Pigs in the finishing stage are infrequently handled and can be difficult to handle when experiencing novel situations. This study sought to determine the effects of minimal training and a novel odor/taste reward on the ease of handling finishing pigs in a novel environment. Pigs were assigned to one of four treatments organized in a factorial arrangement: training and odor exposure at the barn or not (trained or non-trained, respectively) and provision or not of maple syrup in the simulated pre-stun area of a slaughter plant (reward or no reward, respectively). 14 pens of trained pigs were let out of their home pens and onto a trailer for 10 min/day for 10 days and could chew on maple syrup soaked flags. 14 pens of non-trained pigs were not handled or exposed to maple syrup. After the 10 days, trained and non-trained pigs were transported, unloaded and then experienced a novel simulated pre-stun area. A maple syrup-soaked flag (reward) was dragged through the simulated pre-stun area and put in a simulated CO₂ stun box. Nonrewarded pigs were not exposed to maple syrup. Trained pigs unloaded the trailer and reached the resting pen faster than non-trained pigs. Trained pigs had fewer blood neutrophils and more lymphocytes than non-trained pigs. Rewarded pigs received fewer taps before reaching the simulated CO₂ stun box than non-rewarded pigs. Cortisol concentration increased when the total time to reach the simulated CO₂ stun box increased. Pigs that were allowed to exercise out of their home pen and were given access to an odor/taste reward moved faster and the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio was decreased when exposed to a novel environment containing the same odor/taste reward.

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