Effects of varying feed provision on behavioral patterns of farmed collared peccary (Mammalia, Tayassuidae)
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2011 |
Authors: |
Selene S. C. Nogueira, Stella G. Calazans, Thaise S. O. Costa, Hélderes Peregrino, Sérgio L. G. Nogueira-Filho |
Publication/Journal: |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Keywords: |
animal welfare, environmental enrichment, feeding, predictability, unpredictability, wildlife farming |
ISBN: |
0168-1591 |
Abstract:
Feeding enrichment regime has been widely employed as an important tool to mimic foraging behavior and improve farm animals’ welfare. Some authors have argued that creating some level of uncertainty in the animals’ environment is beneficial. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of challenge feeders plus spatial and temporal unpredictability as feeding enrichment on 18 captive peccaries. The ABAB experimental treatment sequence (A1-traditional feeders/B1-challenge feeders plus spatial unpredictability/A2-traditional feeders/B2-challenge feeders plus spatial unpredictability and feeding randomization time) was followed. The effects on peccaries’ feeding, resting, exploratory, and agonistic behavioral patterns were analyzed. We also compared effects on feed intake rate, live weight change, and on the concentrations of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites. All data were compared between the treatments by repeated ANOVA measures, including gender and groups as independent factors. There were no effects of sex or group on any behavioral patterns analyzed or on fecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations. During the enrichment phases the peccaries reduced resting time by 37% (7.6 ± 0.4 min vs. 12.1 ± 0.5 min, Ps < 0.004) and on average tripled the time spent on feeding, compared to the control phases (13.1 ± 1.3 min vs. 3.7 ± 0.7 min, Ps < 0.002). They also increased exploratory behavior by 48% (5.2 ± 1.3 min vs. 3.5 ± 0.8 min, P < 0.008) during the enrichment phases. In all phases the peccaries equally (P = 0.09) spent only a few seconds (7.6 ± 11.8) on agonistic interactions, probably due to the use of an appropriate feeder:animal ratio (1:3). Feed intake following the first hour after feed was furnished declined during enriched phases compared to the control phases (Ps < 0.002). However, the feed provided was completely consumed before traditional or challenge feeders were filled again, which explained the zero difference in live weight during the different phases (P = 0.34). The fecal glucocorticoid metabolites recorded in this study were around the basal level range for peccaries' endogenous adrenal activity. Therefore the increased level of such metabolites observed during the enrichment phases (Ps < 0.03) was probably due to stimulation of peccaries' positive behavioral activities. We concluded that the use of the challenge feeders plus spatial unpredictability, alone or together with temporal unpredictability, decreased resting during feeding periods, while stimulating activities that may contribute to improvements in peccaries' welfare.