Agonistic behaviour after mixing in pigs under commercial farm conditions

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate agonistic behaviour of pigs after regrouping pigs under commercial sow farm conditions. The behavioural patterns were observed over a 48-h period, directly after weaning (PIG-28; n = 647) and 40 days later (growing pigs, PIG-68; n = 224). Agonistic interactions were analysed by noting the times (start and finish), the aggressor/receiver and the winner/loser of a fight. Differences in agonistic behaviour within and between the two age groups were recorded. The median number of fights per pig was 40.0 (PIG-28) and 6.5 (PIG-68), respectively, and varied between 0 and 139 fights. A circadian rhythm for the number of fights per pig and hour was shown for both age groups. A dominance index (DI) was calculated to examine possible relations between the agonistic behaviour shown and the dominance of an individual pig. The DI was defined as the ratio of wins minus defeats divided by the sum of wins, defeats and stand-off outcomes. Dominant pigs (DI > 0) were engaged in more agonistic interactions, had a longer total fight time and initiated more fights (p

[1]  J. Langbein,et al.  Analysing dominance relationships by sociometric methods—a plea for a more standardised and precise approach in farm animals , 2004 .

[2]  P. Orgeur,et al.  Grouping piglets by sex at weaning reduces aggressive behaviour , 2006 .

[3]  Alistair Lawrence,et al.  The accumulation of skin lesions and their use as a predictor of individual aggressiveness in pigs , 2006 .

[4]  Dominance relationships between sows dependent on the time interval between separation and reunion , 2005 .

[5]  P. Jensen,et al.  Aggression between unacquainted pigs—sequential assessment and effects of familiarity and weight , 1998 .

[6]  A. Lawrence,et al.  Bayesian Analysis of Genetic Associations of Skin Lesions and Behavioural Traits to Identify Genetic Components of Individual Aggressiveness in Pigs , 2008, Behavior genetics.

[7]  T. Friend,et al.  Effect of partitioning pens on aggressive behavior of pigs regrouped at weaning , 1996 .

[8]  T. Friend,et al.  Behavior and performance of pigs grouped by three different methods at weaning. , 1983, Journal of animal science.

[9]  D. Kramer,et al.  Alternative housing for sows and litters: 2. Effects of a communal piglet area on pre- and post-weaning behaviour and performance , 1999 .

[10]  K. Brüssow,et al.  Agonistic interactions and physiological reactions of top- and bottom-ranking pigs confronted with a familiar and an unfamiliar group: Preliminary results , 1997 .

[11]  R. Brooks,et al.  Social organization of confined male collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus Traill) , 1978, Animal Behaviour.

[12]  John J. McGlone,et al.  Space requirements for finishing pigs in confinement: behavior and performance while group size and space vary , 1994 .

[13]  B. Puppe.  Effects of familiarity and relatedness on agonistic pair relationships in newly mixed domestic pigs , 1998 .

[14]  P. Jensen,et al.  An analysis of agonistic interaction patterns in group-housed dry sows — Aggression regulation through an “avoidance order” , 1982 .

[15]  M. Mendl,et al.  The fighting behaviour of piglets mixed before and after weaning in the presence or absence of a sow , 2006 .

[16]  M. Špinka,et al.  Effects of early play experience on play behaviour of piglets after weaning , 2002 .

[17]  Genetics of animal temperament: aggressive behaviour at mixing is genetically associated with the response to handling in pigs. , 2009, Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience.

[18]  R. D’Eath.  Socialising piglets before weaning improves social hierarchy formation when pigs are mixed post-weaning , 2005 .

[19]  R. Dantzer,et al.  Effect of floor area restriction upon performance, behavior and physiology of growing-finishing pigs. , 1987, Journal of animal science.

[20]  J. Rushen.  A DIFFERENCE IN WEIGHT REDUCES FIGHTING WHEN UNACQUAINTED NEWLY WEANED PIGS FIRST MEET , 1987 .

[21]  R. Beames,et al.  The effect of mixing unfamiliar individuals on the growth and production of finishing pigs , 1991 .

[22]  R Roehe,et al.  Genetic validation of postmixing skin injuries in pigs as an indicator of aggressiveness and the relationship with injuries under more stable social conditions. , 2009, Journal of animal science.

[23]  Bakken,et al.  The effects of weight asymmetry and resource distribution on aggression in groups of unacquainted pigs. , 2000, Applied animal behaviour science.

[24]  R. D’Eath,et al.  Individual aggressiveness measured in a resident-intruder test predicts the persistence of aggressive behaviour and weight gain of young pigs after mixing , 2002 .

[25]  J J McGlone,et al.  A quantitative ethogram of aggressive and submissive behaviors in recently regrouped pigs. , 1985, Journal of animal science.

[26]  P. Jensen,et al.  Behaviour and weight changes at weaning and regrouping of pigs in relation to teat quality. , 1990 .

[27]  H W Gonyou,et al.  The effects of regrouping on behavioral and production parameters in finishing swine. , 1994, Journal of Animal Science.

[28]  E. Hessel,et al.  Socializing piglets before weaning: effects on behavior of lactating sows, pre- and postweaning behavior, and performance of piglets. , 2006, Journal of animal science.

[29]  G. B. Meese,et al.  The establishment and nature of the dominance hierarchy in the domesticated pig , 1973 .

[30]  D. Weary,et al.  Mixing at young ages reduces fighting in unacquainted domestic pigs. , 2000, Applied animal behaviour science.

[31]  P. Jensen,et al.  Personality, coping patterns, and aggression in piglets , 1995 .

[32]  E. Kanitz,et al.  Effects of social status after mixing on immune, metabolic, and endocrine responses in pigs , 1998, Physiology & Behavior.

[33]  M. Tuchscherer,et al.  The effect of housing conditions and social environment immediately after weaning on the agonistic behaviour, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and plasma glucose level in pigs , 1997 .

[34]  Guosheng Su,et al.  Aggressive behaviour of sows at mixing and maternal behaviour are heritable and genetically correlated traits , 2005 .

[35]  M. Bryant,et al.  Aggressive behaviour amongst groups of domesticated pigs kept at various stocking rates. , 1972, Animal behaviour.