Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-04T10:00:16.019Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The behaviour of growing pigs during experimental social encounters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. Fraser
D. Fraser
Affiliation:
Edinburgh School of Agriculture, West Mains Road, Edinburgh
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Three experiments studied the behaviour of pigs which were brought together for brief periods of observation on successive days. Two distinct patterns of aggressive behaviour were observed, one involving biting and the other involving butting. Biting was common when the pigs first met, and butting seemed to replace biting in some cases. Pairs of pigs which had no previous contact frequently showed a straight forward type of dominance with one pig performing almost all the biting and butting; among well-acquainted pairs, however, the relationships were frequently more complex.

Of all the experimental manipulations, familiarity between two animals had the most profound effect on the behaviour. Biting, but not butting, was reduced if the pigs were housed in neighbouring pens, or if they had previously shared the same pen. Biting was almost eliminated, and butting was reduced, if the pigs lived together throughout the time of the observations. There were no differences between females and castrated males, or between individually-housed and group-housed animals in either type of behaviour.

Pigs which were subjected to repeated biting generally became less active, refraining from some social and non-social activities. Butting did not appear to have similar effects on the recipient animals.

The experiments illustrated some complex social interactions involving a large number of distinct social activities. In this light, the usefulness of such broad terms as ‘aggression’ and ‘dominance’ is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 82 , Issue 1 , February 1974 , pp. 147 - 163
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1974

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

REFERENCES

Barnett, S. A. & Stoddart, R. C. (1969). Effects of breeding in captivity on conflict among wild rats. Journal of Mammalogy 50, 321–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beilharz, R. G. & Cox, D. F. (1967). Social dominance in swine. Animal Behaviour 15, 117–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bryant, M. J. (1970). The influence of population density and grouping upon the behaviour of the growing pig. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Liverpool.Google Scholar
Bryant, M. J. & Ewbank, R. (1972). Some effects of stocking rate and group size upon agonistic behaviour in groups of growing pigs. British Veterinary Journal 128, 64–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Callear, J. F. G. & Van Gestel, J. F. E. (1971). An analysis of the results of field experiments in pigs in the U.K. and Ireland with the sedative neuroleptic Azaperone. Veterinary Record 89, 453–58.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dantzer, R. (1970). Retentissement du comportement social sur le gain de poids chez pores en croissance. II. Perturbations liées au mélange d'animaux et au changement de loge. Annales de la Rectierche Vétérinaire 1, 117–27.Google Scholar
Ewbank, R. & Bryant, M. J. (1972). Aggressive behaviour amongst groups of domesticated pigs kept at various stocking rates. Animal Behaviour 20, 21–28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ewbank, R. & Meese, G. B. (1971). Aggressive behaviour in groups of domesticated pigs on removal and return of individuals. Animal Production 13, 685–93.Google Scholar
Garattini, S. & Sigg, E. B. (1969). Aggressive Behaviour. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica.Google Scholar
Hafez, E. S. E. & Signoret, J. P. (1969). The behaviour of swine. In The Behaviour of Domestic Animals, 2nd ed. (ed. Hafez, E. S. E.). London: Ballière, Tindall and Cassell.Google Scholar
Kiley, M. (1969). A comparative study of some displays in ungulates, canids and felids. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Sussex.Google Scholar
Lawick-Goodall, H. Van & Van, J. (1970). Innocent Killers. London: Collins.Google Scholar
McBride, G., James, J. W. & Hodgens, N. (1964). Social behaviour of domestic animals. IV. Growing pigs. Animal Production 6, 129–39.Google Scholar
Meese, G. B. & Ewbank, R. (1972). A note on instability of the dominance hierarchy and variations in level of aggression within groups of fattening pigs. Animal Production 14, 359–62.Google Scholar
Rasmussen, O. G., Banks, E. M., Berry, T. H. & Becker, D. E. (1962). Social dominance in gilts. Journal of Animal Science 21, 520–2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Siegel, S. (1956). Nonparametric Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Summerlin, C. T. & Wolfe, J. L. (1971). Social influences on exploratory behavior in the cotton rat, Sigmodon hispidus. Communications in Behavioural Biology 6, 105–9.Google ScholarPubMed