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Environmental enrichment to improve behaviour in farm animals. CABI. England.
Abstract
Domestic animals under close confinement conditions frequently display abnormal behaviour, particularly if they are unable to escape from, or adapt to this situation. With the increased interest in domestic farm animal welfare from both the political and societal agendas, environmental enrichment (EE) is becoming an interesting solution, offering an alternative not only to optimize the welfare of the animals but to improve the animals’ performance. In general, the development of more intensive production systems and specialized techniques has provided benefits in terms of productivity, but at the expense of the behavioural needs and welfare of kept animals. In intensive farming, welfare concerns are still often related to barren environments and crowded conditions.
Producers need to balance the requirements to improve welfare conditions on the farm with practical considerations. This paper provides a review of the scientific literature, focusing on recent advances on the welfare-relevant consequences of EE on harmful social behaviours due to intensively farmed confinement in pigs, laying hens and dairy calves, including a discussion with regard to their relevance and suitability.
... Unfortunately, these housing systems often do not consider other needs such as grooming or body care (1,2), which are essential to enhance the calves' overall well-being beyond a basic level. Moreover, a monotonous barren environment can induce the occurrence of behavioral problems (i.e., abnormal behavior and redirected behavior) (3). ...
... Brushes, both automatic and fixed, have been described as a viable alternative that provides sensory and occupational enrichment to animals, promoting the expression of natural behaviors (3,(5)(6)(7). For example, Toaff-Rosenstein et al. (15) described how healthy heifers used the brush in body region grooming. ...
This study aims to assess calf usage of five potential enrichment devices provided simultaneously. We used 25 weaned Holstein-Friesian calves housed in groups of five (five replicates), and their behavior was recorded continuously with video cameras. This longitudinal observational study used a pen equipped with a mechanical and fixed brush, cowhide, and horizontal and vertical ropes. Data collected included how many visits each object received per day, the type of object usage, and the duration of the visits. Calves used all five objects at least once, and they used items more during the daytime than at night. Brushes were used mainly for grooming (e.g., rubbing or scratching), while ropes and cowhide for oral interactions (e.g., licking, chewing, and biting), most likely to lack oral stimulations that would naturally be satisfied by suckling and grazing at this age. The objects most frequently used were the mechanical brush and the horizontal rope, and they received the highest number of visits (214.9 and 154.9 bouts/day, respectively). The least chosen object was the stationary brush, which had the lowest number of visits (62.9 bouts/day). The provision of multiple enrichment objects for weaned calves should be considered as they may add complexity and novelty to barren environments.
... Este proceso de reconversión hacia el confinamiento en las unidades de producción bufalina ha garantizado ambientes más controlados y programas de selección genética y nutricional (Mota-Rojas et al., 2020d); sin embargo, también han generado cambios y afectaciones tanto fisiológicas como conductuales, ya que se incrementa el contacto humano-búfalo, se modifica húmedo mexicano | BM EDITORES la alimentación, y se restringe el espacio disponible por unidad animal (De Rosa et al., 2009;González-Lozano et al., 2020), lo cual podría impactar en el bienestar de los animales Mota-Rojas et al., 2020d). Una de las estrategias que se ha propuesto para reducir y prevenir los efectos negativos que el confinamiento puede ocasionar, es el enriquecimiento ambiental, el cual ha mostrado reducir la presentación de patologías del comportamiento en especies como los rumiantes, cerdos, aves, entre otras especies (Orihuela et al., 2018). Considerando lo anterior, después del parto, la lactancia, el ordeño, y el destete, el bucerro es ingresado a diferentes procesos de movilización desde las células de pastoreo con y sin la madre, hasta el confinamiento. ...
... Moreover, the recognition that positive welfare includes more factors than just avoiding negative emotions has led to investigating the influence of different elements in the mental state of animals. Environmental enrichment, neuroendocrine response, and behavior can be used as a comprehensive indicator of positive welfare [178]. For example, in pigs subjected to play sessions with a toy, stability of peripheral levels of oxytocin, and tail movement behavior were associated with welfare [179]; or the activation of anticipatory behaviors in sheep subjected to positive stimuli (brushing) [180]. ...
