Hierarchy Establishment in Growing Finishing Pigs: Impacts on Behavior, Growth Performance, and Physiological Parameters
In recent years, an increased number of studies have dealt with the analysis of social dominance related to animal behavior, physiology, and performance. This study aimed to investigate whether hierarchical ranking affects the coping style, non-social behavior during open field and novel object test...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/292 |
| _version_ | 1827629286017728512 |
|---|---|
| author | Angela Cristina da Fonseca de Oliveira Saulo Henrique Webber Yuliaxis Ramayo-Caldas Antoni Dalmau Leandro Batista Costa |
| author_facet | Angela Cristina da Fonseca de Oliveira Saulo Henrique Webber Yuliaxis Ramayo-Caldas Antoni Dalmau Leandro Batista Costa |
| author_sort | Angela Cristina da Fonseca de Oliveira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, an increased number of studies have dealt with the analysis of social dominance related to animal behavior, physiology, and performance. This study aimed to investigate whether hierarchical ranking affects the coping style, non-social behavior during open field and novel object tests, performance, and physiological parameters of pigs. A total of 48 growing pigs (24 barrows and 24 females) were mixed three times during the growing–finishing period. The social and non-social behaviors of pigs were directly noted, and three behavioral tests were performed during the experimental period. Performance and physiological parameters were also recorded. Statistical analysis considered hierarchical classification (dominant vs. intermediary vs. subordinate) and <i>p</i>-values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. After three regroupings, the pigs in different hierarchical classifications showed no change in hair cortisol values and open-field and novel object tests. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and leukocyte values increased in intermediary pigs, and the lowest counts were found in pigs classified as dominants. Furthermore, dominant pigs visited the feeder more but spent shorter time there compared to subordinate and intermediary pigs. Our results suggest that hierarchical classification influenced feeding behavior and physiological parameters without affecting cortisol values and growth performance, demonstrating a possible compensation skill. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:49:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aaf3d858ff914be8a27aa92c7c20ba98 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:49:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-aaf3d858ff914be8a27aa92c7c20ba982023-11-30T20:53:53ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-01-0113229210.3390/ani13020292Hierarchy Establishment in Growing Finishing Pigs: Impacts on Behavior, Growth Performance, and Physiological ParametersAngela Cristina da Fonseca de Oliveira0Saulo Henrique Webber1Yuliaxis Ramayo-Caldas2Antoni Dalmau3Leandro Batista Costa4Graduate Program of Animal Science, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná-PUCPR, Curitiba 80215-901, BrazilGraduate Program of Animal Science, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná-PUCPR, Curitiba 80215-901, BrazilInstitut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries-IRTA, Porcine Control and Evaluation, 17121 Monells, SpainInstitut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries-IRTA, Porcine Control and Evaluation, 17121 Monells, SpainGraduate Program of Animal Science, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná-PUCPR, Curitiba 80215-901, BrazilIn recent years, an increased number of studies have dealt with the analysis of social dominance related to animal behavior, physiology, and performance. This study aimed to investigate whether hierarchical ranking affects the coping style, non-social behavior during open field and novel object tests, performance, and physiological parameters of pigs. A total of 48 growing pigs (24 barrows and 24 females) were mixed three times during the growing–finishing period. The social and non-social behaviors of pigs were directly noted, and three behavioral tests were performed during the experimental period. Performance and physiological parameters were also recorded. Statistical analysis considered hierarchical classification (dominant vs. intermediary vs. subordinate) and <i>p</i>-values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. After three regroupings, the pigs in different hierarchical classifications showed no change in hair cortisol values and open-field and novel object tests. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and leukocyte values increased in intermediary pigs, and the lowest counts were found in pigs classified as dominants. Furthermore, dominant pigs visited the feeder more but spent shorter time there compared to subordinate and intermediary pigs. Our results suggest that hierarchical classification influenced feeding behavior and physiological parameters without affecting cortisol values and growth performance, demonstrating a possible compensation skill.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/292agonistic contactcoping styledominance sociomatrixsocial rankingswine |
| spellingShingle | Angela Cristina da Fonseca de Oliveira Saulo Henrique Webber Yuliaxis Ramayo-Caldas Antoni Dalmau Leandro Batista Costa Hierarchy Establishment in Growing Finishing Pigs: Impacts on Behavior, Growth Performance, and Physiological Parameters Animals agonistic contact coping style dominance sociomatrix social ranking swine |
| title | Hierarchy Establishment in Growing Finishing Pigs: Impacts on Behavior, Growth Performance, and Physiological Parameters |
| title_full | Hierarchy Establishment in Growing Finishing Pigs: Impacts on Behavior, Growth Performance, and Physiological Parameters |
| title_fullStr | Hierarchy Establishment in Growing Finishing Pigs: Impacts on Behavior, Growth Performance, and Physiological Parameters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hierarchy Establishment in Growing Finishing Pigs: Impacts on Behavior, Growth Performance, and Physiological Parameters |
| title_short | Hierarchy Establishment in Growing Finishing Pigs: Impacts on Behavior, Growth Performance, and Physiological Parameters |
| title_sort | hierarchy establishment in growing finishing pigs impacts on behavior growth performance and physiological parameters |
| topic | agonistic contact coping style dominance sociomatrix social ranking swine |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/292 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT angelacristinadafonsecadeoliveira hierarchyestablishmentingrowingfinishingpigsimpactsonbehaviorgrowthperformanceandphysiologicalparameters AT saulohenriquewebber hierarchyestablishmentingrowingfinishingpigsimpactsonbehaviorgrowthperformanceandphysiologicalparameters AT yuliaxisramayocaldas hierarchyestablishmentingrowingfinishingpigsimpactsonbehaviorgrowthperformanceandphysiologicalparameters AT antonidalmau hierarchyestablishmentingrowingfinishingpigsimpactsonbehaviorgrowthperformanceandphysiologicalparameters AT leandrobatistacosta hierarchyestablishmentingrowingfinishingpigsimpactsonbehaviorgrowthperformanceandphysiologicalparameters |