| 1. |
- Algers, Bo
(författare)
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Playing and fighting by piglets around weaning on farms, employing individual or group housing of lactating sows
- 2010
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 124, s. 83-89
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the pig industry, piglets are weaned earlier than in nature. Early weaning has an impact on piglet growth and feeding behaviour, but this may differ, apart from the weaning age, according to the housing environment. Piglets from sow group housing systems (GH), where several litters and sows live together, may be better prepared for weaning than those from individual housing of sows with litters (IH) because increased freedom of movement and social contact as well as co-mingling litters before weaning are known to affect piglet social behaviour positively.However, these issues have rarely been investigated on commercial pig farms. Therefore, we assessed how piglets play, fighting and biting behaviour before and after weaning were affected by the housing system and weaning age as well as how the three behaviours are related to each other and piglet post-weaning weight gain.We recorded playing, fighting and biting behaviour in 5 GH farms (6-11 lactating sows and their litters kept in a large straw-bedded pen), and in 5 IH farms (each sow and litter kept in a pen with less straw) in Sweden. We observed 16 piglets (2 males and 2 females per litter) from 4 litters (in CH farms belonging to the same group) in each farm on the day before weaning (W - 1), the weaning day (W) and 5 days after weaning (W + 5). Weaning was accomplished (without mixing litters) by removing the sows after on average 39 days of lactation (range 33-50 days). All statistics were based on farm averages.There was no difference between CH and IH farms in the frequency of playing, fighting or biting behaviour, and weaning age did not affect any of the three behaviours (GLMM, p > 0.10). However, the frequency of playing and fighting differed significantly across the three observation days (GLMM, p <0.05). Play was higher on day W - 1 and on day W than on W + 5 (GLMM, p <0.05 and p = 0.01), fighting was lower on W - 1 than on W or W + 5 (GLMM, p <0.05 and p <0.05). On W - 1 and W + 5, playing correlated with fighting (r = 0.785, p <0.01; and r = 0.71, p <0.05, n = 10 farms) but biting correlated with neither playing nor fighting. In farms with higher weight gain between W and W + 5 days, piglets played and fought more on W + 5 day (r = 0.809, p < 0.01: and r = 0.672, p < 0.05, n = 10 farms). We conclude that (i) social piglet behaviour around weaning was not different between GH and IH farms; (ii) play and fighting (but not isolated biting) seemed to form one continuum; (iii) playing and fighting in weaned (nonmixed) piglets seemed to indicate good adaptation. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Annelie, 1971-, et al.
(författare)
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Extensive infanticide in enclosed European wild boars (Sus scrofa)
- 2011
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 134:3, s. 184-192
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Infanticidal behaviour is wide-spread among animals of various taxonomic groups, but has not previously been reported in European wild boars, which are commonly kept in enclosures in Sweden and Finland for meat and recreation purposes. We studied the behaviour of wild boars in one enclosure during three reproductive seasons. Non-maternal infanticide was documented in 14 out of 22 litters, causing the deaths of all piglets in all but one affected litters. Infanticide was typically performed during or shortly after parturition by a sow which was older and larger than the victimised sow, and we found no effect of relatedness. A questionnaire sent to 112 owners of enclosures in Sweden and Finland resulted in 62 responses. Although the owners were often not able to provide exact figures on reproduction and mortality, non-maternal infanticide was reported to be the most common cause of piglet mortality, which in total was estimated to 29.1%. The occurrence of infanticide was unrelated to size of enclosure and to variations in husbandry routines, which all together may suggest that the behaviour is part of the normal behavioural repertoire in European wild boars. The observed levels of infanticide constitute a major welfare problem in captive wild boars.
