Sex differences in group composition and habitat use of Iberian free-range pigs

The aim of the present work was to study group size, group composition and habitat use of Iberian pigs along the year when reared outdoor. This consists of a regimen in which animals are reared free range from 2 months of age until at least 14 months of age. In a first stage, animals are supplemented with concentrates, and in a second, called montanera, pigs eat just natural resources in areas with no more than two pigs per hectare. In these systems, males are castrated to avoid boar taint and females spayed to avoid the attraction and mounting by wild boars. The study was carried out in five different farms allocated in the south-west of Spain during 2 consecutive years, from March 2012 to February 2014, under the montanera regimen, and with a total of 995 animals observed (498 males and 497 females). The data were analyzed with SAS by means of general models and proc mixed. Mean group size along the year was of 17 ± 12.9 individuals, but this was significantly lower (P < 0.05) during the montanera (12 ± 0.8) and at midday (13 ± 0.8). Groups were bigger (P < 0.05) when they were more than 50 m from a tree (23 ± 1.8), or <10 m from the shelter (25 ± 1.5), the feeding area (31 ± 3.1) and the water-bath area (25 ± 1.5). Nine percent of the groups were solitary animals, being higher (P = 0.0286) during the montanera (11%) than the rest of the year (8%) and being formed in 68% by males. Males were less involved in mixed groups than were females (75% vs. 91%), especially in spring, where the largest (P < 0.0001) male groups were found. Female groups were less frequent and smaller (P < 0.0001) than were male and mixed groups. In conclusion, although males were castrated at a very young age, they showed a different behavior than females, forming in bachelor groups during the spring and being less involved in mixed groups and with more solitary animals. During the montanera, when animals were feeding on acorns and other natural resources, groups were smaller and closer to the trees, solitary males reaching a maximum percent.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Environmental and Management Factors Affecting the Time Budgets of Free-Ranging Iberian Pigs Reared in Spain

Understanding the natural behaviour of pigs in free-range conditions facilitates interpretation of their behaviour in intensive conditions. Studying six different farms over two years at different seasons, with climatic and management variations, allowed for a general description of Iberian pig behaviour and which factors have an influence on it. The main activity found was resting (56.5% of the time observed), followed by exploratory behaviour. However, this exploratory behaviour was higher when animals were fed only with natural resources than when fed with concentrates (50% versus 17.8%, respectively). In addition, pigs used bathing areas in summer that were not visited in winter. Negative social behaviour was seen more frequently than positive social behaviour, accounting, in total, for 1% of the total activity of animals. Pigs situated at the centre of the groups tended to remain more relaxed, while the peripheral animals remained more alert and vigilant. Our results indicate that foraging behaviour accounts for a significant proportion of pigs’ active time, but this proportion is much more reduced when pigs are fed concentrates. Therefore, behavioural needs in pigs reared in intensive conditions should consider that exploratory behaviour is reduced when pigs are fed with concentratesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Changes in salivary biomarkers of oxidative status in calves at weaning and grouping

Saliva is being increasingly used as a sample for measuring biomarkers in several species and shows a high potential of use to detect and monitor stress. The weaning and grouping in dairy calves are a particularly stressful time. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate a panel of antioxidant and oxidant biomarkers in the saliva of calves on the day of weaning (W0), 2 days after weaning or milk withdrawal (W + 2), and 4 days after grouping (G + 4). In addition, to verify if cortisol and oxytocin concentrations are related to the biomarkers measured. Salivary cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), ferric reducing ability of saliva (FRAS), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), and ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange (FOX) were significantly higher (P < 0.02) 4 days after grouping than the day of weaning and 2 days after. The increases were 50 and 54% for CUPRAC, 93 and 116% for FRAS, 117 and 135% for TEAC, 22 and 49% for AOPP and 10 and 5% for FOX in comparison with weaning and 2 days after, respectively. In addition, oxytocin and cortisol showed significant negative and positive correlations (P < 0.05) respectively with the biomarkers of oxidative status. Our results showed that calves after grouping show increases in antioxidants and oxidants concentrations, indicating that a balance between these molecules has been tried to maintain during this stressful situation. The dynamic changes of biomarkers of oxidative status should be explored and characterised in other stressful conditions. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12917-021-03087-2

Behavioural changes in weaned piglets orally challenged with Escherichia coli F4 and supplemented with in-feed protected acid salts

