Efecto del enriquecimiento ambiental lúdico sobre la reducción de conductas estereotipadas en cerdos destetados

Abstract

Weaning is a period of heightened stress for pigs. At this time, the first social relationships and hierarchical processes are established, in which disputes and aggressions occur among group members, which may cause injuries and impact production. Consequently, environmental enrichment in pig rearing was evaluated to avoid stress and stereotyped behaviors. The types of enrichment used were playful: 18 cm diameter soccer balls and 40 cm long chains placed at the eye level of the piglets. Four treatments of 10 animals each were created: With Ball, With Chain, With Chain and Ball, and Control using two replicates. Herd productive parameters, interactions with the enriching object and between individuals, and cortisol levels were evaluated for 28 days until 56 days post-weaning. It was observed that the most significant interactions occurred with the chains (p<0.05), while the opposite social interactions of the Witness were the highest (p<0.05). Regarding productive parameters, there were no differences between groups (p >0.05), except for consumption, which was higher in the Control (p<0.05). Cortisol changes among groups were not significant (p>0.05). It was concluded that the use of playful environmental enrichment during weaning reduces negative social interactions and enhances food consumption, in addition to helping the mental well-being of pigs. This animal welfare study was conducted for the first time under these conditions.

Keywords Chains, Balls, Cortisol, Stereotyped, Post-weaning