One of the largest animal welfare problems in modern pig production is tail biting. This abnormal behaviour compromises the well-being of the animals, can seriously impair animal health and can cause considerable economic losses. Tail biting has a multifactorial origin and occurs mainly in fattening pigs. High stocking densities, poor […]
Brain gene expression differences are associated with abnormal tail biting behavior in pigs
Knowledge about gene expression in animals involved in abnormal behaviors can contribute to understanding of the underlying biological mechanisms. The present study aimed to explore the motivational background to tail biting, an abnormal injurious behavior and severe welfare problem in pig production. Affymetrix microarrays were used to investigate gene expression differences […]
The British pig health schemes: integrated systems for large-scale pig abattoir lesion monitoring
Pig health schemes based on abattoir inspections provide an integrated system to optimise the postmortem detection and the reporting of pathological lesions. In Great Britain, two initiatives have been implemented by the pig industry: Wholesome Pigs Scotland (WPS) and the BPEX Pig Health Scheme (BPHS). These schemes record the presence […]
Essay: Decreasing stress, aggression and injury in pigs housed in intensive production systems
Introduction Animal welfare issues are inherent in any intensive production system that restricts animals to an environment incompatible with their behavioural needs (D’Eath & Turner, 2009). For example, intensive husbandry practices, such as a mix of pigs in a confined space, can result in significant stress reactions and displays of […]
Behavior of piglets after castration with and without CO2-anesthesia
Surgical castration of male piglets without anesthesia is a routine management practice conducted on commercial pig farms. For animal welfare reasons it would be beneficial to develop methods of practical pain relief. The objective of this study from the Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen, Geel, Belgium, was to evaluate the effect of […]