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| 3. |
- Blokhuis, Harry
(författare)
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Behavioural and physiological responses of heifer calves to acute stressors: Long-term consistency and relationship with adult reactivity to milking
- 2013
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 147, s. 55-68
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study investigated the long-term consistency of individual differences in dairy cattles' responses in tests of behavioural and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis reactivity, as well as the relationship between responsiveness in behavioural tests and the reaction to first milking. Two cohorts of heifer calves, Cohorts 1 (N = 25) and 2 (N = 16), respectively, were examined longitudinally from the rearing period until adulthood. Cohort 1 heifers were subjected to open field (OF), novel object (NO), restraint, and response to a human tests at 7 months of age, and were again observed in an OF test during first pregnancy between 22 and 24 months of age. Subsequently, inhibition of milk ejection and stepping and kicking behaviours were recorded in Cohort 1 heifers during their first machine milking. Cohort 2 heifers were individually subjected to OF and NO tests as well as two HPA axis reactivity tests (determining ACTH and/or cortisol response profiles after administration of exogenous CRH and ACTH, respectively) at 6 months of age and during first lactation at approximately 29 months of age. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to condense correlated response measures (to behavioural tests and to milking) within ages into independent dimensions underlying heifers' reactivity. Heifers demonstrated consistent individual differences in locomotion and vocalisation during an OF test from rearing to first pregnancy (Cohort 1) or first lactation (Cohort 2). Individual differences in struggling in a restraint test at 7 months of age reliably predicted those in OF locomotion during first pregnancy in Cohort 1 heifers. Cohort 2 animals with high cortisol responses to OF and NO tests and high avoidance of the novel object at 6 months of age also exhibited enhanced cortisol responses to OF and NO tests at 29 months of age. Measures of HPA axis reactivity, locomotion, vocalisation and adrenocortical and behavioural responses to novelty were largely uncorrelated, supporting the idea that stress responsiveness in dairy cows is mediated by multiple independent underlying traits. Inhibition of milk ejection and stepping and kicking behaviours during first machine milking were not related to earlier struggling during restraint, locomotor responses to OF and NO tests, or the behavioural interaction with a novel object. Heifers with high rates of OF and NO vocalisation and short latencies to first contact with the human at 7 months of age exhibited better milk ejection during first machine milking. This suggests that low underlying sociality might be implicated in the inhibition of milk ejection at the beginning of lactation in heifers. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 4. |
- Brunberg, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Icelandic horses with the Silver coat colour show altered behaviour in a fear reaction test
- 2013
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 146, s. 72-78
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The colour of a horse's coat has long been discussed to reflect its temperament. One opinion is that Silver coloured horses are nervous, difficult to handle and react more strongly to different fear stimuli. The objective with the present study was to investigate if mutations associated with the Silver coat colour affect fear reactions in Icelandic horses. The hypothesis was that horses with the Silver mutation Arg618Cys in PMEL show stronger fear reactions than horses without the mutation (e.g. Black/Brown or Chestnut horses). Twenty-seven Icelandic horses (nine Silver, nine Chestnuts and nine Black/Brown) matched for sire, were exposed to the fear stimulus (a suddenly moving plastic bag) while feeding from a container. The test was repeated five times and behavioural responses and latency to return to the feed container were recorded. All horses were genotyped for the Silver mutation. The proportion of Silver horses that were hesitant to approach the test set-up before each trial was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the proportion of non-Silver horses and this difference was most pronounced before the first two trials. No differences in reaction vigour or latency to resume feeding were found between the differently coloured horses. The results suggest that Silver horses are more cautious in novel situations rather than more reactive in fearful situations. One likely explanation for this difference is that the Silver mutation is associated with multiple congenital ocular anomalies (MCOA) syndrome and visual impairment. Furthermore, offspring (regardless of coat colour) from sires with a Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP, an index indicating which traits a horse will pass on to its offspring) value above 100 for the temperament trait 'Spirit', showed a greater fear reaction (P < 0.01) and reacted for a longer time (P < 0.01) than horses from sires with a lower (<100) index. These results indicate that horses with a high BLUP value for 'Spirit' seem to express stronger fear reactions. Breeding for Silver coat colour and the 'Spirit' trait, as it is currently defined, may need to be reconsidered if these results are confirmed in a larger cohort. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 5. |
- Brunberg, Emma, et al.