Animal welfare is the result of physical and psychological well-being and is expected to occur if animals are free: (1) from hunger, thirst and malnutrition, (2) from discomfort, (3) from pain, (4) to express normal behavior, and (5) from fear and distress. Nevertheless, well-being is not a constant state but rather the result of certain brain dynamics underlying innate motivated behaviors and learned responses. Thus, by understanding the foundations of the neurobiology of behavior we fathom how emotions and well-being occur in the brain. Herein, we discuss the potential applicability of this approach for animal welfare. First, we provide a general view of the basic responses coordinated by the central nervous system from the processing of internal and external stimuli. Then, we discuss how those stimuli mediate activity in seven neurobiological systems that evoke innate emotional and behavioral responses that directly influence well-being and biological fitness. Finally, we discuss the basic mechanisms of learning and how it affects motivated responses and welfare.
... Intensification of animal production while allowing expression of the full potential of highly selected productivity traits by better controlling feeding, environmental conditions and monitoring of animals also drove them to their biological limits and ended up diminishing their welfare [70]. Indeed, domestic animals' behavioural needs are most similar to wild species and are generally not fulfilled by the artificial conditions in which they live [71,72]. ...
In Canada, the agricultural sector has long held a prominent economic, social and cultural position, from substantial evidence of extensive fishing and farming since the times of the first human settlements, to currently accounting for over 100 billion dollars of production and employing 2.3 million people. Steady growth in agricultural production in the country over several decades, supported by strong investment in public agricultural science, has allowed an increasing supply of a wide variety of food and agricultural goods to be available both within the country as well as allowing for substantial exports abroad and deep integration of the Canadian agricultural sector into global markets. Along with securing continued productivity growth in agricultural output for the future, policy makers and public sector agricultural scientists in Canada have become increasingly concerned with managing environmental externalities associated with agricultural production in order to achieve the objective of sustainable intensification of the sector. However, the process of identification of the best tools and practices to improve the sustainability of the agricultural sector in Canada has evolved over time due to shifting research priorities and dynamic changes in the problems facing the sector. In this paper we discuss applied and direct-to-farmer agricultural science research initiatives that are focused on identification and implementation of best environmental management practices at the farm level. We believe that involving farmers directly in scientific research and communication of scientific results provides for a deeper understanding of agro-environmental externalities. It also allows farmers to find greater adoption potential in their specific farm system, thus combining both environmental and economic sustainability. We trace the history of public agricultural science engagement with Canadian farmers to address economic and environmental problems in the sector. We then provide examples of successful public sector projects based in applied agricultural science research that foster effective farmer/scientist collaboration, leading to improved agriculture sustainability in Canada.
... El incremento de la productividad de las unidades pecuarias se ha alcanzado a través del aumento de la eficiencia productiva de los animales, lo que ha implicado incorporar los resultados de investigaciones científicas sobre diversos tópicos, como selección genética, nutrición e implementación de sistemas alternativos de producción y de buenas prácticas de manejo (Mota-Rojas et al., 2016;Orihuela et al., 2018). Estas modificaciones, inherentes a la intensificación de la producción, no necesariamente implican un nivel de mayor bienestar de los animales (Dubey et al., 2018), por lo cual los productores no necesariamente brindan bienestar a los animales, ya que generalmente se limitan a aportar recursos para que el animal los utilice e intente adaptarse al ambiente (Endres et al., 2014). ...
İnsanların refahı, ekonomik gelişimi ve fakirliğin azalması için, enerjiye erişim kritik öneme sahiptir. Herkesin enerjiye yeterince erişim sağlayabilmesini mümkün kılmak, küresel gelişim çabalarının önünde süregelen ve giderek daha önemli hale gelen bir zorluktur. Ne var ki, aynı zamanda enerji sistemlerimizin çevresel etkileri de büyük öneme sahiptir. Tarihsel olarak ve günümüzdeki enerji sistemleri fosil yakıtlara (kömür, petrol ve gaz) dayanmaktadır. Bunlar, karbondioksit ve diğer sera gazlarını üretmektedir-ki bunlar da, küresel iklim değişikliğinin ana itici gücüdür. Eğer küresel iklim hedeflerini tutturmak ve iklim değişiminin tehlikelerinden kaçınmak istiyorsak, dünyanın enerji kaynaklarını köklü ve küresel olarak gözden geçirmesi gerekmektedir.
