Environmental and Management Factors Affecting the Time Budgets of Free-Ranging Iberian Pigs Reared in Spain
Understanding the natural behaviour of pigs in free-range conditions facilitates interpretation of their behaviour in intensive conditions. Studying six different farms over two years at different seasons, with climatic and management variations, allowed for a general description of Iberian pig beha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/5/798 |
| _version_ | 1797568802258419712 |
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| author | Míriam Martínez-Macipe Eva Mainau Xavier Manteca Antoni Dalmau |
| author_facet | Míriam Martínez-Macipe Eva Mainau Xavier Manteca Antoni Dalmau |
| author_sort | Míriam Martínez-Macipe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the natural behaviour of pigs in free-range conditions facilitates interpretation of their behaviour in intensive conditions. Studying six different farms over two years at different seasons, with climatic and management variations, allowed for a general description of Iberian pig behaviour and which factors have an influence on it. The main activity found was resting (56.5% of the time observed), followed by exploratory behaviour. However, this exploratory behaviour was higher when animals were fed only with natural resources than when fed with concentrates (50% versus 17.8%, respectively). In addition, pigs used bathing areas in summer that were not visited in winter. Negative social behaviour was seen more frequently than positive social behaviour, accounting, in total, for 1% of the total activity of animals. Pigs situated at the centre of the groups tended to remain more relaxed, while the peripheral animals remained more alert and vigilant. Our results indicate that foraging behaviour accounts for a significant proportion of pigs’ active time, but this proportion is much more reduced when pigs are fed concentrates. Therefore, behavioural needs in pigs reared in intensive conditions should consider that exploratory behaviour is reduced when pigs are fed with concentrates. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:01:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-429cc85a8c734336af4ed5be2184fd00 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:01:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-429cc85a8c734336af4ed5be2184fd002023-11-19T23:31:02ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-05-0110579810.3390/ani10050798Environmental and Management Factors Affecting the Time Budgets of Free-Ranging Iberian Pigs Reared in SpainMíriam Martínez-Macipe0Eva Mainau1Xavier Manteca2Antoni Dalmau3IRTA Veïnat de Sies S/N, 17121 Monells, SpainUAB, Veterinary School, Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, SpainUAB, Veterinary School, Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, SpainIRTA Veïnat de Sies S/N, 17121 Monells, SpainUnderstanding the natural behaviour of pigs in free-range conditions facilitates interpretation of their behaviour in intensive conditions. Studying six different farms over two years at different seasons, with climatic and management variations, allowed for a general description of Iberian pig behaviour and which factors have an influence on it. The main activity found was resting (56.5% of the time observed), followed by exploratory behaviour. However, this exploratory behaviour was higher when animals were fed only with natural resources than when fed with concentrates (50% versus 17.8%, respectively). In addition, pigs used bathing areas in summer that were not visited in winter. Negative social behaviour was seen more frequently than positive social behaviour, accounting, in total, for 1% of the total activity of animals. Pigs situated at the centre of the groups tended to remain more relaxed, while the peripheral animals remained more alert and vigilant. Our results indicate that foraging behaviour accounts for a significant proportion of pigs’ active time, but this proportion is much more reduced when pigs are fed concentrates. Therefore, behavioural needs in pigs reared in intensive conditions should consider that exploratory behaviour is reduced when pigs are fed with concentrates.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/5/798free-range pigsIberian pigspig behaviourpig welfaretime budgets |
| spellingShingle | Míriam Martínez-Macipe Eva Mainau Xavier Manteca Antoni Dalmau Environmental and Management Factors Affecting the Time Budgets of Free-Ranging Iberian Pigs Reared in Spain Animals free-range pigs Iberian pigs pig behaviour pig welfare time budgets |
| title | Environmental and Management Factors Affecting the Time Budgets of Free-Ranging Iberian Pigs Reared in Spain |
| title_full | Environmental and Management Factors Affecting the Time Budgets of Free-Ranging Iberian Pigs Reared in Spain |
| title_fullStr | Environmental and Management Factors Affecting the Time Budgets of Free-Ranging Iberian Pigs Reared in Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental and Management Factors Affecting the Time Budgets of Free-Ranging Iberian Pigs Reared in Spain |
| title_short | Environmental and Management Factors Affecting the Time Budgets of Free-Ranging Iberian Pigs Reared in Spain |
| title_sort | environmental and management factors affecting the time budgets of free ranging iberian pigs reared in spain |
| topic | free-range pigs Iberian pigs pig behaviour pig welfare time budgets |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/5/798 |
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