Influence of Novel Objects As Environmental Enrichment on the Behavior of Young Pigs (sus scrofa)

Environmental Enrichment Improves . . . Animal welfare by positively regulating baseline cortisol levels (de Jong et al, 2000 and de Groot et al 2000) Production traits, including food conversion ratios and meat quality (Klont et al, 2001 and Beattie et al, 2000)

Objectives To determine which type of novel object, the ball or the chain, would provide suitable environmental enrichment for juvenile pigs To determine if provision of a novel object changes the way juvenile pigs spend their time

Materials and Methods Ten groups of four Yorkshire-Landrace piglets aged 4-7 weeks Each group was exposed to three treatments Control: no enrichment, barren environment Ball: addition of rubber Jolly-Ball dog toy into environment Chain: addition of metal dog training collar into environment

Everyday Housing

Observational Pen Each group was observed for 15 minutes in each treatment Groups were scanned every 30 seconds and behaviors classified according to an ethogram

Ethogram Standing

Lying

Sitting

Drinking

Walking

Rooting

Playing

Crowding

Results

Ball vs. Chain The piglets spent significantly more time playing in the ball treatment than in the control treatment The piglets did not play significantly more in the chain treatment than the control treatment Why? Texture Movement Shape

Investigative Behaviors Amount of time spent playing+rooting was constant Therefore, rooting and playing are inversely proportional Playing may deter piglets from manipulative social behaviors, such as tail biting

Conclusion The ball makes an appropriate tool for environmental enrichment

Suggested Further Research Experiments with other objects Experiments with pigs of other ages Experiments with extended exposure to enrichment objects