Erhualian (EHL) pigs are well-known for their high fertility and superior meat quality with high intramuscular
fat content. The growth rate, body size and lean mass rate are significantly smaller compared with the
Pietrain (PIE) pigs. Moreover, EHL pigs are regarded as mild-tempered despite the fact that the behavioral, endocrine
and biochemical responses to stress have never been investigated objectively in this breed. Therefore, this study describes the breed-specific coping characteristics of EHL pigs in response to transport stress, as reflected by the dynamic changes of behavior and plasma concentrations of ACTH, cortisol, insulin, T3 and T4, as well as the activities of CK and LDH during 2 h road transportation, in comparison with PIE pigs. It was found that EHL and PIE pigs exhibit istinct behavioral, endocrine and biochemical responses during transport. EHL pigs display more flexible behavioral pattern under stress which is characterized by more fit behavior at the beginning followed by relaxed sitting/lying till the end of transport, in comparison with PIE pigs demonstrating ONF at the beginning proceeded with fear-related freezing/standing throughout the journey. The coping style of EHL pigs was accompanied with decreased CK and LDH activities, higher cortisol levels, together with blunted responses of ACTH and CK to transport stress, as compared with the PIE pigs. Further studies are required to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the breed-specific patterns of behavioral, endocrine and biochemical responses during transport.