The aim of the study was to test whether aggressive actions among piglets could be redirected by an automatically generated sound signal followed by a sweet food reward. Per round, four litters of 25-day-old piglets (BHZP breed) were trained 5 times per day over 8 days to expect a sweet feed reward from a dog feeder after hearing a specific sound. In total 144 piglets in 14 entire litters were trained in five trials. At the end of the training 71% of the piglets were around the feeder 5 s after the feeder sound. After the training period, the piglets were weaned and mixed in two pens, 12 piglets per pen. During 2 days (3 h/day) after mixing two observers (one per pen) hidden behind a wooden wall activated the feeder when aggressive or abnormal behaviour started. A total of 616 aggressive events and 31 incidences of abnormal behaviour (ear biting) were used for the analysis. The logistic regression showed that the type of behaviour had a significant effect on the piglets' response to the feeder sound (P < 0.001). The results showed the possibility of interruption of the aggressive behaviours such as head thrust [odds ratio (OR) ≤ 0.43], jump on other (OR ≤ 0.56) or attack with bite (OR ≤ 0.61). Ear biting was very unlikely to continue (OR ≤ 0.55). The risk of continuing elevated aggression level behaviours was doubled in the event of chasing (OR ≤ 2.16) and the risk that fight would continue after the feeder sound was released was 7 times higher (OR ≤ 7.89). Categorical analysis showed a significant effect (<0.001) of the time intervals t ≤ 1 s and 1 s < t ≤ 3 s on interruption of aggression by the feeder sound release. The piglets' response to the feeder sound differed significantly between the experimental days (P < 0.001). On the second day of mixing, the feeder sound interrupted 74.9% of aggressive events, compared with 33.7% on the first day. The results suggest that acoustic-reward treatment can distract pigs from performing certain aggressive behaviours and ear biting in piglets when properly applied in time.

Acoustic-reward learning as a method to reduce the incidence of aggressive and abnormal behaviours among newly mixed piglets / G. Ismayilova, L. Sonoda, M. Fels, R. Rizzi, M. Oczak, S. Viazzi, E. Vranken, J. Hartung, D. Berckmans, M. Guarino. - In: ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE. - ISSN 1836-0939. - 54:8(2014), pp. 1084-1090. [10.1071/AN13202]

Acoustic-reward learning as a method to reduce the incidence of aggressive and abnormal behaviours among newly mixed piglets

G. Ismayilova
;
R. Rizzi;M. Guarino
Ultimo
2014

Abstract

The aim of the study was to test whether aggressive actions among piglets could be redirected by an automatically generated sound signal followed by a sweet food reward. Per round, four litters of 25-day-old piglets (BHZP breed) were trained 5 times per day over 8 days to expect a sweet feed reward from a dog feeder after hearing a specific sound. In total 144 piglets in 14 entire litters were trained in five trials. At the end of the training 71% of the piglets were around the feeder 5 s after the feeder sound. After the training period, the piglets were weaned and mixed in two pens, 12 piglets per pen. During 2 days (3 h/day) after mixing two observers (one per pen) hidden behind a wooden wall activated the feeder when aggressive or abnormal behaviour started. A total of 616 aggressive events and 31 incidences of abnormal behaviour (ear biting) were used for the analysis. The logistic regression showed that the type of behaviour had a significant effect on the piglets' response to the feeder sound (P < 0.001). The results showed the possibility of interruption of the aggressive behaviours such as head thrust [odds ratio (OR) ≤ 0.43], jump on other (OR ≤ 0.56) or attack with bite (OR ≤ 0.61). Ear biting was very unlikely to continue (OR ≤ 0.55). The risk of continuing elevated aggression level behaviours was doubled in the event of chasing (OR ≤ 2.16) and the risk that fight would continue after the feeder sound was released was 7 times higher (OR ≤ 7.89). Categorical analysis showed a significant effect (<0.001) of the time intervals t ≤ 1 s and 1 s < t ≤ 3 s on interruption of aggression by the feeder sound release. The piglets' response to the feeder sound differed significantly between the experimental days (P < 0.001). On the second day of mixing, the feeder sound interrupted 74.9% of aggressive events, compared with 33.7% on the first day. The results suggest that acoustic-reward treatment can distract pigs from performing certain aggressive behaviours and ear biting in piglets when properly applied in time.
environmental enrichment; growing pigs; finishing pigs; agonistic behavior; space allowance; domestic pigs; weaned pigs; productivity; azaperone; sows
Settore AGR/10 - Costruzioni Rurali e Territorio Agroforestale
2014
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/262124
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