Tail biting in fattening pigs: Associations between frequency of tail biting and other abnormal behaviours
This study investigated the association between tail biting (TB) and other abnormal behaviours in a group of non-tail docked pigs. Behavioural data were collected from 742 pigs housed on a commercial farm. The prevalence of performed and received TB, belly nosing, bar biting, ear biting and mounting was recorded during two 30 min observation periods. Pigs […]
Rope test may indicate efficacy of tail-biting treatments in growing pigs
Tail biting is a most serious welfare problem in pigs raised for slaughter. In instances of an outbreak of tail biting, scientists have recommended that farmers take measures such as removal of affected animals, provision of enrichment materials and application of repellents to the pigs’ tails. However, no scientific study has ever confirmed the efficacy […]
Tail-Biting in Mink (Mustela Vison) is Influenced by Age at Removal from the Mother
Previous studies have shown that male mink (Mustela vison) removed from their mothers at seven weeks of age develop more tail-biting than males left with their mothers until six months. Mink in the wild do not damage their own pelts in this way, and such behaviour may well be an indication of chronic stress. The […]
The effect of biting tails and having tails bitten in pigs
Tail-biting is a behavioral abnormality which compromises the welfare of pigs. The goal of this study was to characterize the tail-biting phenotype using behavior and measures of heart-rate (HR) and its variability (HRV) in pigs. Thirty pigs were categorized as tail-biters (n = 10), tail-bite victims (n = 10), and control pigs (n = 10) […]
Relationship between growth rate and oral manipulation, social nosing, and aggression in finishing pigs
Pigs may affect each other’s health, welfare and productivity through their behaviour. The effect of a pig on the growth rate of its pen mates is partly heritable and is referred to as its social genetic effect. Social genetic effects, also known as indirect genetic effects, have been found in a number of livestock breeds, […]
The pig’s nose and its role in dominance relationships and harmful behaviour
Affiliative behaviour may have an essential role in many behavioural processes. Gently nosing between group members occurs in almost all social behavioural processes of pigs (Sus scrofa), but the reasons for its performance are unclear. We examined whether nosing between pigs was related to dominance relationships or harmful behaviours such as manipulation of the tail […]
Docking the value of pigmeat? Prevalence and financial implications of welfare lesions in Irish slaughter pigs
Expansion of the meat inspection process to incorporate animal-based welfare measurements could contribute towards significant improvements in pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) welfare and farm profitability. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of different welfare-related lesions on the carcase and their relationship with carcase condemnations (CC) and carcase weight (CW). The financial implications of losses […]
Chewable materials before weaning reduce tail biting in growing pigs
Tail biting in pigs is a multi-factorial problem, and the early rearing environment has been proposed as a potential previously unidentified factor. The aim of this study was to test whether access to chewable material from birth to weaning reduces later tail biting. Undocked litters of 59 sows were allocated to two treatments. In the […]
Evidence for a link between tail biting and central monoamine metabolism in pigs (Sus scrofa domestica)
Tail biting in pigs is a major welfare problem within the swine industry. Even though there is plenty of information on housing and management-related risk factors, the biological bases of this behavioral problem are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible link between tail biting, based on behavioral recordings of […]
Behavioural differences between weaner pigs with intact and docked tails
Tail-biting in pigs (Sus scrofa) reduces welfare and production. Tail-docking reduces (but does not eliminate) tail-biting damage. The reason tail-docking reduces tail damage is unknown. It may reduce pigs attraction to tails (H1), or increase tails’ sensitivity to investigation (H2). To investigate these hypotheses, behavioural differences between 472 individually marked grower pigs with intact tails […]