(författare)
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Tail biting in fattening pigs: Associations between frequency of tail biting and other abnormal behaviours
- 2011
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 133, s. 18-25
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated the association between tail biting (TB) and other abnormal behaviours in a group of non-tail docked pigs. Behavioural data were collected from 742 pigs housed on a commercial farm. The prevalence of performed and received TB, belly nosing, bar biting, ear biting and mounting was recorded during two 30 min observation periods. Pigs were categorized based on the number of performed tail bites/hour; nonperformers (NP, TB = 0, n = 643), low performers (LP, TB = 1–4, n = 79), high performers (HP, TB > 4, n = 20) and the number of received tail bites; non-receivers (NR, TB = 0, n = 559), low receivers (LR, TB = 1–2, n = 133) and high receivers (HR, TB > 2, n = 50). Based on the intensity of the receivers’ response to being bitten, TB behaviour was further classified into three grades; no, mild or severe reaction. Tail-in-mouth behaviour, which did not involve biting, was also recorded. The proportion of performed bites classified as severe was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in HP (mean ± s.d.: 0.30 ± 0.21) than in LP (0.11 ± 0.28). The HR category received a lower proportion of mild tail bites (P < 0.003, 0.14 ± 0.15) than LR (0.31 ± 0.41). The fact that the HP category also performed a higher proportion of severe tail bites may be of use in practice when wanting to identify the main tail biting pigs in the pen. The three performer categories differed in the amount of performed tail-in-mouth (P < 0.001). HP performed most (4.30 ± 5.64) followed by LP (0.90 ± 1.26) and NP (0.19 ± 0.66). A higher frequency (P < 0.05) of ear biting was performed by HP (0.45 ± 0.69) than NP (0.26 ± 1.32) and both tail biter categories performed more bar biting than nonperformers (HP: 1.10 ± 2.13, LP: 0.73 ± 2.03, NP: 0.28 ± 1.32). These results suggest that the tail biters, especially the HP category, perform a higher frequency of abnormal behaviours that involve biting behaviour. LP performed more belly nosing (0.80 ± 1.31) and ‘other abnormal’ behaviours (1.41 ± 2.58, P < 0.001) than NP (belly nosing: 0.44 ± 1.73, P = 0.002; ‘other abnormal’: 0.48 ± 1.56, P < 0.001). These results may suggest that LP pigs are more general in their repertoire of performed abnormal behaviour and HP more specialised in behaviours including biting. The receiver categories differed in the amount of received ‘other abnormal’ behaviours, for which HR (1.16 ± 1.89) received significantly more than both LR (0.68 ± 1.10, P < 0.01) and NR (0.52 ± 1.24, P < 0.001). This could support the earlier proposed hypothesis that some animals are predisposed to receive more of these abnormal behaviours than others.
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| 6. |
- Buijs, Stephanie, et al.
(författare)
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Behaviour and use of space in fattening rabbits as influenced by cage size and enrichment
- 2011
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 134, s. 229-238
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the few previous studies on the effects of space allowance on fattening rabbit behaviour, space allowance was confounded with group size. This is the first study of fattening rabbit behaviour in which space allowance was varied whilst group size was stable (8 animals per pen), although this meant that stocking density and total cage size were altered simultaneously. Behaviour was studied at 6 and 9 weeks of age during artificially created dawn, daytime and dusk phases, and compared between cages with and without a wooden enrichment structure. Although a wide range of space allowances was studied (seven different cage sizes between 0.40 and 1.60 m2) the observed effect on behaviour was limited: only sterna lying increased consistently with decreasing space allowance. In the larger cages, grooming was performed when animals had more free space around them. However, grooming did not decrease in smaller cages, suggesting that this behaviour was important enough to be performed under non-preferred conditions. The wooden enrichment structure decreased lateral lying and cage manipulation. Effects on lying behaviour and cage manipulation have previously been reported for gnawing sticks. However, in contrast to findings on gnawing sticks, the enrichment structure also decreased social contact. Although social contact is generally seen as positive, the rabbits may have used the structure as a visual or physical barrier to protect themselves from unwanted interactions with conspecifics. As expected, rabbits were generally more active during dawn and dusk than during daytime. Specific behaviour patterns varied between dawn and dusk, and future studies may use this information to pinpoint the most favourable observation time. In summary, providing fattening rabbits housed in groups of eight with more space had a limited effect on their behavioural time budget. Thus, only minimal support was found for the suggestion that decreased cage size impedes welfare in this species, although rabbits did seem to prefer more space during grooming. In contrast, provision of a wooden structure improved welfare, as shown by a decrease in cage manipulation and interactions with conspecifics
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| 7. |
- Buijs, Stephanie, et al.
