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Social behaviour of domestic animals. VI. A note on some characteristics of “runts” in pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

G. McBride ,
G. S. F. Wyeth  and
N. W. Hodgens
G. McBride
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
G. S. F. Wyeth
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
N. W. Hodgens
Affiliation:
Queensland Agricultural College, Lawes, Australia
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Extract

In young pigs, it is common to find individuals which grow appreciably slower than their litter-mates. Such “runts” are an important cause of economic loss in the pig industry. Extreme examples are easily recognisable but an adequate definition of what constitutes a runt is more difficult. It is, however, possible to separate slow growing pigs from the remainder and compare them in a number of ways. During the course of a study involving routine observations on the behaviour and growth of piglets, data were obtained which made it possible to compare slow growing pigs with others. It is the aim of this study to tabulate these differences and to relate them to the weights of piglets at birth.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , June 1964 , pp. 249 - 252
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1964

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References

REFERENCES

Isher, R. A., 1952. Statistical Methodsfor Research Workers. 12th ed.Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
McBride, G., 1963. ‘The “teat order” and communication in young pigs’. Anim. Behav., 11: 53.Google Scholar
Wyeth, G. S. F. & McBride, G., 1964. ‘Social behaviour of domestic animals. V. A note on sucking behaviour in young pigs]. Anim. Prod. 6: 245Google Scholar