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

2. 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)

3. 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

4. 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

5. Everyday Housing

6. 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

7. Ethogram
Standing

8. Lying

9. Sitting

10. Drinking

11. Walking

12. Rooting

13. Playing

14. Crowding

15. Results

16. 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

17. 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

18. Conclusion
The ball makes an appropriate tool for environmental enrichment

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