scientific outcomes, as has been suggested for other species (Hansen and Berthelsen, 2000;Petherick, 2007;Fraser, 2008;Lund et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Measurement of cognitive bias and cortisol levels to evaluate the effects of space restriction on captive collared peccary (Mammalia, Tayassuidae)

Oliveira

Nogueira-Filho

Sousa

et al. 2016

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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a b s t r a c tWe use the judgement-bias paradigm to evaluate whether space restriction in metabolism pens affects the emotional state of collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) during a nutritional experiment. We trained individual adult males to 'go' to a specific location within 30 s when a positive auditory cue (whistle; CS+) was given in order to receive cassava root pieces as a reward, and to 'no-go' when a negative cue (caxixi percussion instrument; CS−) was sounded to avoid punishment (jet of water) and no reward. An 'ambiguous' auditory cue (a drumstick hitting an aluminum plate; CS A ) was presented to probe decision-making under ambiguity. Individuals were subjected to five 8-day housing conditions in the order: H1 (controlno space restriction-metabolism pen and additional area), H2 space restriction without environmental enrichment (metabolism pen only), H3 (control-no space restriction), H4 (space restriction with environmental enrichment), and H5 (control-no space restriction). On the eighth day of each housing condition, each animal was exposed to 10 judgement bias trials of each of the three cue types: CS+, CS−, and CS A . We recorded whether animals showed the 'go' or 'no-go' response after each type of cue and collected fecal samples to assess fecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations. Peccaries learnt to discriminate CS+ and CS− and maintained this discrimination during the five housing conditions tested. The response to the ambiguous cue (CS A ) varied according to the housing condition. During H1, the peccaries made a similar proportion of 'go' responses to all three types of cue (Ps > 0.07). During H2 and H3, 'go' responses to CSA and CS− cues occurred in similar proportions (Ps > 0.70), but peccaries showed more go responses to CS+ (Ps < 0.03) indicating that they were responding to CSA as if it were more likely to predict the waterjet than food. During H4 and H5, peccaries again made a similar proportion of 'go' responses to all three types of cue, as in H1. During H2 and H3, fecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations were higher than during the other tests (208.0 ± 16.4 vs. 141.6 ± 25.9 ngg −1 dry feces, Ps < 0.03). Our results suggest that space restriction may induce physiological stress and influence judgement bias and affective state in peccaries, and that these effects may be offset by environmental enrichment. However, the possibility of a general habituation to the housing conditions across time cannot be ruled out.

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Spatial requirements of animals: Allometry and beyond

Cited by 47 publications

References 38 publications

Quantitative assessment of the effects of space allowance, group size and floor characteristics on the lying behaviour of growing-finishing pigs

Quantitative assessment of the effects of space allowance, group size and floor characteristics on the lying behaviour of growing-finishing pigs

Relationship between Zoometric Measurements in Holstein-Friesian Cow and Cubicle Size in Dairy Farms

Measurement of cognitive bias and cortisol levels to evaluate the effects of space restriction on captive collared peccary (Mammalia, Tayassuidae)

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