Assessing walking posture with geometric morphometrics: Effects of rearing environment in pigs
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2016 |
Authors: |
Céline Tallet, Emilie Sénèque, Claire Mégnin, Stéphane Morisset, David Val-Laillet, Marie-Christine Meunier-Salaün, Carole Fureix, Martine Hausberger |
Publication/Journal: |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Keywords: |
methodology, pig, posture analysis, rearing condition, welfare |
ISBN: |
0168-1591 |
Abstract:
Rearing social animals like pigs in isolation from conspecifics can have consequences on behaviour and physiology. The aim of this experiment was to determine whether rearing conditions affect body posture. We adapted a method for quantitative evaluation of posture based on geometric morphometrics, developed in horses, for pigs and applied it in different conditions. Forty-eight 75-day-old females were reared either alone in 2.25 m2 pens (IH, N = 24 animals and 4 groups) or in groups of four in 4.64 m2 pens (GH, N = 24) for two weeks. They were habituated to human handling (stroking, speaking) and marking on their backs every day, and tested individually once a day for 10 min in a corridor outside the home pen during the two subsequent weeks. We observed their behaviour and posture during the first exposure to the test (novelty), and the fourth and fifth (after habituation). On the sixth and seventh tests, a familiar stockperson was present in the corridor (human presence). Before each test, the animals were marked with seven landmarks along their length, corresponding to their anatomical points and were easily located. An experimenter took pictures of the animals walking along the corridor, and these pictures were transferred to Tps software for analysis.