Short communication: Preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment affect short-term performance after regrouping in commercially reared pigs
On-farm practices like premature weaning and frequent regrouping induce stress to pigs. Early socialization or environmental enrichment in piglets reduce weaning stress, as suggested in previous studies. Little research with both effects and in commercial settings was found. The aim was to investiga...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Animal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731120301178 |
| _version_ | 1818901212603351040 |
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| author | H.-L. Ko S. López-Vergé Q. Chong J. Gasa X. Manteca P. Llonch |
| author_facet | H.-L. Ko S. López-Vergé Q. Chong J. Gasa X. Manteca P. Llonch |
| author_sort | H.-L. Ko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | On-farm practices like premature weaning and frequent regrouping induce stress to pigs. Early socialization or environmental enrichment in piglets reduce weaning stress, as suggested in previous studies. Little research with both effects and in commercial settings was found. The aim was to investigate the effects of preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment on life-long performance in 661 Danbred pigs. Two treatments were distinguished during the suckling period: control (CON, 24 litters) and enriched (ENR, 24 litters). Control piglets were raised in barren farrowing pens; ENR piglets were provided with six enrichment objects from birth, and two neighboring litters were socialized from Day (D) 14. Pigs were regrouped on D25 (weaning) and D71 (fattening), while keeping the same treatment. Individual body weight was recorded on D1, 14, 23, 27, 31, 38, 69, 79, and after slaughter (carcass weight, CW). Pigs were slaughtered in six batches. Estimated slaughter weight (ESW) was calculated by CW × 1.25. Body weight, CW, and average daily gain (ADG) were analyzed by linear mixed models. Slaughter age was analyzed by Wilcox Rank-Sum test. Body weight and ESW were adjusted to non-linear models to obtain the predicted growth curves of CON and ENR, from birth to the targeted market weight (TMW, 105 kg). Average daily gain during the suckling, nursery, and fattening periods, and from birth to slaughter, did not differ between treatments. However, ADG of ENR when moving pigs from farrowing to nursery (4-day period) and from nursery to fattening (10-day period), revealed a better performance than CON (+20.6 g/day, P = 0.02; +53 g/day, P = 0.03, respectively). Enriched pigs tended to be slaughtered 2.8 days earlier than CON (P = 0.08). On the other hand, the predicted growth curves showed a non-significant 2-day window of reaching TMW between treatments (P = 0.23). Results suggested that enriching the neonatal environment improved the short-term performance after regrouping, and may benefit the life-long performance by reducing time to reach TMW. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:16:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e19efe67188a4b649236bf860fbc0fca |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1751-7311 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T20:16:10Z |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal |
| spelling | doaj.art-e19efe67188a4b649236bf860fbc0fca2022-12-21T20:07:10ZengElsevierAnimal1751-73112021-02-01152100115Short communication: Preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment affect short-term performance after regrouping in commercially reared pigsH.-L. Ko0S. López-Vergé1Q. Chong2J. Gasa3X. Manteca4P. Llonch5Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Corresponding author.Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), SpainThe Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UKDepartment of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), SpainDepartment of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), SpainDepartment of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), SpainOn-farm practices like premature weaning and frequent regrouping induce stress to pigs. Early socialization or environmental enrichment in piglets reduce weaning stress, as suggested in previous studies. Little research with both effects and in commercial settings was found. The aim was to investigate the effects of preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment on life-long performance in 661 Danbred pigs. Two treatments were distinguished during the suckling period: control (CON, 24 litters) and enriched (ENR, 24 litters). Control piglets were raised in barren farrowing pens; ENR piglets were provided with six enrichment objects from birth, and two neighboring litters were socialized from Day (D) 14. Pigs were regrouped on D25 (weaning) and D71 (fattening), while keeping the same treatment. Individual body weight was recorded on D1, 14, 23, 27, 31, 38, 69, 79, and after slaughter (carcass weight, CW). Pigs were slaughtered in six batches. Estimated slaughter weight (ESW) was calculated by CW × 1.25. Body weight, CW, and average daily gain (ADG) were analyzed by linear mixed models. Slaughter age was analyzed by Wilcox Rank-Sum test. Body weight and ESW were adjusted to non-linear models to obtain the predicted growth curves of CON and ENR, from birth to the targeted market weight (TMW, 105 kg). Average daily gain during the suckling, nursery, and fattening periods, and from birth to slaughter, did not differ between treatments. However, ADG of ENR when moving pigs from farrowing to nursery (4-day period) and from nursery to fattening (10-day period), revealed a better performance than CON (+20.6 g/day, P = 0.02; +53 g/day, P = 0.03, respectively). Enriched pigs tended to be slaughtered 2.8 days earlier than CON (P = 0.08). On the other hand, the predicted growth curves showed a non-significant 2-day window of reaching TMW between treatments (P = 0.23). Results suggested that enriching the neonatal environment improved the short-term performance after regrouping, and may benefit the life-long performance by reducing time to reach TMW.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731120301178Growth rateIntensive productionLife-long performanceMixingWelfare |
| spellingShingle | H.-L. Ko S. López-Vergé Q. Chong J. Gasa X. Manteca P. Llonch Short communication: Preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment affect short-term performance after regrouping in commercially reared pigs Animal Growth rate Intensive production Life-long performance Mixing Welfare |
| title | Short communication: Preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment affect short-term performance after regrouping in commercially reared pigs |
| title_full | Short communication: Preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment affect short-term performance after regrouping in commercially reared pigs |
| title_fullStr | Short communication: Preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment affect short-term performance after regrouping in commercially reared pigs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Short communication: Preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment affect short-term performance after regrouping in commercially reared pigs |
| title_short | Short communication: Preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment affect short-term performance after regrouping in commercially reared pigs |
| title_sort | short communication preweaning socialization and environmental enrichment affect short term performance after regrouping in commercially reared pigs |
| topic | Growth rate Intensive production Life-long performance Mixing Welfare |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1751731120301178 |
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