Parturition in the pig: relationships between pain, stress and maternal behaviour

The thesis examines the relationships between pain, stress and behaviour of the pig around parturition. This includes the effects of pregnancy and parturition on maternal nociception, and environmental restriction on stress physiology and behaviour. The main findings are:1. Late pregnancy and parturition in the pig is associated with an endogenous analgesic system which is, at least in part, mediated via endogenous opioids.2. Passivity and inactivity are major components of maternal behaviour in the pig and are suggested to be indicative of good maternal care in this species. The thesis provides evidence of an opioid mediation of maternal behaviour which could arise through several potential routes, namely: the action of the analgesic system, general sedation, the inhibition of oxytocin release.3. A rise in plasma Cortisol, ACTH and P-endorphin concentrations were found in pre-parturient gilts housed in both straw bedded pens and conventional farrowing crates. However crates caused further stimulation of the HPA axis reflecting thwarting of nestbuilding behaviour in this restrictive environment.4. The farrowing crate did not cause further HPA activity during the expulsive phase which may reflect the inactivity of the pig at this time. A rise in plasma Cortisol was found as the expulsive phase progressed irrespective of environment however the thesis found that the expulsion of a piglet does not appear to play a major role in this.Overall the thesis has realised a better understanding of parturition in the pig by relating the physiology and behaviour of the pig at this time. The possibility of maternal pain influencing the progress of parturition and maternal behaviour is discussed in relation to possible mechanisms by which this may occur. The thesis has also highlighted welfare implications regarding the use of farrowing crates, and provides information which may be used when considering changes to housing for parturient pigs

Evidence for Facilitation of Horizontal Social Learning Among Social Subgroups of Juvenile Atlantic Spotted Dolphins (Stenella frontalis).

Although vertical (mother-to-offspring) information transfer has been reported in dolphins, it is unclear whether horizontal information transfer takes place between peers of non-parental individuals. We hypothesized that horizontal information transmission takes place within juvenile social play-forage subgroups and within pairs of juveniles in the form of social learning, as a way for older juveniles to contribute to the further development of younger juveniles’ foraging skills. Since 1985, a long-term study in the Bahamas has involved the collection of underwater videos and sound recordings on the social structure of a resident community of free-ranging Atlantic spotted dolphins Stenella frontalis. Foraging behaviors of juvenile dolphins were analyzed in 24 independent foraging events recorded on video from 1994 to 2013. Forty-nine juveniles in total were observed, including eight individually identified juveniles foraging alone, eight individually identified juveniles foraging in pairs, and 33 juveniles foraging in eight subgroups of three or more dolphins. The comparison of older juveniles' behavior against younger juveniles' behavior in juvenile play-forage subgroups suggested the potential for horizontal transmission of information about prey location. However, we found no direct evidence for social learning or of teaching in pairs. This new information about wild Atlantic spotted dolphin social structure is a starting point in horizontal information transmission research and is important in terms of cognitive processes and welfare implications

Youth mentoring relationships: Understanding how to prevent breakdown

The research report Youth Mentoring Relationships: Understanding how to prevent breakdown (online version) was produced by a research team from four Perth universities: Dr Judith MacCallum, Murdoch University; Dr Susan Beltman, Curtin University; Dr Anne Coffey, The University of Notre Dame Australia; and Dr Trudi Cooper, Edith Cowan University (with Jayne Jarvis). This research contributes to a better understanding of some of the key strategies to reduce breakdown of mentor-mentee relationships and to lesson the adverse effect of unavoidable relationship breakdown