The behaviour, welfare, growth performance and meat quality of pigs housed in a deep-litter, large group housing system compared to a conventional confinement system

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Volumn 103, Issue 1-2, 2007, Pages 12-24

  Morrison, Rebecca S ^a   Johnston, Lee J ^a   Hilbrands, Adrienne M ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA   (United States)

Author keywords

Deep litter; Fearfulness; Large groups; Meat quality; Pig social behaviour

Indexed keywords

ANIMAL WELFARE; BEHAVIOR; BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE; GROWTH RESPONSE; INTERSPECIFIC INTERACTION; LIVESTOCK FARMING; MEAT; PIG; SOCIAL BEHAVIOR;

SUIDAE;

EID: 33846562609     PISSN: 01681591     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2006.04.002     Document Type: Article

References (45)

1. Anderson I.L., Faerevik G., Boe K.E., Janczak A.M., and Bakken M.A. Effects of diazepam on the behaviour of weaned pigs in three putative models of anxiety. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 68 (2000) 121-130
2. Barnett J.L., Hemsworth P.H., Cronin G.M., Jongman E.C., and Hutson G.D. A review of the welfare issues for sows and piglets in relation to housing. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 52 (2001) 1-28
3. Beattie V.E., O'Connell N.E., and Moss B.W. Influence of environmental enrichment on the behaviour, performance and meat quality of domestic pigs. Livest. Prod. Sci. 65 (2000) 71-79
4. Beattie V.E., Walker N., and Sneddon I.A. An investigation of the effect of environmental enrichment and space allowance on the behaviour and production of growing pigs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 48 (1996) 151-158
5. Beattie V.E., Walker N., and Sneddon I.A. Effects of environmental enrichment on behaviour and productivity of growing pigs. Anim. Welfare 4 (1995) 207-220
6. Beattie V.E., Walker N., and Sneddon I.A. Effect of rearing environment and change of environment on the behaviour of gilts. App. Anim. Behav. Sci. 46 (1995) 57-65
7. Beattie V.E., Sneddon I.A., and Walker N. Behaviour and productivity of the domestic pig in barren and enriched environments. In: Boon C., and Collins E. (Eds). Livestock Environment. Part IV (1993), ASAE, St. Joseph, Michigan, USA 43-50
8. Broom D.M., and Johnson K.G. Stress and Animal Welfare (2000), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht pp. 115-121
9. Cronin G.M., Dunshea F.R., Butler K.L., McCauley I., Barnett J.L., and Hemsworth P.H. The effects of immuno- and surgical-castration on the behaviour and consequently growth of group-housed, male finisher pigs. App. Anim. Behav. Sci. 81 (2003) 111-126
10. de Jong I.C., Prelle I.T., van de Burgwal J.A., Lambooij E., Korte S.M., Blokhuis H.J., and Koolhaas J.M. Effects of rearing conditions on behavioural and physiological responses of pigs to preslaughter handling and mixing at transport. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 80 (2000) 451-458
11. D'Souza D.N., Dunshea F.R., Warner R.D., and Leury B.J. The effect of handling pre-slaughter and carcass processing rate post-slaughter on pork quality. Meat Sci. 50 (1998) 429-437
12. Edwards S.A. Product quality attributes associated with outdoor pig production. Livest. Prod. Sci. 94 (2005) 5-14
13. Faucitano L. Preslaughter stressors effects on pork: a review. J. Muscle Foods 9 (1998) 293-303
14. Gentry J.G., McGlone J.J., Blanton Jr. J.R., and Miller M.F. Alternative housing systems for pigs; influences on growth, composition, and pork quality. J. Anim. Sci. 80 (2002) 1781-1790
15. Gray J.A. The Psychology of Fear and Stress. 2nd ed. (1987), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
16. Guy J.H., Rowlinson P., Chadwick J.P., and Ellis M. Behaviour of two genotypes of growing-finishing pig in three different housing systems. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 75 (2002) 193-206
17. Hambrecht E., Eissen J.J., Newman D.J., Smits C.H.M., den Hartog L.A., and Verstegen M.W.A. Negative effects of stress immediately before slaughter are aggravated by suboptimal transport and lairage conditions. J. Anim. Sci. 83 (2005) 440-448
18. Hemsworth P.H., Price E.O., and Borgwardt R. Behavioural responses of domestic pigs and cattle to humans and novel stimuli. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 50 (1996) 43-56
19. Hemsworth P.H., Barnett J.L., and Hansen C. The influence of handling by humans on the behaviour, growth and corticosteroids of male and female pigs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 15 (1986) 303-314
20. Hemsworth P.H., Barnett J.L., Coleman G.J., and Hansen C. A study of the relationships between the attitudinal and behavioural profiles of stockpersons and the level of fear of humans and reproductive performance of commercial pigs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 23 (1989) 301-314