(författare)
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Neighbourhood analysis as an indicator of spatial requirements of broiler chickens
- 2011
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 129, s. 111-120
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The appropriate stocking density for broiler chickens is a much discussed topic in animal welfare. To determine at which stocking density the level of crowding becomes aversive to 4–6-week-old broiler chickens, spatial distribution and behaviour of groups stocked at 8, 19, 29, 40, 45, 51, 61 or 72 birds per 3.3 m2 were analysed. Spatial distribution was evaluated using three different indices: inter-individual distances, nearest neighbour distances and Dirichlet polygon areas. The assumption was that broilers would increase the distance to their pen mates if high densities (i.e., close proximity to pen mates) were experienced as aversive, whereas they would decrease this distance if close proximity was experienced positively. Increased distances to pen mates would lead to increased nearest neighbour distances and a more homogeneous distribution (i.e., lower variation of inter-individual distances and of Dirichlet-polygon size) than expected by chance. The distribution expected by chance was determined from both a random distribution and a ‘resource-corrected’ random distribution (which incorporated environmental influences on spatial distribution but excluded social ones). Behavioural observations showed that at higher stocking densities more sitting bouts (P = 0.003) and adjustments of the sitting and lying posture (P < 0.001) occurred. It was also found that nearest neighbour distance varied according to behaviour (P = 0.001). Birds that were eating/drinking were further apart from their nearest neighbour than birds that were foraging, preening, adjusting their sitting or lying posture or showing “other” behaviour. The results from all three methods of spatial analysis suggested that broilers in groups ≥19 birds per 3.3 m2 (ultimately equivalent to 15 kg/m2) started to experience the proximity of conspecifics as aversive at some point during the last 3 weeks of rearing. However, nearest neighbour distance analysis showed evidence of aversiveness earlier in life than the other methods of analyzing spatial distribution (variation in inter-individual distance and polygon size), suggesting that nearest neighbour distance is the more sensitive indicator of space requirements. When uneven use of the different areas within the pen was reflected in the expected distribution (i.e., for comparisons to the resource-corrected random distribution) different results were obtained than when such measures were omitted (i.e., for comparisons to the random distribution). As such, this study emphasises the importance of accounting for environmental influences on distribution within a pen
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| 8. |
- Buijs, Stephanie, et al.
(författare)
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Resting or hiding? Why broiler chickens stay near walls and how density affects this
- 2010
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 124, s. 97-103
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Broiler chickens are reported to be close to walls at higher densities. The reason for this is not clear, since evolutionary theories would suggest that birds should attempt to be in the middle of the flock.We studied the spatial distribution (during weeks 4-6) of broiler chickens stocked at 2.4, 5.8, 8.8, 12.1, 13.6, 15.5. 18.5 and 21.8 birds/m(2) (in 3.3 m(2) pens), to investigate the underlying reasons for the pattern of spatial distribution. Three possible reasons were considered: seeking cover from predators in the centre of the flock, seeking cover from predators near walls, and avoidance of disturbances by conspecifics. Spatial distribution was analysed by comparing the number of birds in four separate parts of the pen (inner, inner middle, outer middle and outer). Apart from effects on spatial distribution, birds were predicted to have their behaviour disturbed more often by other birds in the flock as the overall density in the pen increased, leading to shortened bouts of behaviour and an increase in adjustments of the sitting or lying posture.We found that higher treatment density led to shorter sitting and preening bouts (P=0.024 and P=0.013), and a sharper decrease in walking bout length as weeks progressed (density x week, P=0.025). In addition, birds adjusted their sitting or lying posture more often at higher densities (P<0.001). indicating an increased number of disturbances.Preference for the wall area occurred when overall density in the pen peaked (in the last week of rearing, at treatment densities above 12.1 birds/m(2)). On the other hand, more animals were present in the centre of the pen than at the edges at some of the densities in weeks 4 and 5. Because of its occurrence at peak density, avoidance of disturbance seems the most likely explanation for wall preference. Thus, increased use of the wall area may be an indicator that birds are experiencing crowding. (C) 2010 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.
