Bolhuis, J.E.

Kemp, B.

Reimert, I.

Rodenburg, T.B.

NARCIS 

How to assess positive emotions in pigs

Wageningen Yield 

 34 
parameters between a situation where kids could 
interact vocally and visually, but not physically with 
their mothers, and complete isolation.  
 
In a second experiment with adults, we measured 
behavioural, vocal and physiological responses in three 
emotional situations. These were: 1) isolation 
(negative-low arousal), 2) food-related frustration 
(negative-high arousal), and 3) food reward (positive-
high arousal). Comparisons between situations of 
opposing valence, but similar arousal revealed several 
indicators of valence. Similarly, comparisons between 
situations of similar valence, but different arousal 
revealed numerous indicators of arousal. These non-
invasive vocal indicators of emotions could be applied 
to other livestock in order to assess welfare. 
 
 
S19.3 Happy as a pig in mud? Assessing the 
expressive quality of animal behaviour  
Françoise Wemelsfelder, Animal and Veterinary 
Sciences Group 
 
Dynamic models of animal sentience and emotion are 
gaining momentum, making possible an integrated 
approach to welfare assessment in which emotion is an 
expressive aspect of, rather than a separate state from, 
behaviour. Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is a 
‘whole animal’ methodology designed to characterise 
and quantify the expressive quality of animal 
demeanour, using descriptors such as relaxed, fearful, 
agitated or content. Such terms are frequently applied 
in studies of animal temperament and personality, and 
QBA extends this to include the assessment of animal 
experience.  
 
This presentation will review research to date aimed at 
validating this approach, evaluating stronger and 
weaker aspects. In this light it will discuss QBA’s 
relevance for assessing positive emotion in farm 
animals, and indicate future directions of research and 
practical application. 
 
 
S19.4 Positive affects in lambs: appeasing effects of 
stroking 
Sophie Hild, Inra 
Marjorie Coulon, Delphine Briand, Raymond Nowak, 
Xavier Boivin 
 
Previous studies suggest that early gentling of 
artificially–fed lambs increases the animals' affinity for 
their caretaker, with an appeasing effect of the familiar 
human in social isolation. Yet, the animal’s response 
during gentling has not been described, particularly 
regarding previous experience of it.  
 
Ewe–lambs were submitted either to the presence of a 
female caretaker (N=16), or to gentle stroking by this 
caretaker (N=16). Treatments started from birth in 
sessions of 6 min, 3 times a day and decreasing to 3 
times a week over 2 months. Lambs were then 
submitted for 9 min to 1) stroking by their familiar 
caretaker, 2) her simple presence, at one–week 
interval and in randomized order.  
 
We found that all animals, particularly those used to 
stroking, showed human–oriented behaviours (e.g. 
contact seeking). Compared to simple human presence, 
stroking induced an overall decrease in general activity 
and a decrease in heart rate and sympathetic activity. 
Vagal activity, reflecting a resting state, decreased with 
gentling in lambs used to stroking and increased in 
naive lambs.  
 
We conclude that gentling seems to have appeasing 
effects on lambs used to human presence, particularly 
if the experience is new to them. 
 
 
S19.5 How to assess positive emotions in pigs  
Inonge Reimert, Wageningen University 
T. Bas Rodenburg, Bas Kemp, J. Elizabeth Bolhuis 
 
Good welfare of farm animals is in the interest of 
farmers, society and animal welfare scientists. Good 
welfare means, among other things, the experience of 
positive emotions. The question is how do we know 
whether an animal is experiencing positive emotions? 
Emotions are considered to be composed of 
behavioural, (neuro)physiological, cognitive and 
conscious components. The last component has not 
been proven to exist in animals yet. The other 
components, however, can and have been used to 
assess emotions in animals.  
 
We investigated the behavioural component, because 
this is the most convenient one to use on farms. 
Experiments with pigs confirmed that play behaviour 
and bark vocalizations are behavioural indicators of 
positive emotions, and tail wagging could be a possible 
new indicator of positive affect in pigs. In addition, we 
also found that play can lead to play in other pigs, 
thereby likely spreading the positive emotional state, a 
process called emotional contagion. This could lead to 
better welfare for the whole group and not only the 
individual animal. Moreover, nosing behaviours also 
seem to play a role in good welfare. 
 
Symposium 20: Animal sentience and welfare: 
What can ethology offer? 
 
S20.1 Beastly bias - species choice, legislation and 
animal welfare.  
Robert Hubrecht, UFAW 


How to assess positive emotions in pigs

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NARCIS

Wageningen Yield