Is it getting better? Animal welfare aspects in subsidized dairy and pig stables

Posted in: Welfare by admin on January 1, 2008 | No Comments

The Farm Investment Scheme (FIS)does not achieve important improvements in the behavioural aspect of animal welfare at the farm level. Although there are some meliorations in the dairy farms, these are mainly due to the abandonment of tethered-stalls – a husbandry form which is due to become extinct even without policy intervention
in the middle run. At the pig farms, restriction of animal behaviour is a much more severe problem and the FIS can not account for any improvement.

An estimate of the methionine requirement and its variability in growing pigs using the indicator amino acid oxidation technique

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The objective of this study
was to determine the mean Met requirement in individual
gilts and to estimate the related variability. It was concluded that to maximize profitability,
Met levels in starter pig diets should be determined,
depending on the cost of crystalline Met and the fraction
of the population whose requirement is to be met.

Genetic components of heat stress in finishing pigs: Development of a heat load function

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This study tested the effects of heat stress during the life of a pig, specifically its final weight. It was found that the threshold varied from 16-20 degree Celcius and the second period was varied from 8 to 16 weeks. Changes in BW of finisher pigs was due to heat stress and can be magnified by heat load during the last 10 weeks of life.

Effects of late introduction of sows to two farrowing environments on the progress of farrowing and maternal behavior

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This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the late introduction to farrowing pens on the progress of farrowing and maternal behaviour. It was concluded that when sows and gilts were intoduced late, neither progress of farrowing or maternal behavour for piglet crushing was influenced. However, crating of primiparous sows that were introduced late to the farrowing environment led to detrimental effects on the progress of farrowing and the percentage of stillborn piglets as compared to pigs housed in a pen.

The effect of heated mash on performance and feeding behavior of newly weaned piglets

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The influence of heated mash on
growth and feeding behavior of newly weaned piglets
was investigated. An automatically ventilated nursery
with 4 identical pens was used. Twenty piglets weaned
at 21 d were housed in each pen. The experiment was
repeated 3 times. In total, data were obtained from 240
piglets of 12 pens. The pens were provided with a sensor-
controlled, automatic feeding device, which dosed a
ready-mixed mash in a trough. In each of 2 of the pens,
the feed was mixed with warm water at 36°C, during
the first week of weaning. This heated mash had a temperature
of 34°C at the outlet of the automatic feeding
device (experimental group). In the 2 control groups,
the water was not heated and the temperature of the
mash was 14°C at the outlet of the automatic feeding
device. From the second week of weaning, the mash had
a temperature of 14°C at the outlet of the automatic
feeding device in all 4 pens. Piglets were weighed at
weaning, at weekly intervals through 49 d after weaning,
and on d 139 after weaning. Behavior of the whole
group, as well as behavior of selected focal animals, was
evaluated for the first 48 h after weaning. In addition,
skin condition of piglets was assessed on day of weaning
and on d 7, 14, and 21 after weaning. The amount of
feed consumed by the piglets was recorded on a daily
basis throughout the whole period of nursery. Over the
total period of the study, piglets in the experimental
group gained 3.98 ± 1.66 kg (P = 0.047) more than
the control group. The difference was particularly clear
during the nursery period (49 d) when the experimental
group gained 0.89 ± 0.23 kg more than the control
group (P = 0.03). Although piglets in the control group
consumed 37.15 ± 0.15 kg of feed over the complete
nursery period, the experimental group consumed 42.56
± 0.15 kg per piglet (P = 0.023). By heating the mash
feed in the first week after weaning, both growth performance
as well as feed consumption of piglets could
be increased. No difference in feed conversion and feeding
behavior was found between groups.