Dolayısıyla, gelişim ile çevre arasındaki dengeyi tutturmanın zorluğu, bir yandan yeterince yüksek bir yaşam standardına sahip olurken, diğer yandan yeterince miktarda sürdürülebilir enerji kaynağına erişimi olmasını gerektirmektedir.
Yenilenebilie ve yenilenebilir olmayan enerji kaynakları
This study discusses scientific findings on the use of draught animals such as equids (i.e., horses, mules, and donkeys) and bovids (i.e., cattle and water buffaloes) in rural labours. Relevant peer-reviewed literature published between 1980 and 2021 was retrieved from CAB Abstracts, PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Scopus databases. Although animals were used to produce draught power since their domestication and are still being used for this purpose, mechanisation has markedly reduced animal labour demand in agriculture. However, the process was uneven across continents according to economic constraints, and draught animals are currently concentrated in small production units located on terrains that do not favour agriculture mechanisation in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Generally, equids can work at rates similar to those of bovids or faster but can sustain the work for shorter periods of time. In addition, buffaloes possess tough hooves and resistance to disease that make them suitable for working in wetlands and clay soils. Draught animals allow a marked reduction of both GHG emissions and non-renewable energy consumption as compared with agricultural machinery. In addition, they may allow obtaining profits from otherwise non-usable lands. Therefore, their use should be promoted in rural areas where low investments are usually the only ones feasible, and the energy of the animals can be obtained at a low cost by feeding them harvest residues and by-products. However, more attention should be paid to the quality of human–animal interactions—due to the close contact between animals and humans while working—and to the welfare of draught animals when transported and slaughtered—due to the high prevalence of injuries they suffer when subjected to these practices.
This study discusses scientific findings on the use of draught animals such as equids (i.e., horses, mules, and donkeys) and bovids (i.e., cattle and water buffaloes) in rural labours. Relevant peer-reviewed literature published between 1980 and 2021 was retrieved from CAB Abstracts, PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Scopus databases. Although animals were used to produce draught power since their domestication and are still being used for this purpose, mechanisation has markedly reduced animal labour demand in agriculture. However, the process was uneven across continents according to economic constraints, and draught animals are currently concen-trated in small production units located on terrains that do not favour agriculture mechanisation in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Generally, equids can work at rates similar to those of bovids or faster but can sustain the work for shorter periods of time. In addition, buffaloes possess tough hooves and resistance to disease that make them suitable for working in wetlands and clay soils. Draught animals allow a marked reduction of both GHG emissions and non-renewable energy consumption as compared with agricultural machinery. In addition, they may allow obtaining profits from otherwise non-usable lands. Therefore, their use should be promoted in rural areas where low investments are usually the only ones feasible, and the energy of the animals can be obtained at a low cost by feeding them harvest residues and by-products. However, more attention should be paid to the quality of human–animal interactions—due to the close contact between animals and humans while working—and to the welfare of draught animals when transported and slaugh-tered—due to the high prevalence of injuries they suffer when subjected to these practices.
Keywords: bovids; equids; cattle; buffaloes; horses; donkeys; draught animals; animal welfare; rural activities; greenhouse gas emission
One of the most important challenges facing today’s society is feeding a growing world population. This review aims to examine the available information to assess the potential of river buffalo as a meat producer with a focus on the sustainability of the supply chain and on meat quality in terms of nutritional and sensory properties. Traditionally, buffalo meat came from old, culled animals in rural agricultural regions where animals were slaughtered at the end of their productive life as dairy or draught animals. Therefore, the meat had low quality. However, when younger animals are used, buffalo meat is generally well appreciated by consumers. Buffaloes can adapt to different production systems and convert poor-quality high fiber feedstuffs into high-quality products, including meat, with a lower degree of competition with human nutrition. In addition, although requiring more land, extensive production systems may have lower environmental impacts due to the low inputs used in the productive process and show higher levels of animal welfare. Although weight gains and dressing percentages are generally lower than in cattle, the meat is characterized by better nutritional properties (low fat and cholesterol contents, high-quality protein, and unsaturated fatty acids). In addition, the use of appropriate production systems might improve its sensory properties. Therefore, buffalo meat may be considered a good option to meet the increasing demand for food for human consumption.
