Bonnichsen Rikke, Hansen Claus, Søndergaard Jon Raunkjær, Schrøder-Petersen Dorte Lene
Department of Food and Production, Danish Technological Institute, Gregersensvej, DK-2630 Taastrup, Denmark.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Jul 2;14(13):1953. doi: 10.3390/ani14131953.
During the CO stunning of pigs, a variation in their reaction to the gas and the duration of the induction period is observed. The stunning process can be affected by several conditions, such as stressful events and previous experiences, but the stocking density in the gondola may also have an impact. The objective was to investigate the effect of stocking density on the stunning process under commercial conditions. To quantify the pigs' reactions under industrial settings with a stocking density of up to eight pigs pr. Gondola (3.91 m), the activity level was measured using an AI solution. Compared with a simulation of the expected induction period, a significantly longer induction period was found in gondolas containing seven and eight pigs ( < 0.001) but not when the gondolas contained three or four pigs. Both high and mean activity levels were significantly higher when stocking density was increased from three or four pigs to seven or eight pigs. The stunning process was thus negatively affected when increasing the stocking density. More knowledge is needed to explain this effect and to make statements on optimal stocking density. The measured activity levels may be a useful tool for obtaining information under commercial conditions and for documenting animal welfare.
在猪的一氧化碳致昏过程中，观察到它们对气体的反应以及诱导期持续时间存在差异。致昏过程可能受到多种条件的影响，如应激事件和以往经历，但吊舱内的饲养密度也可能产生影响。目的是研究商业条件下饲养密度对致昏过程的影响。为了量化在饲养密度高达每吊舱八头猪（3.91米）的工业环境中猪的反应，使用人工智能解决方案测量了活动水平。与预期诱导期的模拟结果相比，发现装有七头和八头猪的吊舱诱导期明显更长（<0.001），但装有三头或四头猪的吊舱则不然。当饲养密度从三头或四头猪增加到七头或八头猪时，高活动水平和平均活动水平均显著升高。因此，增加饲养密度会对致昏过程产生负面影响。需要更多知识来解释这种影响并就最佳饲养密度做出说明。所测量的活动水平可能是在商业条件下获取信息和记录动物福利的有用工具。
