The use of a lesion score as an indicator for agonistic behaviour in pigs

Stukenborg, Andreas; Traulsen, Imke; Stamer, E.; Puppe, Birger; Krieter, Joachim

doi:10.5194/aab-55-163-2012

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Lesion scores have been used in previous studies to determine the aggression level of pigs [20]. Hodgkiss et al [20] and Stukenborg et al [32] demonstrated that the severity, duration and frequency of overt aggression or fighting can be estimated by looking at the number of scratches or injuries on pigs, especially injuries to the anterior region of their body. However, aggression is also influenced by factors such as the familiarity of pigs, space allowance, group size and composition, pen design, time of day, food and bedding [33].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Enrichment Type, Presentation and Social Status on Enrichment Use and Behaviour of Sows with Electronic Sow Feeding

Roy

Lippens

Kyeiwaa

et al. 2019

Animals

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The goal of this study was to identify practical enrichments for sows in partially or fully slatted pen systems. Four treatments were applied: (1) Constant: constant provision of wood on chain; (2) Rotate: rotation of rope, straw and wood enrichments; (3) Stimulus: rotation of enrichments (as in Rotate) with an associative stimulus (bell or whistle); and (4) Control: no enrichment, with each treatment lasting 12 days. Six groups of 20 ± 2 sows were studied from weeks 6 to 14 of gestation in pens with one electronic sow feeder. Each group received all treatments in random order. Six focal animals (3 dominant and 3 subordinate) were selected per pen using a feed competition test. Digital photos were collected at 10 min intervals for 8 h (between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.) on 4 days/treatment (d 1, 8, 10 and 12) to record interactions with enrichment. Skin lesions were assessed on days 1 and 12, and saliva cortisol samples collected in weeks 6, 10 and 14 of gestation on focal pigs. Sows spent more time in contact with enrichments in Rotate and Stimulus treatments than Constant. Enrichment treatments did not influence lesion scores. Subordinate sows spent more time standing and near enrichments than dominants. Subordinate sows also received more skin lesions and had higher salivary cortisol concentrations than dominants. These results indicate that access to enrichment is valued by sows but can result in greater aggression directed towards subordinates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Enrichment Type, Presentation and Social Status on Enrichment Use and Behaviour of Sows with Electronic Sow Feeding

Roy

Lippens

Kyeiwaa

et al. 2019

Animals

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“…Skin lesions on the body of all pigs were registered by the same observer in the home pen before transport and after the second blood sampling essentially as described 61 . The total number of lesions was evaluated in home pen and after transport.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interference of stress with the somatotropic axis in pigs – lights on new biomarkers

Wirthgen

Kunze

Goumon

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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The acceptance of animal products is increasingly associated with standardized animal welfare, which relates to appropriate animal husbandry from birth to slaughter. In particular, shipment to the slaughterhouse is considered as a critical process exposing the animals to a number of, in part severe, stressors. New biomarkers may be useful for the assessment of animal welfare. The IGF-system has been assessed in a commercial pig transport in conjunction with established markers of stress response. Furthermore, the effect of repeated restraint as an experimental model for repeated acute stress was investigated. During shipment from farm to slaughterhouse, plasma concentrations of IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-2 were significantly reduced (p < 0.01). After shipment, the plasma concentrations of IGFBP-5, glucocorticoids and IL-2 increased but decreased after lairage (p < 0.05) whereas IGF-1 decreased after shipment (p < 0.01). Repeated acute stress increased concentrations of IGFBP-3 and IGF-1 in exsanguination blood (p < 0.05). Differential IGF- signatures can indicate altered endocrine or metabolic control and thus contain complex animal-related information. The somatotropic axis may be of particular interest when established biomarkers such as cortisol, glucose, or lactate cannot be used for the assessment of animal stress or welfare.

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“…To facilitate counting, the body was divided into three regions: head, neck and shoulder region, and the remaining parts of the body. Recordings were done only on fresh lesions, which were judged subjectively by colour and the estimated age of scabbing ( Turner et al, 2006 ).The scoring method used followed that of Stukenborg et al (2012) . To keep the scores consistent throughout the experiment, one person assessed the injury scores.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growth Performance and Behaviour in Grouped Pigs Fed Fibrous Diet

Bakare

Madzimure

Ndou

et al. 2014

Asian Australas. J. Anim. Sci

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The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of feeding fibrous diets on growth performance and occurrence of aggressive behaviours in growing pigs. Sixty healthy castrated pigs (initial body weight: 46.7±4.35 kg) were used. A basal diet was diluted with maize cobs to two levels (0 and 160 g/kg dry matter). Behavioural activities were observed using video cameras for three weeks, 8 h/d starting at 0800 h. Pigs subjected to control diet gained more weight compared to pigs receiving fibrous diet in week 1 (0.47 vs 0.15 kg, respectively) and 2 (1.37 vs 1.04, respectively) (p<0.05). Average daily gain was not affected by treatment diet in the third week. Pigs on high fibrous spent more time eating, lying down, standing, walking and fighting (p<0.05) compared to pigs on control diet. Time spent eating increased as the weeks progressed whilst time spent lying down decreased. Time of day had an effect on time spent on different behavioural activities exhibited by all pigs on different treatment diet (p<0.05). Inactivity was greatest in 5th (1200 to 1300 h) hour of the day for all the pigs on different dietary treatments. Skin lesions appeared the most on neck and shoulder region followed by chest, stomach and hind leg region, and finally head region (p<0.05). Pigs on high fibre diet had more skin lesions in all body regions compared to pigs on control diet (p<0.05). It can be concluded that the high fibrous diet with maize cobs did not affect growth performance and also did not reduce aggressive behaviours. Aggressive behaviours emanated out of frustration when queuing on the feeder. The findings of this study suggest that maize cobs can be included at a level of 160 g/kg in diets of pigs. However, to reduce the level of aggression more feeding space should be provided.

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The use of a lesion score as an indicator for agonistic behaviour in pigs

Cited by 10 publications

References 15 publications

Effects of Enrichment Type, Presentation and Social Status on Enrichment Use and Behaviour of Sows with Electronic Sow Feeding

Effects of Enrichment Type, Presentation and Social Status on Enrichment Use and Behaviour of Sows with Electronic Sow Feeding

Interference of stress with the somatotropic axis in pigs – lights on new biomarkers

Growth Performance and Behaviour in Grouped Pigs Fed Fibrous Diet

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