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UABImprovement of the intestinal health of piglets at weaning is a principal objective in pig farming in terms of performance and welfare benefits. Early indicators of disease are indispensable for evaluating animal health and the efficacy of interventions such as feed additive supplementation. This study evaluates behavioural changes in weaned piglets that are orally challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F4, and which receive or not two different in-feed additives. Two independent trials were performed with early-weaned piglets in pens of three animals, which were fed a plain diet (N = 32) or one supplemented with sodium butyrate (N = 16; Trial 1) or sodium heptanoate (N = 16; Trial 2) and protected with coconut distillates. After one week of adaptation, piglets were challenged with a single oral dose of E. coli F4 (minimum 1.4 x109 cfu). Scan-sampling was used to evaluate individual behaviour (location in the pen, postures, contact with pen mates, and activities) on the day before (d-1) and two days post-inoculation (d+2 and d+3) at 2-min intervals. Behaviours were recorded in mornings (8 am to 10 am) and afternoons (4 pm to 6 pm). Faecal consistency was also recorded for each animal. Diarrhoea peaked at d+ 2. Regarding behaviour, on d+ 2 there was greater frequency of the animals lying inactively under the heat lamp, in contrast to d-1 when they were more frequently present in the feeder, standing and active (P < 0.05). Around the feeder, standing and active behaviour increased at d+ 3, especially in the afternoon (PDayxTime of day < 0.05). Piglets fed sodium heptanoate spent less time around the feeder (P < 0.05). The weight of the animal at weaning was also observed to have an impact on the effect of time or diet on behaviour. Medium size piglets spent more time lying with pen mates in the afternoon (PSizexTime of day < 0.01) and the smallest piglets increased their feeding behaviour when receiving the supplemented diets (PSizexDiet < 0.05). In conclusion, a lethargic response among piglets after the E. coli F4 challenge was evidenced, this response being slightly modified by the supplementation of in-feed additives and the size of the animals. These results are evidence of the potential of behavioural indicators as a useful tool to assess the health status of piglets at weaning and their responses to in-feed supplementation, but they should be regarded with caution before any transfer to farm conditions due to the limitations of experimental models

Oral Meloxicam Administration in Sows at Farrowing and Its Effects on Piglet Immunity Transfer and Growth

Many factors can lead to an inadequate development of piglets during their first days of life, including poor maternal behavior, which can be due to pain caused by farrowing, and reduced colostrum ingestion. This study investigates the action of meloxicam administered orally at farrowing on piglet weight gain and immunity transfer. Thirty-five multiparous sows were divided into two groups and treated with 0.4 mg/kg of oral meloxicam (oral meloxicam group; n = 18) or with a mock administration (control group; n = 17). A total of 382 piglets were individually weighed on the farrowing day (day 0), as well as on days +9 and +20. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and A (IgA) concentrations in piglet serum and in sow's saliva, colostrum and milk were measured. Additionally, Interleukin-2 (IL-2), Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and Interferon gamma (IFN-⋎) in serum of piglets and in sow's milk or colostrum were studied. All samples were obtained on days +1, +9, and +20. Piglets from sows in the oral meloxicam group tended to grow faster from day +9 to day +20 than did piglets from control sows (p = 0.059), and this difference was also observed in piglets with low body weight (BW) at birth (p = 0.056). The oral meloxicam group sows tended to increase the colostrum levels of IgA and IgG, as compared with control sows on day +1 (p = 0.068 and p = 0.072, respectively). IgA levels in piglet serum from the oral meloxicam group were significantly higher than in the control group on day +1 and +9 (p = 0.019 and p = 0.011 respectively). Furthermore, IL-2 and IL-4 levels in the serum of piglets from sows in the oral meloxicam group tended to be higher than that in the control group on day +9 (p = 0.078 and 0.056, respectively). The administration of meloxicam orally at the beginning of farrowing in multiparous sows increased immunoglobin and cytokine concentrations in colostrum, improving both humoral and cellular immune response of piglets. Pre-weaning growth of piglets born with a low BW improved in the meloxicam-treated group

Preliminary findings on the effect of the pig appeasing pheromone in a slow releasing block on the welfare of pigs at weaning

The pig appeasing pheromone (PAP) applied in spray has shown to be effective in reducing the frequency of aggression and the stress response of young and adult pigs under experimental conditions. This preliminary experiment investigates the effect of the PAP in a slow releasing block on the behaviour and skin lesions of weaners after mixing on a commercial farm. Two identical rooms containing six replicates per treatment of a commercial weaner building were used. There were two treatments (PAP block and Control) and each room contained one treatment. In the PAP treatment, the day before weaning and after washing and disinfection, two PAP blocks (1 block / 20 m 2) were placed hanging on top of the pens. Six hours after mixing, there was a significant effect of the PAP block treatment on the occurrence of social negative behaviour (PAP mean; median [95 % CI] for median = 3.6; 2.7 [1.5-5.4] % vs. Control 8.3; 8.7 [6.1-11.3] % P = 0.003, social positive behaviour (PAP 5.5; 5.1 [4.5-6.8] % vs. Control 1.4; 1.3 [0-2.8] % P = 0.02), feeding (PAP 9.1; 7.4 [5.5-16.5] % vs. Control 1.6; 0.0 [0-6.1] % P = 0.02, drinking (PAP 3.1; 2.9 [2.5-3.9] % vs. Control 0.8; 0.5 [0-1.7] % P = 0.04) as well as on the sitting position (PAP 1.2; 0.9 [0-2.4] % vs. Control 4.1; 4.2 [2.1-6.0] % P = 0.02). Except for social positive behaviour (PAP 5.6; 6.0 [3.9-7.5] % vs. Control 2.9; 2.8 [1.6-4.2] % P = 0.02) those differences were not significant 24 h post-mixing anymore. The prevalence of wounded animals was not significantly different between treatments. The PAP in block form may be a promising tool to reduce food neophobia and aggression after mixing. Still, further research is needed to increase the effect of the PAP block over time under commercial farming conditions