Tail biting in domestic pigs relates to a range of risk factors, primarily in the pigs’ environment. Preventive tail docking is widely used, and various experimental approaches suggest that docking reduces the risk of tail biting. However, whether the docking length affects the prevalence of tail biting outbreaks is less studied, as is how a shortened tail will affect pigs’ social behaviour. The aim of this study was to investigate how three different tail docking lengths, measured at docking, as well as retained intact tails (Short: 2.9 cm; Medium: 5.7 cm; Long: 7.5 cm; and Undocked) affected tail biting risk and behaviour directed at other finisher pigs with the same docking length treatment. Tail lesions were scored weekly, as was behaviour at pen level after introduction to finisher pens and until a potential outbreak of tail biting or slaughter. Pigs from four commercial herds (258 litters) entered the study. Before the pigs entered the finisher section and data collection started, some pigs were excluded, mainly due to tail biting outbreaks in the weaner section. The risk of a tail biting outbreak differed significantly between treatments (P=0.001), with a lowered risk of a tail biting outbreak in Short pens compared with Undocked (P
Environmental enrichment can significantly improve poultry welfare, productivity and profitability by reducing the expression of harmful behaviours, like fear or feather pecking. However, some studies have yielded inconsistent results and many so-called enrichment stimuli elicited little or no interest. This probably reflected the wide array of stimuli used and the paucity of thought given to what a chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) might find enriching. Clearly, the design of enrichment devices required more critical thought. Our immediate objectives were to establish chickens' specific preferences and thereby guide the development of practical enrichment strategies. First, we established that chicks showed increased use of an environment when it was enriched with simple, manipulable objects. Our use of video playback to assess chickens' responses to specific attributes of selected images then revealed that visual enrichment stimuli should incorporate movement, brightness, colour, and moderate complexity. Next, a survey revealed that almost 50% of the farmers who replied routinely played the radio to their flocks and that the perceived benefits included reduced aggression, improved health and increased productivity. Finally, we showed that a simple device consisting of a bunch of white strings is an extremely attractive pecking stimulus for chicks and adults of various strains of laying hens. Rather than rapidly losing interest in the devices the birds pecked progressively more at them with repeated exposure in short-term experiments. Furthermore, they were still being pecked at 17 and 2 weeks after their incorporation in the home pens of groups of 1-day-old chicks and adult hens, respectively. Even more encouragingly, the provision of string reduced feather pecking in birds of an experimental line showing high levels of this behavioural vice. It also reduced feather damage in caged layers at a commercial farm. The provision of string devices increases the opportunity for the birds to engage in behaviours that are fundamental to their nature, such as exploration and foraging. By maintaining lengthy interest and apparently reducing the expression of damaging feather pecking, string devices also satisfy other critical requirements of effective environmental enrichment. They have the added advantages of low cost, ready availability, ease of installation, and durability.
Collectively, these findings strongly support the hypotheses that extraneous stimulation is important to chickens and that the provision of appropriate visual, auditory and tactile enrichment stimuli can improve their welfare. Projecting images onto the walls of a poultry house could perhaps provide an additional source of visual stimulation, but this requires further investigation. Playing the radio was not only beneficial in terms of welfare and performance but it is probably one of the easiest and most practicable ways of enriching the environment for the birds and the stockpersons. The routine incorporation of string devices in rearing and laying cages is also considered likely to reduce boredom and feather pecking and thereby improve the birds' welfare and productivity. In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend the integrated application of string pecking devices and auditory enrichment.
