School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Japan.
Anim Sci J. 2011 Feb;82(1):161-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-0929.2010.00806.x. Epub 2010 Oct 29.
The purpose of this experiment was to establish behavioral indexes of piglet welfare. Forty-eight piglets were allocated to either four indoor pens or four outdoor pens (six piglets per pen). The indoor system was a commercial pen that consisted of a concrete floor and a slat floor. The outdoor system had a dirt paddock with a wooden hutch. Growth performance, salivary cortisol levels, skin lesions and behaviors of the piglets were monitored for 4 weeks. Sixteen types of behaviors were recorded by using 2-min instantaneous scan sampling for 8 h/day. Growth performance and salivary cortisol levels did not significantly differ between the two housing systems. On the other hand, skin lesions and behaviors were significantly affected by the housing system. The number of skin lesions was higher in the indoor system. In addition, piglets in the outdoor system showed more investigative and social-play behaviors than those in the indoor system. Piglets in the indoor system showed more resting, drinking, moving, fighting, and conflict behaviors than those in the outdoor system. We conclude that investigative, social-play and conflict behaviors may be effective indexes of the welfare level of piglets, especially investigative and conflict behaviors.
本实验旨在建立仔猪福利的行为指标。将 48 头仔猪分配到四个室内围栏或四个室外围栏中（每个围栏 6 头猪）。室内系统是一个由混凝土地板和格栅地板组成的商业围栏。室外系统有一个带木制棚屋的泥地围场。监测了仔猪 4 周的生长性能、唾液皮质醇水平、皮肤损伤和行为。使用 2 分钟瞬时扫描采样，每天记录 8 小时的 16 种行为。两种饲养系统的生长性能和唾液皮质醇水平没有显著差异。另一方面，皮肤损伤和行为受到饲养系统的显著影响。室内系统的皮肤损伤数量更高。此外，室外系统的仔猪比室内系统的仔猪表现出更多的探索和社交游戏行为。室内系统的仔猪比室外系统的仔猪表现出更多的休息、饮水、移动、打斗和冲突行为。我们得出结论，探索、社交游戏和冲突行为可能是仔猪福利水平的有效指标，特别是探索和冲突行为。