A comparative view on social hierarchy formation at different stages of pig production using sociometric measures

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The social structure of domestic pigs is based on a dominance hierarchy that is established after vigorous fighting when unacquainted pigs are brought together (Meese and Ewbank, 1973; Puppe and Tuchscherer, 1994). Amongst newly acquainted pigs mutual recognition during aggression seems to be related to an acquired familiarity (Puppe, 1998; Stookey and Gonyou, 1998), although the mechanisms underpinning individual discrimination remain rather unclear (McLeman et al., 2005). The decrease in aggression after mixing may be caused by an increase of simple habituation or, more obviously, by an increase of the clarity of mutual dominance relationships (Rushen, 1988; Jensen and Yngvesson, 1998). The repeated regrouping which is common in pig production, however, means that new hierarchies have to be established frequently. It is well known that high rates of aggression are involved in this process, which in turn may cause serious problems in animal welfare and performance (e.g. Stookey and Gonyou, 1994; Puppe and Tuchscherer, 1994; Puppe et al., 1997; Gonyou, 2001). A standardised and comprehensive approach to describe dominance relationships in gregarious farm animals quantitatively was recently developed, incorporating a combination of appropriate sociometric measures. The present study applied this approach to a comparative analysis of the social hierarchies within 57 groups of domestic pigs at different age/production stages with a total of 496 animals. Unacquainted pigs were grouped to three age categories that correspond to the typical production stages: weaned pigs (PIG28, 12 groups), growing pigs (PIG80, 16 groups), and reproductive sows (SOW, 29 groups). Based on observed agonistic interactions, sociometric values were calculated both at the dyadic and at the group level and may be considered as preliminary reference values for further studies. As indicated by the respective values of the Kendall index (PIG28: 0.66, tested as significant in 69.0% of the observed groups; PIG80: 0.71, 87.5%; SOW: 0.61, 69.0%), and the improved Landau index (PIG28: 0.70, 75.0%; PIG80: 0.72, 93.7%; SOW: 0.71, 72.4%), a social organisation towards a quasi-linear social hierarchy was predominantly developed throughout all age/production categories. However, compared to weaned and growing pigs, sows were characterised by significant differences concerning establishment (fewer agonistic interactions) and kind (more unknown dyads, fewer two-way and significant dyads, higher directional consistency index) of their social hierarchy. It seems that sows have effectively adapted their agonistic behaviour towards pen-mates to regulate social dominance relationships, whereas younger pigs frequently display agonistic interactions also to gain additional experience on social cues (e.g. the fighting ability of an opponent). Hence, it is concluded that the effective experience of socialisation during sensitive periods may increase the social skills of pigs which in turn can improve their welfare and health, e.g. by adjusted aggressive behaviour. The consideration of comparable and standardized sociometric measures in livestock breeding may help to improve husbandry conditions.

Effect of sodium butyrate on growth performance and response to lipopolysaccharide in weanling pigs

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Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of dietary sodium butyrate on growth performance and response to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in weanling pigs. In the first experiment there was no effect of dietary sodium butyrate or tylosin on overall G:F, but there was a decreasing ADFI and ADG as levels increased. In the second experiment it was found that feeding diets containing sodium butyrate or carbadox did not alter ADG or ADFI compared with pigs fed the control diet. This indicates that dietary sodium butyrate does not enhance growth performance but may regulate the response to inflammatory stimuli in weanling pigs.

Transport of early weaned piglets

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Temperature and duration of transport have additive effects and put piglets at risk for dehydration, low
feed consumption and fatigue. Every effort should be made to avoid transport at temperatures above 30°C and to provide sufficient protection in winter. More studies of transport of early weaned piglets are required,
especially complimentary studies utilizing physiological measurements.

Comparison of ileal apparent, standardized and true digestibilities of amino acids in pigs fed wheat and lupine seeds

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Genetic correlations between gestation length, piglet survival and early growth

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The first aim of this study was to estimate the genetic effects of the piglets and the sow on gestation length. The second aim was to estimate genetic correlations between gestation length, piglet survival and average piglet growth. It was concluded that in pigs, gestation length is influenced by the genotypes of both the piglets and the sow. Selection or longer gestation would probably improve piglet survival after birth as well as piglet growth. It might, however, also result in more stillborn piglets.