The objective of this study was to evaluate through the infrared thermography the surface temperature of the
lacrimal caruncle (ocular), auricular pavilion and nose area of weaned piglets in relation to different types of
environmental enrichment (EE). A total of 64 weaned piglets were monitored. The piglets were housed under
two distinct conditions: a condition without disruption of the social order (SO), and a condition in which the
social order was disrupted (DSO). After defining these two conditions, four different EE treatments were evaluated:
control (C), suspended ropes (SR), aromatized bottles (AB), and pet toys and balls (PTB). Thermographic
images of the lacrimal caruncle, auricular pavilion and nose area of each piglet were taken at 30 and 90 min, and
then at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h post-weaning. The piglets housed under the SO condition with no type of EE
(Control) maintained lower temperature levels in the lacrimal caruncle (P < 0.05) through the first 48 h postweaning;
24 and 48 h post-weaning, the piglets housed under the DSO condition with EE in the form of PTB
presented the highest temperature in all three regions (P < 0.05); 96 and 120 h, the piglets under the DSO
condition with no type of EE (Control) had the highest temperature (P < 0.05) in the lacrimal caruncle while
those housed under the SO model with EE in the form of AB had a higher temperature in the nose compared to
the other treatments. Infrared thermography (IRT) can be used as an effective tool to evaluate temperature
differences in recently-weaned piglets due to the effects of environmental enrichment and social structure.
In studies on 1,376 not tail docked and 1,190 tail docked piglets in 14 rounds in the rearing unit of a piglet production farm, a weekly investigation and an individual assessment on the occurrence of necrosis, tail injury and partial or total loss of tail took place according to the Germany-wide pig-scoring-key (DSBS) between weaning (age: 4 weeks) and sale (age: 10 weeks). In each round half of the not tail docked piglets were fed a standard diet the other half the standard diet with a supplement of 5% straw, hay or hop umbel pellets. In two rounds hay pellets were additionally offered to free intake from a trough. At the same time, individual animal-related information on sex, parity and genotype of the mother, group size, housing after weaning in a litter or mixed after weaning and other factors (teat position, carpus lesion, claw discoloration) were collected. In addition, the occurrence of tail losses in a pen with an abundant supply of employment opportunities has been documented. The frequency of partial or total tail losses was highly significant higher in the piglets with long tails with 46.7% partial and 1.9% total losses compared to the piglets with tail docking with 1.4% partial and 0.6% total losses on the 69th day of life. The further investigations exclusively included piglets without tail docking. The use of pellets as a supplement to the ration did not result in the expected reduction in the rate of tail losses. Between rounds, highly significant differences concerning the frequency of pigs with tail losses occurred between 12.2 and 85.9%. The postulated correlation between tail necrosis and the frequency of tail loss by tail biting could not be demonstrated. In the mixed weaner groups a significantly higher rate of tail losses occurred at 58.2% compared to piglets housed as littermates in one pen together (34.5%). There was no difference concerning the frequency of tail losses between female (46.2%) and castrated male piglets (50.8%) and between offspring of purebred sows (DE, DL) (44.3%) or hybrids from the two genotypes (50.2%). The offspring of gilts were significantly more frequently affected by tail injuries (53.7%) than the pen mates from sows (45.3%). As the number of piglets in the pen increased (from 12 to 13 to 14-16 piglets), the rate of partial or total loss increased from 42.2 to 56.9%, but in the groups of 6 to 11 the second highest percentage of tail losses was found (54.9%). Even in a pen with a large supply of employment possibilities, tail biting could not be prevented (67% animals with partial or total losses). No reproducible solution to prevent tail losses caused by tail biting could be found.
