Pig behaviour during crowding : a study in organic and conventional herds
Rearing in organic pig production differs from conventional rearing; pigs have outdoor access and larger space allowances. Regardless of production system all pigs are transported before slaughter and during transport pigs are crowded together in a new environment and in a space smaller than they ar...
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| Format: | H2 |
| Language: | Inglés Swedish |
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SLU/Dept. of Animal Breeding and Genetics (until 231231)
2011
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| Subjects: |
| _version_ | 1855570515419201536 |
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| author | Thorell, Karolina |
| author_browse | Thorell, Karolina |
| author_facet | Thorell, Karolina |
| author_sort | Thorell, Karolina |
| collection | Epsilon Archive for Student Projects |
| description | Rearing in organic pig production differs from conventional rearing; pigs have outdoor access and larger space allowances. Regardless of production system all pigs are transported before slaughter and during transport pigs are crowded together in a new environment and in a space smaller than they are used to. As pigs in organic herds are reared at even larger space allowances than conventional pigs, such crowding could possibly have a stronger impact on pig behaviour and well-being. Six pig producing herds, three conventional and three organic, were visited and pigs from each herd were enclosed during 12 minutes in a test area corresponding to the crowding on a transport vehicle. During the crowding, pigs‟ behaviour was observed, before and after enclosure in the test area skin lesion scores were recorded, and also measures of heart girth (for weight estimation) was done. The results show that there are differences in how organic and conventional pigs‟ response to a crowded situation. Pigs in organic herds were more active, i.e. standing up (p=0.004), only pigs in conventional herds lied down during the test period. Moreover, organic pigs were more engaged in social tactile interactions (0.001>p<0.006), had higher vocalisation scores (p=0.002) and climbed the walls of the test area more (p<0.001) than conventional pigs. Conventional pigs had higher skin lesion scores than organic pigs before the study (p=0.013), but no difference in change during the enclosure was detected. The interviewed transporters had experienced behavioural differences between organic and conventional pigs; they regarded organic pigs as more active and agitated. However, whether this was regarded as positive or negative for their work was not consistent. In conclusion, pigs reared in organic herds vocalised more, were more active and performed a higher frequency of social interactions during crowding compared to pigs in conventional herds. This could indicate that pigs from organic herds have more difficulties, compared to pigs from conventional herds, to cope in crowded situations. |
| format | H2 |
| id | RepoSLU3030 |
| institution | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| language | Inglés swe |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publishDateSort | 2011 |
| publisher | SLU/Dept. of Animal Breeding and Genetics (until 231231) |
| publisherStr | SLU/Dept. of Animal Breeding and Genetics (until 231231) |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | RepoSLU30302012-04-20T14:21:26Z Pig behaviour during crowding : a study in organic and conventional herds Grisars beteende vid trängsel : en studie i ekologiska och konventionella besättningar Thorell, Karolina pig behaviour organic conventional transport space Rearing in organic pig production differs from conventional rearing; pigs have outdoor access and larger space allowances. Regardless of production system all pigs are transported before slaughter and during transport pigs are crowded together in a new environment and in a space smaller than they are used to. As pigs in organic herds are reared at even larger space allowances than conventional pigs, such crowding could possibly have a stronger impact on pig behaviour and well-being. Six pig producing herds, three conventional and three organic, were visited and pigs from each herd were enclosed during 12 minutes in a test area corresponding to the crowding on a transport vehicle. During the crowding, pigs‟ behaviour was observed, before and after enclosure in the test area skin lesion scores were recorded, and also measures of heart girth (for weight estimation) was done. The results show that there are differences in how organic and conventional pigs‟ response to a crowded situation. Pigs in organic herds were more active, i.e. standing up (p=0.004), only pigs in conventional herds lied down during the test period. Moreover, organic pigs were more engaged in social tactile interactions (0.001>p<0.006), had higher vocalisation scores (p=0.002) and climbed the walls of the test area more (p<0.001) than conventional pigs. Conventional pigs had higher skin lesion scores than organic pigs before the study (p=0.013), but no difference in change during the enclosure was detected. The interviewed transporters had experienced behavioural differences between organic and conventional pigs; they regarded organic pigs as more active and agitated. However, whether this was regarded as positive or negative for their work was not consistent. In conclusion, pigs reared in organic herds vocalised more, were more active and performed a higher frequency of social interactions during crowding compared to pigs in conventional herds. This could indicate that pigs from organic herds have more difficulties, compared to pigs from conventional herds, to cope in crowded situations. Uppfödningsperioden i ekologisk grisproduktion skiljer sig mycket från uppfödning i konventionell produktion; grisar i ekologiska besättningar har betydligt större områden att röra sig på samt tillgång till utevistelse. Oavsett om grisar föds upp i ekologiska eller konventionella system så transporteras alla innan slakt. Transporten innebär trängsel i en ny miljö på en mycket mindre yta jämfört med uppfödningsperioden. Eftersom grisar i ekologiska besättningar är vana vid ännu större områden än konventionella grisar, skulle en sådan trängsel kunna ha en starkare inverkan på deras beteende och välmående. I den här studien besöktes sex slaktsvins-besättningar, tre ekologiska och tre konventionella. I alla besättningar stängdes grisar in, under sammanlagt 12 minuter, på ett litet testområde för att motsvara trängseln på en slakttransport. Under studien observerades grisarnas beteende, före och efter studien bedömdes hudskador och efter studien mättes även bröstomfånget (för viktuppskattning). Resultaten visar att det finns skillnader i ekologiska och konventionella grisars beteende vid trängsel på en liten yta. Ekologiska grisar var mer aktiva, dvs. stod upp (p=0,004), endast grisar i de konventionella besättningarna lade sig ner under 12-minutersperioden. Dessutom var grisarna i de ekologiska besättningarna mer involverade i sociala interaktioner (0,001>p<0,006), vokaliserade mer (p=0,002) och klättrade betydligt mer på väggarna till testområdet (p<0,001) jämfört med de konventionella grisarna. Grisarna i de konventionella besättningarna hade mer hudskador än de ekologiska innan studien (p=0,013), men ingen skillnad i förändring efter studien kunde urskiljas. De intervjuade transportörerna upplevde skillnader i beteende mellan ekologiska och konventionella grisar, de ansåg att ekologiska grisar var mer rörliga och stirriga. Huruvida detta ansågs vara positivt eller negativt för deras arbete upplevdes olika. Sammanfattningsvis, grisar i ekologiska besättningar vokaliserade mer, var mer aktiva och utförde mer sociala interaktioner vid trängsel på en liten yta jämfört med grisar i konventionella besättningar. Detta skulle kunna tyda på att grisar från ekologiska besättningar kan ha svårare, än grisar från konventionella besättningar, att hantera trängsel på en liten yta. SLU/Dept. of Animal Breeding and Genetics (until 231231) 2011 H2 eng swe https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/3030/ |
| spellingShingle | pig behaviour organic conventional transport space Thorell, Karolina Pig behaviour during crowding : a study in organic and conventional herds |
| title | Pig behaviour during crowding : a study in organic and conventional herds |
| title_full | Pig behaviour during crowding : a study in organic and conventional herds |
| title_fullStr | Pig behaviour during crowding : a study in organic and conventional herds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pig behaviour during crowding : a study in organic and conventional herds |
| title_short | Pig behaviour during crowding : a study in organic and conventional herds |
| title_sort | pig behaviour during crowding : a study in organic and conventional herds |
| topic | pig behaviour organic conventional transport space |