Effect of toys on behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing

Hyun-Su Hwang, Jae-Kang Lee, Tae-Kyung Eom, Dong-Ho Lee and Shin-Jae Rhim
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Hyun-Su Hwang: Department of Animal Science, School of Bioresource and Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Ansung, Republic of Korea
Jae-Kang Lee: Department of Animal Science, School of Bioresource and Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Ansung, Republic of Korea
Tae-Kyung Eom: Department of Animal Science, School of Bioresource and Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Ansung, Republic of Korea
Dong-Ho Lee: Department of Animal Science, School of Bioresource and Bioscience, Chung-Ang University, Ansung, Republic of Korea

Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2021, vol. 66, issue 8, 323-330

Abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a toy on the behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing. Two groups (192 pigs in total, control: without toy; treatment: with toy placed on the floor) of weaned pigs housed in pens (1.8 m × 1.4 m, 4 pigs/pen) were This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a toy on the behaviour and body weight of weaned pigs after mixing. Two were observed with the aid of video technology for nine consecutive hours in the early (days 1 and 2) and late (days 38 and 39) period after mixing. Bodyweight of pigs at the end of the study (Mann-Whitney U-test, Z = -2.46, P = 0.01) and the average daily gain (Z = -2.75, P < 0.01) were 10% higher in the treatment group than in the control group. The presence of the toy in the pen influenced the pig behaviours. In pens enriched with toys, there was an increase in feeding behaviour and a decrease in agonistic and belly nosing behaviours. Toy supply reduced negative social behaviours and thereby improved the bodyweight of weaned pigs. The results of this study suggest that toys used as environmental enrichment are useful for enhancing pig welfare and effective for farmers.

Keywords: average daily gain; environmental enrichment; pig; toy; welfare (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:66:y:2021:i:8:id:22-2021-cjas

DOI: 10.17221/22/2021-CJAS

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