A better understanding of animal emotions is an important goal in disciplines ranging from neuroscience to animal welfare science, but few reliable tools exist for measuring these emotions. Play behaviour is generally recognized as a trigger of positive emotions in mammals, and previous studies have suggested that tail movement (a behaviour often seen during play) may indicate positive emotions in pigs, while ear movements may indicate negative emotions, or a decrease in positive emotions. This study investigated whether the provision of toys to solicit play behaviour in pigs was associated with tail and ear movement changes, with the goal of confirming the use of these movements as indicators of different emotions in pigs. Sixteen mini-pigs were divided into two identical rooms of 8 individuals. During 4 consecutive days, each animal participated in the study for a total of two days in two different situations: one Control session and one Play session. Each animal served as its own control. During Play sessions, pigs were placed in their own pens of two individuals, where two medium-sized dog toys were introduced. During Control sessions, animals were placed in their own pens, but no toy was provided. Behaviours were scored from video using continuous recording with an ethogram, which also allows to confirm that pigs play during Play sessions. Results showed a significant difference in tail movement duration between sessions (DF = 15; t = −3.40; p < 0.01; Student t-test for paired sample) with longer durations during the Play session than during the Control session. Tail movement frequency also varied significantly between Play and Control sessions (DF = 15; t = 2.96; p =.01; Student t-test for paired samples) with significantly higher frequencies during the Control session. A significant difference between sessions was also observed for ear movement frequency (DF = 15; t = 4.69; p < 0.01; Student t-test for paired samples), which was significantly higher during the Control session. In addition, 69% of the pigs (11 of 16) performed displacement behaviours during the Control session, while none of the pigs displayed this behaviour during the Play session. Finally, during the Play session, a negative correlation was found between tail movement duration and tail movement frequency (rho = −0.79; N = 16; p < 0.001). In conclusion, tail and ear movement changes are linked to play behaviour: in a play situation, tail movement duration increases, and ear movement frequency and displacement behaviours decrease, compared to a control situation (without enrichment). These results could be useful for improving the analysis of emotions in pigs and assessing animal welfare.
Castration and tail docking are common management practices performed on commercial swine farms in the US and around the world to reduce adverse behaviors and the occurrence of boar taint. However, these practices themselves are a welfare concern for the piglet because they cause acute pain. The provisions of environmental enrichment (EE) may reduce anxiety, protect from stressors, influence pain sensitivity, and improve the overall welfare of animals. Our objective was to determine if EE can reduce the physiological and behavioral stress response caused by castration and tail docking in piglets over time. Sows were randomly assigned to control farrowing stalls (CON; n = 9) or stalls enriched (ENRICH; n = 9) with newspaper, soil, ball and rope, so that EE was available to piglets upon birth. At 5 days old, ENRICH and CON piglets (n = 54 per treatment) were allocated to one of six piglet husbandry treatments; four boar piglets were randomly allocated to one of four treatments: 1) control handled (SHAM B), 2) tail docked (TAIL B), 3) castrated (CAST), or 4) castrated and tail docked (BOTH); and two gilt piglets were randomly allocated to one of two treatments: 5) control handled (SHAM G), or 6) tail docked (TAIL G). Live weight tended (P < 0.10) to be greater in all ENRICH pigs. Leukocytes and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were decreased (P < 0.05) among ENRICH compared with CON piglets. ENRICH piglets were more active (P < 0.05) than CON piglets. Maintenance and play behaviors decreased (P < 0.05) 120 min after, but returned to baseline at 24 h. Cortisol was greater (P < 0.05) among CAST and BOTH piglets, but no differences were observed in cortisol concentrations between housing groups. Stress vocalizations were greater (P < 0.05) in CAST and BOTH compared with SHAM piglets, while all pig processing treatments displayed more (P < 0.05) pain behaviors than SHAM. The use of EE had no effect on reducing pain-induced stress of castration and tail docking. However, we found that pigs raised with EE were heavier and more active than pigs raised without enrichment. We also found that EE modulated the immune response in pigs. In conclusion, EE improved the overall welfare of pigs at an early age.
