The Natural Behaviour of the Pig

Abstract

With reference primarily to the 'Five Freedoms' defined by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (London, UK), the present chapter reviews the behavioural and physiological welfare requirements of domestic piglets from birth until weaning: (1) comfort and housing requirements; (2) nutrition and welfare; (3) viability and health; (4) behavioural needs; and (5) fear, stress and suffering. The general aim is to evaluate the effects of housing and management practices on the biological responses (behaviour, physiology, health, performance) of piglets in relation to their needs. Suitable and practicable modifications are put forward for the improvement of welfare under commercial production conditions. Whereas serious welfare problems directly caused by nutrition and disease are less prevalent because of their obvious and immediate economic impacts, some welfare impairments still occur that result from psychobiological suffering and insufficient attention to the comfort requirements and behavioural needs of piglets. Some of the aspects that can help to improve the piglet welfare are discussed in this chapter. High mortality of piglets after farrowing is a major problem. This can be countered by ensuring adequate design of the farrowing environment to minimise the risk of crushing, by providing an optimal thermal environment and sufficient and comfortable lying space for all piglets, and by increasing supervision at farrowing and during the suckling period. The detrimental effects of tail docking, teeth resection and castration on welfare can be diminished by modifying or improving the techniques themselves; by using analgesic protocols; and by promoting the development of general and local anaesthetics that alleviate both acute and chronic pain. The abrupt weaning of piglets has been linked to many critical aspects of welfare (e.g. aggression, rearrangement of environment and feed) which can be improved by implementing a more gradual weaning process using sow-controlled systems and/or mixing of piglets prior to weaning. In addition, these alternative housing practices combined with environmental enrichment allow the animals to display more of their natural behavioural repertoire and to experience various stimuli which can help to prevent boredom and behavioural disorders. © Wageningen Academic Publishers, The Netherlands 2008.