Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-01T00:10:07.709Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Environmental enrichment in early life affects cortisol patterns in growing pigs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2009

C. Munsterhjelm ,
A. Valros ,
M. Heinonen ,
O. Hälli ,
H. Siljander-Rasi  and
O. A. T. Peltoniemi
C. Munsterhjelm*
Affiliation:
Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Saari Unit, Paroninkuja 20, FIN-04920 Saarentaus, Finland Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 57, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland
A. Valros
Affiliation:
Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Saari Unit, Paroninkuja 20, FIN-04920 Saarentaus, Finland Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 57, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland
M. Heinonen
Affiliation:
Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Saari Unit, Paroninkuja 20, FIN-04920 Saarentaus, Finland Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 57, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland
O. Hälli
Affiliation:
Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Saari Unit, Paroninkuja 20, FIN-04920 Saarentaus, Finland
H. Siljander-Rasi
Affiliation:
MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Monogastric Research, Tervamäentie 179, FIN-05840 Hyvinkää, Finland
O. A. T. Peltoniemi
Affiliation:
Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Saari Unit, Paroninkuja 20, FIN-04920 Saarentaus, Finland Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 57, FIN-00014, University of Helsinki, Finland
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Effects of environmental enrichment at different stages of life on stress physiology of pigs were investigated in a trial with 63 groups, each of four siblings. In each of the three growing phases (suckling 0 to 4 weeks of age, nursery 5 to 9 weeks, fattening 10 to 24 weeks) pens either were (=E) or were not (=0) enriched. Accordingly, the treatments were (i) 000, (ii) E00, (iii) EE0, (iv) 00E, (v) 0EE and (vi) EEE. The enrichment material, renewed twice daily to leave a thin layer, consisted of wood shavings and chopped straw. Salivary cortisol was sampled hourly from 0700 to 1900 h at the age of 9 and 21 weeks. The presence of a circadian secretion rhythm was evaluated by an intra-assay coefficient of variation-based method. An adrenocorticotropic hormone test was performed at 21 weeks. Treatment effects on the odds of a physiological cortisol rhythm were assessed by logistic regression, and effects on cortisol concentrations with a repeated measures GLM. Substrate-enrichment from 0 to 9 weeks of age increased the odds of a rhythm as compared to barren housing (odds ratio (OR) = 30.0, P < 0.01). A flat cortisol secretion pattern may indicate chronic stress and/or delayed maturation of the rhythm. Barren as compared to enriched rearing (0 to 4 weeks of age) seemed to cause a blunted secretion rhythm at 21 weeks of age. Although behavioural and tail lesion observations provided support to the assumption that a blunted rhythm indicates chronic stress, the biological significance of these cortisol results needs confirmation in future studies.