Re-location and mixing after weaning increase the risk of aggression in weaned pigs. To quantify the effects of tail docking, teeth clipping and toy enrichment on the growth performances, behaviour, lesions, and physiological indicators of weaned pigs after re-location and mixing, a total of 262 weaned pigs from four pig processing treatments were selected and regrouped to two enrichment treatments within each processing treatment. The experimental newborn piglets from 24 litters were treated tail docking and teeth clipping at 3 d of age and weaned at 24 d of age. At 30 d of age, pigs in each treatment were weighed, re-located to a nursery room and mixed into 2 pens. Eight rubber toys were installed in one of two pens in each group. The behaviour of weaned pigs was recorded and observed at 1, 2 and 3 d after mixing. At 3 and 6 d before mixing and 1, 3 and 6 d after mixing, lesions on the body and tail, body surface temperature (BST), respiration rate (RR) and salivary cortisol concentrations were determined. At 85 d of age, all experimental pigs were weighed again. Mortality rate, average daily gain (ADG), and feed efficiency of pigs were recorded. Pigs with clipped teeth performed less negative social behavior (aggressive attacks/fight) (P < 0.05) and more positive social behavior (non-aggressive social interactions) (P < 0.01) than pigs with intact teeth. Pigs with docked tails performed more positive social behaviour (P < 0.01) than pigs with intact tails. Toy enrichment decreased (P < 0.05) lesions on the ear and front body of pigs, and pigs with docked tail got fewer lesions on the tail (P < 0.01). Intact teeth increased (P < 0.01) RR, while toy enrichment decreased (P < 0.05) RR of pigs. Teeth clipping, tail docking and toys had no effects (P > 0.05) on ADG, body weight and mortality rate of pigs from 30 to 85 d of age. These results indicate that toy enrichment and pig processing treatments have positive effects on weaned pigs after re-location and mixing.
Provision of adequate environmental enrichment on pig farms is a legal requirement under current EU legislation and also alleviates the risk of tail biting. Wood is an organic alternative where loose bedding, which has been identified as the optimal enrichment, is not possible on fully-slatted floors since it may disrupt the slurry system. The study compared four different wood types (beech (Fagus sylvatica), larch (Larix decidua), spruce (Picea sitchensis), and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)) as enrichment, taking into account the qualities of the wood, economic considerations, and effectiveness at reducing damaging behaviours and lesions. A total of 800 tail docked finisher pigs on an Irish commercial farm were used. Eight pens were provided with each wood type (25 pigs/pen), and the study was conducted over 2 replicates in time. In each pen a single wooden post was presented to the pigs in a metal dispenser with two lateral chains during the finisher period (12 to 22 weeks of age). The rate of wear, moisture content, and hardness of the wood along with lesion scorings and behavioural observation on pigs were monitored. Spruce was consumed more quickly than other wood types in terms of weight loss and reduction in length (P<0.001), resulting in a greater cost per pig. Pigs were observed interacting with the spruce more frequently than the other wood types (P<0.05). Pigs also interacted with the wood more often than the chains in spruce allocated pens (P<0.001). Overall the interaction with wood posts did not decline significantly across time. However, there was no difference in the frequency of harmful behaviours (tail/ear/flank-biting) observed between wood types, and also no difference in the effectiveness of the different types of wood in reducing tail or ear damage. There was a positive correlation between ear lesion and tear-staining scores (rp=0.286, P<0.01), and between tail lesion and tail posture scores (rp=0.206, P<0.05). Wood types did not affect visceral condemnation obtained in the slaughterhouse. Wood is a potentially suitable enrichment material, yet the wood species could influence its attractiveness to pigs.
The objective of this study was to investigate if female growing pigs spend similar amounts of time exploring a wooden stick as they do exploring enrichment material regardless of its proximity to the feeder. Forty-eight pigs aged 18 to 26 weeks allocated to 16 pens with three pigs per pen were studied. Fifty percent of the pens had a wooden stick beside the feeder, and the rest had a similar stick opposite to the feeder. Two observers assessed the pigs by means of scan and focal sampling. The pigs spent more time (p < .0001) exploring the wood during the first week than during the rest of the study (10.9% vs 3.6%). The pigs with the wood close to the feeder spent less (p = .0001) time resting (29.9%) and more (p < .0001) time exploring (6.3%) the wood than did pigs with the wood opposite to the feeder (32.4% and 2.5%, respectively). In conclusion, a wooden stick placed close to the feeder was associated with more exploratory behaviorcompared with a similar stick placed opposite to the feeder.
