Formation of teat order and estimation of piglets’ distribution along the mammary complex using mid-domain effect (MDE) model
Domestic piglets (Sus scrofa domesticus) establish relatively stable teat order after the first week postpartum. Formation of teat order is normally accompanied by intense competition between littermates. In this period, piglets’ behaviour and their distribution along the mammary complex is subject to various external influences. In the present study, time-dependent changes of suckling pattern in […]
Behavioural patterns established during suckling reappear when piglets are forced to form a new dominance hierarchy
Early life experiences considerably influence the behavioural development of the animals in which the social environment plays a crucial role. Neonatal piglets experience intense social (including aggressive) interactions when compete with their littermates for the access to teats on the sow’s udder. Competition among piglets is not of equal intensity at all parts of the […]