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Abstract: Piglet suckling behaviour has been extensively studied, but surprisingly, there are not many studies that specifically consider body weight and sex in this context. These two basic individual characteristics have been considered more as supporting data but not as main factors. Therefore, the objective of the present research was to examine the effect body weight on suckling behaviour of piglets during lactation separately by sex. The study comprised 14 litters with a total of 158 piglets (85 male, 73 female, litter size 6−15 piglets). Suckling behaviour was described in terms of suckling position (the teat at which the piglet suckled during suckling), suckling territory (the range two outermost suckling positions of the piglet encompasses) and suckling stability (the tendency to suckle successively at the same position), and was observed in six periods: 0−3, 4−7, 8−10, 11−14, 15−21 and 22−32 days of age. In each period, piglets were also weighed. The udder was divided into three areas: anterior (1st-2nd teat pair), middle (3rd-5th teat pair) and posterior (6th-8th teat pair). Body weight affected suckling behaviour differently in male and female piglets (i.e., all traits in females, suckling stability only in males). The relative body weight of females decreased significantly from the anterior towards the posterior part. Heavy females (but not males) suckled considerably more frequently on the anterior area. Heavier piglets (male and female) established more stable suckling order. Suckling territory of males was quite large, but did not differ among body weight classes. Interestingly, light females visited significantly larger suckling territory than heavy females. The present results fill a gap in the otherwise broad knowledge of pig suckling behaviour, which is of great importance for litter management during lactation, especially when cross-fostering is implemented. In this context, knowledge of the detailed role of sex and body weight is of particular importance because breeders rely mainly on basic body traits when managing litters.
Keywords: pig, lactation, body weight, sex, suckling position, suckling stability, suckling territory
Published in DKUM: 25.04.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 0
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Abstract: The welfare of domestic animals, which is a core part of livestock farming today, depends strongly on the rearing system. While free-stall systems are encouraged, tied rearing systems are still the most widely used in cattle farming, although considered less suitable due to restricted freedom of movement. As an alternative to this system, free-stall rearing, which allows movement, is proposed as a minimum standard. Although it seems self-evident that free-stall rearing is better than tied rearing system, there is still a lack of research on whether this is true for all categories of cattle or whether it might be appropriate for some of them (e.g. depending on age). The aim of the present study was therefore to compare the welfare of heifers in tied and free-stall rearing during the fattening period (at different ages). In general, we have suggested higher welfare scores in free-stall system, with the tied stall being more problematic for younger animals. The study comprised five heifers in each system per repetition (20 animals in total). Data were collected using the Welfare Quality® protocol, which involves the assessment of four main principles: feeding, housing, health and behaviour. The assessments were carried out approximately every three months during the fattening period (from 6 to 27 months of age). The results showed significant differences in animal welfare scores between tied and free-stall systems only in terms of housing and the tendency of differences in behaviour. For both principles, the scores were relatively low compared to feeding and health, where no differences were found between the rearing systems. In terms of temporal dynamics, differences were only found for housing, with values decreasing with age in both rearing systems. In the free-stall system, the scores were almost optimal in young animals (>90), but decreased rapidly with increasing age, while in the tied housing system, a suboptimal welfare scores were already observed in young animals (≈40). This means that tied rearing system is a clear disadvantage for the welfare of younger animals, which are generally more exploratory and active. Our results confirmed tied stall as less suitable in terms of animal welfare, especially for young animals. It is therefore encouraged that young animals should primarily be housed in a freestall pens if both systems are available in the breeding facilities.
Keywords: animal wefare, cattle, heifer, rearing system, assessment protocol
Published in DKUM: 23.04.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 0
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Keywords: pig, weaning, welfare, aggresion, behaviour, injuries, environmental enrichment
Published in DKUM: 16.04.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 0
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Keywords: sow, gonadotropin administration, application time, body condition, age at conception, reproductive performance
Published in DKUM: 26.03.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 3
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Abstract: Weaning involves mixing of unfamiliar litters and is accompanied by an outbreak of aggression, which is usually attributed to between-litter (BL) interactions. In the present study, we thus focused on post-weaning agonism (fighting and mounting) between littermates (within-litter, WL). Two litters were weaned into two pens separated by an empty pen and connected by narrow passages that were opened 24 h after weaning. WL interactions accounted for 38% and 68% of all fights and mounts, respectively, during a 7-day experimental period. After the passages were opened, not only BL, but also WL interactions increased significantly (by 6- to 7-fold on the first day of mixing). WL fights then gradually decreased, while WL mounts continued to increase. During the experimental period, the proportion of both WL fights and mounts decreased. The majority of WL fights (%80%) and mounts (%65%) occurred in home pens. A significantly higher percentage of draws was found in WL fights (50% of initiator wins and 41% of draws) compared to BL fights (80% of initiator wins and 11% of draws). Results also showed less asymmetry in the body weight of piglets involved in WL interactions. Mixing of litters at weaning was shown to involve not only intense interactions between unfamiliar piglets but also the recurrence of agonistic interactions between littermates, which is something we should keep in mind when pursuing the highest standards of weaner welfare.
Keywords: pig, weaning, within-litter interactions, fighting, mounting
Published in DKUM: 06.12.2024; Views: 0; Downloads: 8
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