EFFECTS OF PEN SIZE, PARTIAL STALLS AND METHOD OF FEEDING ON WELFARE-RELATED BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL-RESPONSES OF GROUP-HOUSED PIGS

被引:109
作者
BARNETT, JL
HEMSWORTH, PH
CRONIN, GM
NEWMAN, EA
MCCALLUM, TH
CHILTON, D
机构
[1] Department of Agriculture, Victorian Institute of Animal Science, Werribee
关键词
D O I
10.1016/S0168-1591(05)80116-9
中图分类号
S8 [畜牧、 动物医学、狩猎、蚕、蜂];
学科分类号
0905 ;
摘要
The effects of space allowance (1.97 or 0.98 m2 per pig), partial stalls (presence or absence) and a feeding regimen either within the stalls or on the floor on the welfare of pigs housed in groups of four was examined in an experiment involving 96 pregnant gilts (Large White x Landrace). Welfare was assessed on the basis of skin lesions, changes in social behaviour that may affect welfare (e.g. aggression), the magnitude of any chronic physiological stress response and a measure of cell-mediated immunity. The spatial utilization of the pens by pigs was also observed. The behaviour observations were made when the pigs were initially grouped and over the subsequent 4 weeks. The cortisol concentrations were measured in the fourth and seventh to eighth weeks in treatment; cell-mediated immunity was measured at the end of the experiment In the 90 min following grouping of the (unfamiliar) pigs, the presence of the partial stalls in the pens reduced the number of aggressive interactions (P < 0.05-0.01), and there was a trend (P = 0.06) for reduced aggression in pens with the smaller space allowance. Feeding in the stalls reduced aggressive interactions around feeding (P < 0.01-0.001), and on the day following grouping the presence of stalls per se also reduced the number of aggressive interactions. Both space allowance and design of the pen affected the pigs' spatial utilization of the pen; the effluent channel and stalls were more heavily (P < 0.01) utilized in small pens. At the first examination, after 10 days in treatment, there were no effects on the number and length of lesions. Free cortisol concentrations were higher (P < 0.001) and cell-mediated immunity was lower (P < 0.05) in pens with the smaller space allowance. The treatment of 'stalls + stall feeding' resulted in lower free cortisol concentrations (P < 0.05), and cell-mediated immunity in this treatment was higher (P < 0.05) than in the treatments with no stalls. This experiment has shown there may be welfare advantages, on the basis of reduced aggression immediately after grouping unfamiliar pigs in pens with partial stalls and in the longer term by also feeding in the partial stalls. However, none of the treatments significantly affected the incidence of lesions.
引用
收藏
页码:207 / 220
页数:14
相关论文
共 38 条
[1]  
Barnett J. L., 1987, Manipulating pig production I. Proceedings of the Inaugural Conference of the Australasian Pig Science Association (APSA) Nov 23-25, 1987, Albury, NSW.., P1
[2]   THE WELFARE OF ADULT-PIGS - THE EFFECTS OF 5 HOUSING TREATMENTS ON BEHAVIOR, PLASMA CORTICOSTEROIDS AND INJURIES [J].
BARNETT, JL ;
CRONIN, GM ;
WINFIELD, CG ;
DEWAR, AM .
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, 1984, 12 (03) :209-232
[3]   THE EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP PENNING OF PIGS ON TOTAL AND FREE PLASMA CORTICOSTEROIDS AND THE MAXIMUM CORTICOSTEROID BINDING-CAPACITY [J].
BARNETT, JL ;
CRONIN, GM ;
WINFIELD, CG .
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY, 1981, 44 (02) :219-225
[4]   EFFECTS OF SOCIAL-ENVIRONMENT ON WELFARE STATUS AND SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR OF FEMALE PIGS .1. EFFECTS OF GROUP-SIZE [J].
BARNETT, JL ;
HEMSWORTH, PH ;
WINFIELD, CG ;
HANSEN, C .
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, 1986, 16 (03) :249-257
[5]   EFFECTS OF CHRONIC STRESS ON SOME BLOOD PARAMETERS IN THE PIG [J].
BARNETT, JL ;
HEMSWORTH, PH ;
HAND, AM .
APPLIED ANIMAL ETHOLOGY, 1983, 9 (3-4) :273-277
[6]   THE EFFECT OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP HOUSING ON BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL-RESPONSES RELATED TO THE WELFARE OF PREGNANT PIGS [J].
BARNETT, JL ;
WINFIELD, CG ;
CRONIN, GM ;
HEMSWORTH, PH ;
DEWAR, AM .
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, 1985, 14 (02) :149-161
[7]   THE EFFECTS OF PREGNANCY AND PARITY NUMBER ON BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL-RESPONSES RELATED TO THE WELFARE STATUS OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP-HOUSED PIGS [J].
BARNETT, JL ;
HEMSWORTH, PH ;
WINFIELD, CG ;
FAHY, VA .
APPLIED ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR SCIENCE, 1987, 17 (3-4) :229-243
[8]   EFFECTS OF PHOTOPERIOD AND FEEDING ON PLASMA CORTICOSTEROID CONCENTRATIONS AND MAXIMUM CORTICOSTEROID-BINDING CAPACITY IN PIGS [J].
BARNETT, JL ;
WINFIELD, CG ;
CRONIN, GM ;
MAKIN, AW .
AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 1981, 34 (5-6) :577-585
[9]   WEANING PIGS AT AN EARLY AGE DECREASES CELLULAR-IMMUNITY [J].
BLECHA, F ;
POLLMANN, DS ;
NICHOLS, DA .
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, 1983, 56 (02) :396-400
[10]  
DEKONIG R, 1985, THESIS UTRECHT