Periparturient behavior and physiology: further insight into the farrowing process for primiparous and multiparous sows

Giving birth is a critical time for many species and is often the most painful event ever experienced by females. In domestic species, like the pig, pain associated with parturition represents a potential welfare concern, and the consequences of pain can cause economic losses (e.g., by indirectly contributing to piglet mortality as pain could slow post-farrowing recovery, reduce food and water intake, reducing milk let-down). This study investigated pain assessment and its management in primiparous (gilts) and multiparous (sows) breeding pigs, including the provision of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) post-parturition. Individuals were randomly allocated to receive the NSAID ketoprofen (3 mg/kg bodyweight) (n = 11 gilts, 16 sows) or the equivalent volume of saline (n = 13 gilts, 16 sows) by intramuscular injection 1.5 h after the birth of the last piglet. Data collected included putative behavioral indicators of pain (back leg forward, tremble, back arch), salivary cortisol concentrations pre-farrowing and up to 7 days post-injection. In addition, post-partum biomarkers of inflammation, including the acute phase protein C-reactive protein (CRP) and 3 porcine cytokines [interleukin-1 β (IL1 β), interleukin-6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF α)] were measured in plasma collected 6 h following the injection. Behaviors were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models, and physiological variables with linear mixed models. No difference in putative pain behaviors, salivary cortisol, CRP, or cytokines were found between individuals treated with ketoprofen or those administered the saline control. However, there were some differences between gilts and sows, as sows exhibited more putative pain behavior than gilts, had higher salivary cortisol on the day of farrowing and had higher plasma TNF α. Conversely, gilts had higher salivary cortisol than sows on day 3 post-farrowing and had higher CRP. This indicates that, like human females, multiparous sows experience more pain from uterine activity following birth than primiparas. This study provides useful information for developing management practices relating to post-farrowing care for breeding pigs

Inflammation interferes with chemoreception in pigs by altering the neuronal layout of the vomeronasal sensory epithelium

Chemical communication is widely used by animals to exchange information in their environment, through the emission and detection of semiochemicals to maintain social organization and hierarchical rules in groups. The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is one of the main detectors of these messages, and its inflammation has been linked to behavioral changes because it potentially prevents molecule detection and, consequently, the translation of the signal into action. Our previous study highlighted the link between the intensity of vomeronasal sensory epithelium (VNSE) inflammation, probably induced by farm contaminant exposure, and intraspecific aggression in pigs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cellular and molecular changes that occur during vomeronasalitis in 76 vomeronasal sensorial epithelia from 38 intensive-farmed pigs. Histology was used to evaluate the condition of each VNO and classify inflammation as healthy, weak, moderate, or strong. These data were compared to the thickness of the sensorial epithelium and the number of type 1 vomeronasal receptor cells using anti-Gαi2 protein immunohistochemistry (IHC) and analysis. The presence of odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) in the areas surrounding the VNO was also analyzed by IHC and compared to inflammation intensity since its role as a molecule transporter to sensory neurons has been well-established. Of the 76 samples, 13 (17%) were healthy, 31 (41%) presented with weak inflammation, and 32 (42%) presented with moderate inflammation. No severe inflammation was observed. Epithelial thickness and the number of Gαi2+ cells were inversely correlated with inflammation intensity (Kruskal-Wallis and ANOVA tests, p < 0.0001), while OBP expression in areas around the VNO was increased in inflamed VNO (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.0094), regardless of intensity. This study showed that inflammation was associated with a reduction in the thickness of the sensory epithelium and Gαi2+ cell number, suggesting that this condition can induce different degrees of neuronal loss. This finding could explain how vomeronasalitis may prevent the correct functioning of chemical communication, leading to social conflict with a potential negative impact on welfare, which is one of the most important challenges in pig farming

Cows vocalization and behavioral characterization during eutocic and dystocic calvings

Oral session 3[EN] Calving is a painful and stressful event for dairy cows. Continuous monitoring can provide quick and accurate assistance to the cow, reducing stress, pain, and preventing calving difficulties (dystocia). Vocalizations can provide information on cow welfare problems, such as pain. The aims of the current study were: (1) to characterize cows' vocalizations before and during calving and (2) to determine the relationship between cow vocalizations and painrelated behavior in eutocic and dystocic calvings

Might cows have accents? Acoustic characterization of calves vocalizations from two different geographical locations

Oral session 2[EN] The development of artificial intelligence algorithms and monitoring technologies has led to the increased use of sensors in animal production. Animal production stakeholders have emphasized the importance of non-invasive methods that provide accurate information without compromising the physical integrity of the animals. Animal vocalizations offer an opportunity to capture data of biological relevance without animal manipulation