Sammanfattning

We investigated the post-weaning effect of providing additional objects (i.e. rope, ball, tyre) to commercial piglets given straw pre- and post-weaning on behaviour and average daily gain (ADG). Piglets from litters with objects (O,n = 20 in 5 litters) and controls (C,n = 20 in 5 litters) were observed from 24 h post-weaning and during six days. Piglets were weighed at birth, weaning and 11 days post-weaning. O-piglets performed less littermate manipulation (P < 0.05), exploring pen fixtures (P < 0.1) and lying (P < 0.1) but spent more time in the creep post-weaning than C-piglets (P < 0.1). Social or locomotor play was expressed similarly in both treatments. Day strongly influenced the behaviour of pigs post-weaning. O-piglets had significantly lower pre-weaning ADG than C-piglets (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in post-weaning ADG between the treatments. Providing objects to piglets around weaning may reduce some negative behaviours, but may affect weight gain negatively.

Nyckelord

Pigs; enrichment; exploration; growth; play; social manipulation

Publicerad i

Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A - Animal Science
2020, Volym: 69, nummer: 4, sidor: 239-248
Utgivare: TAYLOR & FRANCIS AS

SLU författare

• Lidfors, Lena

  • Institutionen för tillämpad husdjursvetenskap och välfärd, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

UKÄ forskningsämne

Husdjursvetenskap


Publikationens identifierare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09064702.2020.1775286

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/106932