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| 9. |
- Chapagain, Durga, et al.
(författare)
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Investigating the motivation to play in lambs
- 2014
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 160, s. 64-74
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to identify behaviours and ear postures linked to the appetitive, consummatory and post-consummatory motivational phases of play in male lambs, and to evaluate how cortisol was affected by play. Ten pairs of male lambs, Ovis aries were observed in a play arena three times a week for 4 weeks. They were kept in a holding pen for 5 min (appetitive phase) where they could look into the play arena (containing a ball, two chains and a tunnel) and thereafter released into the play arena for 20 min (consummatory phase). They returned to their home pen where they were observed for 6 min (post-consummatory phase). Direct observations were made in each location and behaviours were recorded as frequencies per min. Ear postures were recorded instantaneously every 15 s for 3 min per location. Saliva samples were taken in the 4th week for analysis of cortisol. Behaviours were analysed with a generalized linear model and cortisol with paired t-test. In the holding pen, the most common behaviours were walking, sniffing pen, standing facing play arena, standing facing alley, butting and pawing. Walking (P < 0.001) and standing facing play arena (P < 0.001) were higher during the 1st min whereas butting (P<0.001) was lower during the 1st min compared to the other 4 min. In the play arena, social play was more frequent than locomotor and object play (median: 1.85, 0.97, and 1.14 events per min, respectively). Total play and locomotor play decreased across the 20 min, whereas social play remained high until the 8th min. Total play (P<0.001) and social play (P<0.01) were most frequent during the 2nd week. Walking and standing were performed immediately after returning to the home pen but after the 1st min, lambs spent most of their time feeding. Raised and backward ear postures were common in the holding pen and play arena whereas plane ear postures were more common in the home pen. Salivary cortisol tended to increase after play (P=0.08). In conclusion, lambs showed different active behaviours together with raised and backward ear postures during the appetitive phase, high amounts of play together with backward and raised ear postures during the consummatory phase and mainly feeding together with plane ear postures during the post-consummatory phase. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 10. |
- Foyer, Pernilla, et al.
(författare)
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Behaviour and experiences of dogs during the first year of life predict the outcome in a later temperament test
- 2014
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Ingår i: Applied Animal Behaviour Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0168-1591 .- 1872-9045. ; 155, s. 93-100
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Early life experiences are known to shape the behavioural development of animals, and therefore events occurring during preadolescence and adolescence may have long-term effects. In dogs, this period of time may be important for later behaviour and thereby also the suitability of dogs for different working tasks. We used the breeding practice for Swedish military working dogs to investigate this possibility. German Shepherds were bred at a central facility and then kept in host families for about a year, before participating in a standardised test determining their temperament, behaviour, and suitability for further training. We surveyed the link between the behaviour of 71 prospective military working dogs in their home situations during the first year of life as assessed by an amended C-BARQ survey, and their performance in a temperament test (T-test) applied at about 17 months of age. Dogs which scored high for C-BARQ category "Trainability" showed a significantly higher success rate in the T-test (P < 0.001), while dogs that scored high for "Stranger-directed fear", "Non-social fear" and "Dog-directed fear" showed a significantly lower success rate (all P < 0.05). Also dogs with higher C-BARQ scores on "Hyperactivity/restlessness, difficulties in settling down" (P=0.028), and "Chasing/following shadows or light spots" (P=0.035) were more successful, as were dogs left longer times at home (2.97 +/- 0.32 vs. 2.04 +/- 0.33 h/day; P=0.050). Index value, describing the expected success rate in the T-test, was negatively correlated with "Non-social fear" (r = -0.35) and "Stranger directed fear" (r = -0.35). The combined effect of the significant C-BARQ categories explained 29.5% of the variance in the later T-test results (P=0.006). The results indicate that the experiences and behaviour of the dogs during their first year of life is crucial in determining their later behaviour and temperament, something that could potentially be used to improve selection procedures for working dogs. Furthermore, an unsuspected result was that success in the T-test was correlated with behaviours usually associated with problem behaviour, which calls for a deeper analysis of the selection criteria used for working dogs. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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