Linking animal management to behaviour, and freshwater use and waste, in fattening pigs

S. Misra; Eddy Bokkers; John Upton; Amy J. Quinn; Keelin O’Driscoll

Abstract

Pigs are often housed on fully slatted floors with minimal enrichment. This can cause unwanted behaviours such as drinker manipulation, leading to water wastage. Supplementary enrichment can direct exploratory behaviour away from drinkers. Larger group sizes are associated with less time per pig at drinkers. We compared the effects of group size and enrichment on pig behaviour, water usage, and wastage. Pigs (n=672) were assigned to treatment at 11 weeks of age (30-35 kg). A two (enrichment; HIGH or LOW) by three factorial (SMALL=12 pigs, MEDIUM=24 pigs, LARGE=48 pigs/pen) design was applied with same stocking density. All pens had a hanging toy and a wooden post/12 pigs. HIGH enrichment pens had a rack with fresh grass/12 pigs in addition to the standard enrichment. Meters installed at each drinker measured water use. Wastewater from each drinker was collected (hourly) between, 09:30- 16:00 once/week for 6 weeks. Animal behaviour was recorded using direct observation and all occurrences recording for 4×5 minute observation periods per pen once/week for 9 weeks. The number and duration of drinking bouts at each drinker, and total drinker occupancy, was extracted from 1 h video recording. Data were analysed using SAS v 9.4. Group size had an effect on aggressive and harmful behaviour (P<0.001). SMALL groups expressed more aggressive and harmful behaviours compared to MEDIUM and LARGE groups. Pigs in the HIGH pens also performed less harmful behaviour than LOW (P<0.001). Moreover, in the HIGH treatment, pigs interacted more with the enrichment (P<0.001). Group size didn’t affect drinking bout number, bout duration and occupancy/hr. However, LOW had a greater number of drinking bouts (24.4 bouts/drinker/hr) than HIGH (15.5 bouts/drinker/hr, P=0.037). LOW enrichment pigs spent more time occupying the drinker than HIGH (P<0.05). Group size had no effect on the water usage and wastage, but pigs in LOW (11.0±0.4 l/pig/day) used more water than HIGH (10.4±0.4 l/pig/day), because of more wastewater (P<0.05). Fresh grass as HIGH enrichment allowance may .have benefits for both the environment and animal welfare

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level
Editors	Laura Boyle, Keelin O'Driscoll
Publisher	Wageningen Academic Publishers
Pages	212-212
Number of pages	1
ISBN (Electronic)	9789086869015
Publication status	Published - 16 Aug 2021
Event	8th International Conference on The Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level - Cork, Ireland Duration: 16 Aug 2021 → 19 Aug 2021

Conference/symposium

Conference/symposium	8th International Conference on The Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level
Abbreviated title	WAFL 2021
Country/Territory	Ireland
City	Cork
Period	16/08/21 → 19/08/21

Access to Document

https://www.wageningenacademic.com/doi/epdf/10.3920/978-90-8686-901-5#page=214

Water foot printing and water use reduction of Irish pig production
Misra, S. (PhD candidate), de Boer, I. (Promotor) & van Middelaar, C. (Co-promotor)
2/01/18 → 6/06/23
Project: PhD

Cite this

Misra, S., Bokkers, E., Upton, J., Quinn, A. J., & O’Driscoll, K. (2021). Linking animal management to behaviour, and freshwater use and waste, in fattening pigs. In L. Boyle, & K. O'Driscoll (Eds.), Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level (pp. 212-212). Wageningen Academic Publishers. https://www.wageningenacademic.com/doi/epdf/10.3920/978-90-8686-901-5#page=214

