Competitors for feed in a gaggle of gestating sows results in aggression round feeding stations, which has a unfavourable influence on their welfare. This research investigates the potential of instructing gestating sows a person sound sign to scale back aggression ensuing from competitors for feed entry, and thus enhance their welfare in a gaggle.
Strategies: A complete of 32 sows have been used. In a check room, “studying” sows (n = 16) went by way of 4 particular person studying phases (27 days in complete) to affiliate the person sound sign with an invite to feed from a one-way feeding station and to discriminate this particular person sound sign from different unknown sound alerts. After the training phases, sows have been subjected to a 3-day analysis part in teams of 4 sows. The “naive” sows (n = 16) have been additionally launched to the check room individually for 18 days, and in teams of 4 for 3 days with out following the training process.
Outcomes: Studying sows appropriately responded to 100% of their particular person sound sign after solely 8 days of particular person studying, suggesting that they efficiently related the sound sign with feed entry. Distinguishing between totally different sounds was more durable as proven by solely 18.8% of success after an unknown sound emission on the finish of the person studying phases. Naïve sows diminished the time spent within the feeder in comparison with studying sows. On the second day of the group part, studying sows have been much less aggressive than naïve sows. In comparison with high-ranking sows, low-ranking sows displayed a diminished variety of spontaneous approaches to the feeder over the past particular person studying part, and better success charges within the group part.
Conclusion: The research means that, for group-housed sows fed by a person feeder, instructing sows a person sound sign can modify their feeding and social behaviors, enhancing their total well-being throughout feeding time. Moreover, the outcomes counsel that this particular person studying could also be significantly helpful for low-ranking sows.
Blanc A, Deroiné C, Clouard C, Gaillard C. Sound feeding sign for gestating sows: analysis of a person studying technique and its helpful results in teams.
Utilized Animal Behaviour Science.
2024;106302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106302
