Kazantseva Anastasiya, Bilyalov Airat, Filatov Nikita, Perepechenov Stepan, Gusev Oleg
Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Centre of Russian Academy of Sciences, 450054 Ufa, Russia.
SBHI Moscow Clinical Scientific Center Named after Loginov MHD, 111123 Moscow, Russia.
Genes (Basel). 2025 Apr 29;16(5):534. doi: 10.3390/genes16050534.
Aggressive behaviour in pigs poses significant challenges to animal welfare, production efficiency, and economic performance in the pork industry. This review explores the multifaceted causes of pig aggression, focusing on genetic, environmental, and physiological factors. Aggression in pigs is categorized into social, maternal, fear-induced, play, and redirected aggression, with early-life hierarchies and environmental stressors playing critical roles. Physiological markers, such as elevated cortisol and reduced serotonin levels, are closely linked to aggressive behaviour, while dietary interventions, including tryptophan supplementation, have shown promise in mitigating aggression. Environmental factors, such as overcrowding, noise, and heat stress, exacerbate aggressive tendencies, whereas enrichment strategies, like music and improved housing conditions, can reduce stress and aggression. Genome-wide analyses have pinpointed specific polymorphisms in neurotransmitter genes (, , ) and stress-response loci () as significant predictors of porcine aggression. Advances in genomic technologies, including genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and transcriptomic analyses, have further elucidated the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of aggressive behaviour. Practical application in breeding programmes remains challenging due to aggression polygenic nature and industry hesitancy toward genomic approaches. Future research should focus on integrating genetic markers into breeding programmes, developing multitrait selection indices, and exploring epigenetic modifications to improve animal welfare and production efficiency. By addressing these challenges, the pork industry can enhance both the well-being of pigs and the sustainability of production systems.
猪的攻击行为对动物福利、生产效率以及猪肉行业的经济表现构成了重大挑战。本综述探讨了猪攻击行为的多方面成因，重点关注遗传、环境和生理因素。猪的攻击行为可分为社会攻击、母性攻击、恐惧诱发攻击、玩耍攻击和 redirected 攻击，早期的等级制度和环境应激源起着关键作用。生理指标，如皮质醇升高和血清素水平降低，与攻击行为密切相关，而饮食干预，包括补充色氨酸，已显示出减轻攻击行为的前景。环境因素，如过度拥挤、噪音和热应激，会加剧攻击倾向，而丰富化策略，如音乐和改善饲养条件，可以减轻应激和攻击行为。全基因组分析已确定神经递质基因（、、）和应激反应位点（）中的特定多态性是猪攻击行为的重要预测指标。基因组技术的进展，包括全基因组关联研究（GWAS）和转录组分析，进一步阐明了攻击行为的遗传和表观遗传基础。由于攻击行为的多基因性质以及行业对基因组方法的犹豫，在育种计划中的实际应用仍然具有挑战性。未来的研究应专注于将遗传标记整合到育种计划中，开发多性状选择指数，并探索表观遗传修饰，以改善动物福利和生产效率。通过应对这些挑战，猪肉行业可以提高猪的福利和生产系统的可持续性。