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title = "Linking animal management to behaviour, and freshwater use and waste, in fattening pigs",

abstract = "Pigs are often housed on fully slatted floors with minimal enrichment. This can cause unwanted behaviours such as drinker manipulation, leading to water wastage. Supplementary enrichment can direct exploratory behaviour away from drinkers. Larger group sizes are associated with less time per pig at drinkers. We compared the effects of group size and enrichment on pig behaviour, water usage, and wastage. Pigs (n=672) were assigned to treatment at 11 weeks of age (30-35 kg). A two (enrichment; HIGH or LOW) by three factorial (SMALL=12 pigs, MEDIUM=24 pigs, LARGE=48 pigs/pen) design was applied with same stocking density. All pens had a hanging toy and a wooden post/12 pigs. HIGH enrichment pens had a rack with fresh grass/12 pigs in addition to the standard enrichment. Meters installed at each drinker measured water use. Wastewater from each drinker was collected (hourly) between, 09:30- 16:00 once/week for 6 weeks. Animal behaviour was recorded using direct observation and all occurrences recording for 4×5 minute observation periods per pen once/week for 9 weeks. The number and duration of drinking bouts at each drinker, and total drinker occupancy, was extracted from 1 h video recording. Data were analysed using SAS v 9.4. Group size had an effect on aggressive and harmful behaviour (P<0.001). SMALL groups expressed more aggressive and harmful behaviours compared to MEDIUM and LARGE groups. Pigs in the HIGH pens also performed less harmful behaviour than LOW (P<0.001). Moreover, in the HIGH treatment, pigs interacted more with the enrichment (P<0.001). Group size didn{\textquoteright}t affect drinking bout number, bout duration and occupancy/hr. However, LOW had a greater number of drinking bouts (24.4 bouts/drinker/hr) than HIGH (15.5 bouts/drinker/hr, P=0.037). LOW enrichment pigs spent more time occupying the drinker than HIGH (P<0.05). Group size had no effect on the water usage and wastage, but pigs in LOW (11.0±0.4 l/pig/day) used more water than HIGH (10.4±0.4 l/pig/day), because of more wastewater (P<0.05). Fresh grass as HIGH enrichment allowance may .have benefits for both the environment and animal welfare",

author = "S. Misra and Eddy Bokkers and John Upton and Quinn, {Amy J.} and Keelin O{\textquoteright}Driscoll",

year = "2021",

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language = "English",

pages = "212--212",

editor = "Laura Boyle and Keelin O'Driscoll",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level",

publisher = "Wageningen Academic Publishers",

address = "Netherlands",

note = "8th International Conference on The Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level, WAFL 2021 ; Conference date: 16-08-2021 Through 19-08-2021",

}

Misra, S, Bokkers, E, Upton, J, Quinn, AJ & O’Driscoll, K 2021, Linking animal management to behaviour, and freshwater use and waste, in fattening pigs. in L Boyle & K O'Driscoll (eds), Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level. Wageningen Academic Publishers, pp. 212-212, 8th International Conference on The Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level, Cork, Ireland, 16/08/21. <https://www.wageningenacademic.com/doi/epdf/10.3920/978-90-8686-901-5#page=214>

Linking animal management to behaviour, and freshwater use and waste, in fattening pigs. / Misra, S.; Bokkers, Eddy; Upton, John et al.
Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level. ed. / Laura Boyle; Keelin O'Driscoll. Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2021. p. 212-212.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Abstract

TY - CHAP

T1 - Linking animal management to behaviour, and freshwater use and waste, in fattening pigs

AU - Misra, S.

AU - Bokkers, Eddy

AU - Upton, John

AU - Quinn, Amy J.