Keywords

pigcortisolenvironmental enrichmentearly enrichment
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 4 , Issue 2 , February 2010 , pp. 242 - 249
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arey, DS 1993. The effect of bedding on the behaviour and welfare of pigs. Animal Welfare 2, 235–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barnett, JL, Hemsworth, PH, Winfield, CG 1987. The effects of design of individual tether stalls on the social behaviour and physiological responses related to the welfare of pregnant pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 18, 133–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beattie, VE, Walker, N, Sneddon, IA 1995. Effects of environmental enrichment on behaviour and productivity of growing pigs. Animal Welfare 4, 207–220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beattie, VE, Walker, N, Sneddon, IA 1996. An investigation of the effect of environmental enrichment and space allowance on the behaviour and production of growing pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 48, 151–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolhuis, JE, Schouten, WGP, Schrama, JW, Wiegant, VM 2006. Effects of rearing and housing environment on pigs with different coping characteristics. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 101, 68–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bottoms, GD, Roesel, OF, Rausch, FD, Akins, EL 1972. Circadian variation in plasma cortisol and corticosterone in pigs and mares. American Journal of Veterinary Research 33, 785–790.Google ScholarPubMed
Cook, NJ, Schaefer, AL, Lepage, P, Jones, SDM 1996. Salivary vs serum cortisol for the assessment of adrenal activity in swine. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 76, 329–335.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coutellier, L, Arnould, C, Boissy, A, Orgeur, P, Prunier, A, Veissier, I, Meunier-Salaün, M-C 2007. Pig’s responses to repeated social regrouping and relocation during the growing-finishing period. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 105, 102–114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Custodio, RJ, Martinelli, CE Jr, Milani, SLS, Simões, AL, de Castro, M, Moreira, AC 2007. The emergence of the cortisol circadian rhythm in monozygotic and dizygotic twin infants: the twin-pair synchrony. Clinical Endocrinology 66, 192–197.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dawkins, MS 1998. Evolution and animal welfare. The Quarterly Review of Biology 73, 305–327.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
De Jonge, FH, Bokkers, EAM, Schouten, WGP, Helmond, FA 1996. Rearing piglets in a poor environment: developmental aspects of social stress in pigs. Physiology and Behavior 60, 389–396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
de Jong, IC, Ekkel, ED, van de Burgwal, JA, Lambooij, E, Korte, SM, Ruis, MAW, Koolhaas, JM, Blokhuis, HJ 1998. Effects of strawbedding on physiological responses to stressors and behaviour in growing pigs. Physiology and Behavior 64, 303–310.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
de Jong, IC, Prelle, IT, van de Burgwal, JA, Lambooij, E, Korte, SM, Blokhuis, HJ, Koolhaas, JM 2000. Effects of environmental enrichment on behavioural responses to novelty, learning, memory, and the circadian rhythm in cortisol in growing pigs. Physiology and Behavior 68, 571–578.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ekkel, ED, Dieleman, SJ, Schouten, WG, Portela, A, Cornelissen, G, Tielen, MJ, Halberg, F 1996. The circadian rhythm of cortisol in the saliva of young pigs. Physiology and Behavior 60, 985–989.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Evans, FD, Christopherson, RJ, Aherne, FX 1988. Development of the circadian rhythm of cortisol in the gilt from weaning until puberty. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 68, 1105–1111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraser, D, Phillips, PA, Thompson, BK, Tennessen, T 1991. Effect of straw on the behaviour of growing pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 30, 307–318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gallagher, NL, Giles, LR, Wynn, PC 2002. The development of a circadian pattern of salivary cortisol secretion in the neonatal piglet. Biology of the Neonate 81, 113–118.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Griffith, MK, Minton, JE 1991. Free-running rhythms of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol and melatonin in pigs. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 8, 201–208.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gunnar, MR, Vazquez, DM 2001. Low cortisol and a flattening of expected daytime rhythm: potential indices of risk in human development. Development and Psychopathology 13, 515–538.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Halberg, F 1969. Chronobiology. Annual Review of Physiology 31, 675–725.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hillmann, E, Schrader, L, Mayer, C, Gygax, L 2008. Effects of weight, temperature and behaviour on the circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol in growing pigs. Animal 2, 405–409.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Huynh, H, Mandeville, GK 1979. Validity conditions in repeated measures designs. Psychological Bulletin 86, 964–973.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Janssens, CJJG, Helmond, FA, Wiegant, VM 1994. Increased cortisol response to exogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone in chronically stressed pigs: influence of housing conditions. Journal of Animal Science 72, 1771–1777.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Janssens, CJJG, Helmond, FA, Wiegant, VM 1995. The effect of chronic stress on plasma cortisol concentrations in cyclic female pigs depends on the time of the day. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 12, 167–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jensen, KH, Hansen, SW, Pedersen, LJ 1996. The effect of long-term stress on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and the role of the stressor. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A – Animal Science 27, 40–45.Google Scholar
Kanitz, E, Tuchscherer, M, Puppe, B, Tuchscherer, A, Stabenow, B 2004. Consequences of repeated early isolation in domestic piglets (Sus scrofa) on their behavioural, neuroendocrine, and immunological responses. Brain, Behaviour and Immunity 18, 35–45.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kirschbaum, C, Hellhammer, DH 1989. Salivary cortisol in psychobiological research: an overview. Neuropsychobiology 22, 150–169.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krieger, DT 1979. Rhythms in CRF, ACTH and corticosteroids. In Endocrine Rhythms (ed. Krieger DT), 123–142. Raven Press, New York.Google Scholar
Krieger, D, Allen, W, Rizzo, F, Krieger, H 1971. Characterization of the normal temporal pattern of plasma corticosteroid levels. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 32, 266–284.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Luecken, LJ, Lemery, KS 2004. Early caregiving and physiological stress responses. Clinical Psychology Review 24, 171–191.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mormède, P, Dantzer, R, Bluthé, RM, Caritez, JC 1984. Differences in adaptive abilities of three breeds of Chinese pigs. Behavioural and neuroendocrine studies. Genetics Selection Evolution 16, 85–102.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Munsterhjelm, C, Peltoniemi, OAT, Heinonen, M, Hälli, O, Karhapää, M, Valros, A 2009. Experience of moderate bedding affects behaviour of growing pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 118, 42–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nagelkerke, NJD 1991. A note on a general definition of the coefficient of determination. Biometrika 78, 691–692.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oliviero, C, Heinonen, M, Valros, A, Hälli, O, Peltoniemi, OA 2008. Effect of the environment on the physiology of the sow during late pregnancy, farrowing and early lactation. Animal Reproduction Science 105, 365–377.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Olsson, IAS, de Jonge, FH, Schuurman, T, Helmond, FA 1999. Poor rearing conditions and social stress in pigs: repeated social challenge and the effect on behavioural and physiological responses to stressors. Behavioural Processes 46, 201–215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parrott, RF, Misson, BH, Baldwin, BA 1989. Salivary cortisol in pigs following adrenocorticotropic stimulation: comparison with plasma levels. The British Veterinary Journal 145, 362–366.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pearce, GP, Paterson, AM 1993. The effect of space restriction and provision of toys during rearing on the behaviour, productivity and physiology of male pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 36, 11–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ruis, MAW, te Brake, JHA, Engel, B, Ekkel, ED, Buist, WG, Blokhuis, HJ, Koolhaas, JM 1997. The circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol in growing pigs: effects of age, gender and stress. Physiology and Behavior 62, 623–630.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salzen, EA 1991. On the nature of emotion. International Journal of Comparative Psychology 5, 47–88.Google Scholar
Santiago, LB, Jorge, SM, Moreira, AC 1996. Longitudinal evaluation of the development of salivary cortisol circadian rhythm infancy. Clinical Endocrinology 44, 157–164.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schouten, WGP 1986. Rearing conditions and behaviour in pigs. PhD, Wageningen Agricultural University.Google Scholar
Selye, H 1936. A syndrome produced by diverse noxious agents. Nature 138, 32–36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weaver, SA, Aherne, FX, Meaney, MJ, Schaefer, AL, Dixon, WT 2000. Neonatal handling permanently alters hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis function, behaviour, and body weight in boars. The Journal of Endocrinology 164, 349–359.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wiepkema, PR, Koolhaas, JM 1993. Stress and animal welfare. Animal Welfare 2, 195–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood-Gush, DGM, Beilharz, RG 1983. The enrichment of a bare environment for animals in confined conditions. Applied Animal Ethology 10, 209–217.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wust, S, Entriger, S, Federenko, IS, Schlotz, W, Hellhammer, DH 2005. Birth weight is associated with salivary cortisol responses to psychosocial stress in adult life. Psychoneuroendocrinology 30, 591–598.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed