Newberry R C, Wood-Gush D G, Hall J W
The School of Agriculture, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh Scotland EH9 3JG.
Agriculture Canada, Research Station, Marine Drive, Vancouver, Canada V6T 1X2.
Behav Processes. 1988 Sep;17(3):205-16. doi: 10.1016/0376-6357(88)90004-6.
Domestic piglets living in multi-litter groups with their dams and other pigs in a large, socially and ecologically rich outdoor enclosure were observed, to obtain a quantitative description of the frequencies and sequences of behaviour patterns performed during play. Focal animal sampling was used to collect data on the playful behaviour of 14 male and 21 female piglets from birth to 14 weeks of age. The "play markers" hop, scamper, pivot, toss head, shake object and carry object were used to identify playful behaviour sequences. The variety of different behaviour patterns performed in first order transitions with play markers was highest in the first 6 weeks and declined thereafter with increasing age. Behaviour patterns occurring in transitions with play markers significantly more often than expected included stand, walk, trot, gallop, freeze, shove and circle. The overall frequency of play markers was significantly affected by age, with a peak frequency occurring between 2 and 6 weeks of age. Male and female piglets performed play markers at similar rates. Results are discussed with reference to the welfare of piglets kept in housing systems which limit playful behaviour.
观察了生活在大型户外围栏中的多窝仔猪，这些围栏社交丰富、生态多样，仔猪与它们的母猪以及其他猪生活在一起，目的是对玩耍期间所表现出的行为模式的频率和顺序进行定量描述。采用焦点动物取样法收集了14只雄性和21只雌性仔猪从出生到14周龄期间玩耍行为的数据。“玩耍标记”，如跳跃、蹦跳、转身、摇头、摇晃物体和搬运物体，被用来识别玩耍行为序列。与玩耍标记进行一阶转换时所表现出的不同行为模式的多样性在最初6周最高，此后随着年龄增长而下降。在与玩耍标记的转换中出现频率明显高于预期的行为模式包括站立、行走、小跑、疾驰、静止、推搡和转圈。玩耍标记的总体频率受年龄显著影响，在2至6周龄之间出现频率峰值。雄性和雌性仔猪表现出玩耍标记的速率相似。结合限制玩耍行为的饲养系统中仔猪的福利对结果进行了讨论。