AU - O’Driscoll, Keelin

PY - 2021/8/16

Y1 - 2021/8/16

N2 - Pigs are often housed on fully slatted floors with minimal enrichment. This can cause unwanted behaviours such as drinker manipulation, leading to water wastage. Supplementary enrichment can direct exploratory behaviour away from drinkers. Larger group sizes are associated with less time per pig at drinkers. We compared the effects of group size and enrichment on pig behaviour, water usage, and wastage. Pigs (n=672) were assigned to treatment at 11 weeks of age (30-35 kg). A two (enrichment; HIGH or LOW) by three factorial (SMALL=12 pigs, MEDIUM=24 pigs, LARGE=48 pigs/pen) design was applied with same stocking density. All pens had a hanging toy and a wooden post/12 pigs. HIGH enrichment pens had a rack with fresh grass/12 pigs in addition to the standard enrichment. Meters installed at each drinker measured water use. Wastewater from each drinker was collected (hourly) between, 09:30- 16:00 once/week for 6 weeks. Animal behaviour was recorded using direct observation and all occurrences recording for 4×5 minute observation periods per pen once/week for 9 weeks. The number and duration of drinking bouts at each drinker, and total drinker occupancy, was extracted from 1 h video recording. Data were analysed using SAS v 9.4. Group size had an effect on aggressive and harmful behaviour (P<0.001). SMALL groups expressed more aggressive and harmful behaviours compared to MEDIUM and LARGE groups. Pigs in the HIGH pens also performed less harmful behaviour than LOW (P<0.001). Moreover, in the HIGH treatment, pigs interacted more with the enrichment (P<0.001). Group size didn’t affect drinking bout number, bout duration and occupancy/hr. However, LOW had a greater number of drinking bouts (24.4 bouts/drinker/hr) than HIGH (15.5 bouts/drinker/hr, P=0.037). LOW enrichment pigs spent more time occupying the drinker than HIGH (P<0.05). Group size had no effect on the water usage and wastage, but pigs in LOW (11.0±0.4 l/pig/day) used more water than HIGH (10.4±0.4 l/pig/day), because of more wastewater (P<0.05). Fresh grass as HIGH enrichment allowance may .have benefits for both the environment and animal welfare

AB - Pigs are often housed on fully slatted floors with minimal enrichment. This can cause unwanted behaviours such as drinker manipulation, leading to water wastage. Supplementary enrichment can direct exploratory behaviour away from drinkers. Larger group sizes are associated with less time per pig at drinkers. We compared the effects of group size and enrichment on pig behaviour, water usage, and wastage. Pigs (n=672) were assigned to treatment at 11 weeks of age (30-35 kg). A two (enrichment; HIGH or LOW) by three factorial (SMALL=12 pigs, MEDIUM=24 pigs, LARGE=48 pigs/pen) design was applied with same stocking density. All pens had a hanging toy and a wooden post/12 pigs. HIGH enrichment pens had a rack with fresh grass/12 pigs in addition to the standard enrichment. Meters installed at each drinker measured water use. Wastewater from each drinker was collected (hourly) between, 09:30- 16:00 once/week for 6 weeks. Animal behaviour was recorded using direct observation and all occurrences recording for 4×5 minute observation periods per pen once/week for 9 weeks. The number and duration of drinking bouts at each drinker, and total drinker occupancy, was extracted from 1 h video recording. Data were analysed using SAS v 9.4. Group size had an effect on aggressive and harmful behaviour (P<0.001). SMALL groups expressed more aggressive and harmful behaviours compared to MEDIUM and LARGE groups. Pigs in the HIGH pens also performed less harmful behaviour than LOW (P<0.001). Moreover, in the HIGH treatment, pigs interacted more with the enrichment (P<0.001). Group size didn’t affect drinking bout number, bout duration and occupancy/hr. However, LOW had a greater number of drinking bouts (24.4 bouts/drinker/hr) than HIGH (15.5 bouts/drinker/hr, P=0.037). LOW enrichment pigs spent more time occupying the drinker than HIGH (P<0.05). Group size had no effect on the water usage and wastage, but pigs in LOW (11.0±0.4 l/pig/day) used more water than HIGH (10.4±0.4 l/pig/day), because of more wastewater (P<0.05). Fresh grass as HIGH enrichment allowance may .have benefits for both the environment and animal welfare

M3 - Abstract

SP - 212

EP - 212

BT - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level

A2 - Boyle, Laura

A2 - O'Driscoll, Keelin

PB - Wageningen Academic Publishers

T2 - 8th International Conference on The Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level

Y2 - 16 August 2021 through 19 August 2021

ER -

Linking animal management to behaviour, and freshwater use and waste, in fattening pigs

Abstract

Conference/symposium

Access to Document

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Projects

Water foot printing and water use reduction of Irish pig production

Cite this