Behavior and physiology of two different sow breeds in a farrowing environment during late 35-day lactation

To improve the overall welfare levels of sows and to reduce stress levels at late 35-day lactation, we selected targeted behavioral indicators that might be associated with stress. Therefore, we monitored and evaluated the adaptive capability of two different breeds of sows to the farrowing environm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2018-05, Vol.13 (5), p.e0197152-e0197152
Main Authors: Liu, Honggui, Yi, Ran, Wang, Chao, Zhao, Peng, Zhang, Mingyue, Xu, Shiwen, Bao, Jun
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptability
Adaptation
Adrenocorticotropic hormone
Animal parental behavior
Animal physiology
Animal sciences
Asthma
Behavior
Biological research
Biology and Life Sciences
Biting
Biting behavior
Chewing
Comparative analysis
Cortisol
Cytokines
Defecation
Hogs
Hormones
Indicators
Intensive farming
Interleukin 6
Lactation
Mastication
Medicine and Health Sciences
Parturition
Physiological aspects
Physiology
Postpartum
Psychophysiology
Psychosomatic medicine
Saliva
Social Sciences
Sows
Stress
Stresses
Swine breeds
Tumor necrosis factor-TNF
Tumor necrosis factor-α
Urination
Zoology
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Summary:To improve the overall welfare levels of sows and to reduce stress levels at late 35-day lactation, we selected targeted behavioral indicators that might be associated with stress. Therefore, we monitored and evaluated the adaptive capability of two different breeds of sows to the farrowing environment. In this study, Damin sows (Large White × Min pig sows, n = 20) and Large White sows (n = 20) were farrowed in individual pens. Saliva was collected and tested for cortisol density at -15 min, and then at +15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 240 min after an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test conducted at 20, 27 and 34 d post-partum. The postures, including ventral and lateral recumbency to other postures, defecating, urinating, sham-chewing and bar-biting behavior, were observed by video from 07:00 to 09:00 and from 13:00 to 15:00 on the 7th day of each week from the 3rd to the 5th week post-parturition. In addition, the concentrations of salivary interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and secretory immunoglobulin (SIgA) were assayed after the observed behaviors. The results showed no significant difference between Damin sows and Large White sows in terms of behaviors at the 3rd week. Additionally, there were no significant differences between Damin and Large White sows in terms of the behaviors of ventral recumbency and bar-biting with the exception of lateral recumbency to other postures, sham-chewing, defecation and urination in the fifth week. Meanwhlie, there was significant difference between two breeds in term of ventral recumbency at the 4th week. The result of the ACTH test showed a significant difference between the Damin and Large White sows by the 27th and 34th days postpartum (P
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0197152