21. Hemsworth P.H., and Coleman G.J. Human-Livestock Interactions. The Stockperson and the Productivity and Welfare of Intensively Farmed Animals (1998), CABI Publishing, Oxon
22. Honeyman M.S., and Harmon J.D. Performance of finishing pigs in hoop structures and confinement during winter and summer. J. Anim. Sci. 81 (2003) 1663-1670
23. Honeyman M.S., Harmon J.D., Kliebenstein J.B., and Richard T.L. Feasibility of hoop structures for market swine in Iowa: pig performance, pig environment, and budget analysis. Appl. Eng. Agric. 17 (2001) 869-874
24. Honeyman M.S., Lay D.C., Jedlicka L., Mugge P., Kliebenstein J., and Duffy M. Research and Demonstration Updates, ISU Rhodes Research Farm and PFI On-Farm Cooperator Data. Swine System Options for Iowa, 1999 (1999), Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
25. Hsia L.C. The effect of group size and feeding space on social and feeding behaviour of pigs. Proceedings of the International Congress on Applied Ethology in Farm Animals. Kiel, Germany (1984)
26. Jensen P., Algers B., and Ekesbo I. Methods of Sampling and Analysis of Data in Farm Animal Ethology (1986), Birkhauser Verlag, Germany p. 86
27. Johnston, L.J., Morrison, R.S., 2004. Growth performance and carcass quality of pigs housed in deep-litter barns fed diets containing alternative ingredients. Final report to Minnesota Pork Producers. Minnesota Pork Producers, MN, USA.
28. Jones R.B., and Waddington D. Modification of fear in domestic chickens, Gallus gallus domesticus, via regular handling and early environmental enrichment. Anim. Behav. 43 (1992) 1021-1033
29. Klont R.E., Hulsegge B., Hoving-Bolink A.H., Gerritzen M.A., Kurt E., Winkelman-Goedhart H.A., de Jong I.C., and Kranen R.W. Relationships between behavioural and meat quality characteristics of pigs raised under barren and enriched housing conditions. J. Anim. Sci. 79 (2001) 2835-2843
30. Leheska J.M., Wulf D.M., and Maddock R.J. Effects of fasting and length of transport on pork muscle glycolytic potential and pork quality. J. Anim. Sci. 80 (2002) 3194-3202
31. Mikesell R.E., and Kephart K.B. Effect of grouping arrangement on behaviour and performance of finishing pigs. Livest. Prod. Sci. 57 (1999) 291-294
32. Morrison R.S., Hemsworth P.H., Campbell R.G., and Cronin G.M. The social and feeding behaviour of growing pigs in deep-litter, group housing systems. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 82 (2003) 173-188
33. Morrison R.S., Hemsworth P.H., Campbell R.G., and Cronin G.M. The effect of restricting pen space and feeder availability on the behaviour and growth performance of entire male growing pigs in a deep-litter, group housing system. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 83 (2003) 163-176
34. Moss B.W. The effects of pre-slaughter stressors on the blood profiles of pigs. Proceedings of the 30th European Meeting of Meat Research Workers. Bristol. UK (1984) 20-21
35. National Pork Board, 2005. Pork Quality Standards. Factsheet (http://www.porkboard.org/PorkStore/porkqualityB.asp).
36. O'Connell N.E., and Beattie V.E. Influence of environmental enrichment on aggressive behaviour and dominance relationships in growing pigs. Anim. Welfare 8 (1999) 269-279
37. Parrott R.F., Misson B.H., and Baldwin B.A. Salivary cortisol in pigs following adrenocorticotrophic stimulation: comparison with plasma levels. Br. Vet. J. 145 (1989) 362-366
38. Pearce G.P., Paterson A.M., and Pearce A.N. The influence of pleasant and unpleasant handling and the provision of toys on the growth and behaviour of male pigs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 23 (1989) 27-37
39. Peterson V., Simonsen H.B., and Lawson L.G. The effect of environmental stimulation on the development of behaviour in pigs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 45 (1995) 215-224
40. Randolph J.H., Cromwell G.L., Stahly T.S., and Kratzer D.D. Effects of group size and space allowance on performance and behaviour of swine. J. Anim. Sci. 53 4 (1981) 922-927
41. Spicer H.M., and Aherne F.X. The effects of group size/stocking density on weanling pig performance and behaviour. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 19 (1987) 89-98
42. Terlouw C. Stress reactions at slaughter and meat quality in pigs: genetic background and prior experience - a brief review of recent findings. Livest. Prod. Sci. 94 (2005) 125-135
43. Warren J.M., Zerweck C., and Anthony A. Effects of environmental enrichment on old mice. Dev. Psychopathol. 15 (1982) 13-18
44. Wood-Gush D.G.M., and Vestergaard K. Exploratory behaviour and the welfare of intensively kept animals. J. Agric. Ethics 2 (1989) 161-169
45. Wood-Gush D.G.M., and Vestergaard K. The enrichment of a bare environment for animals in confined conditions. Appl. Anim. Ethol. 10 (1989) 209-217