Toys, mingling and driving reduce exitability in pigs

Journal of Animal Science, volume 65 Supplement 1 (1987) page 230-231

T.Grandin, I.A.Taylor, S.E.Curtis and I.A.Taylor, University of Illinois, Urbanan-Champaign. U.S.A.

The purpose of this experiment was to determine if environmental enrichment would produce calmer, less excitable pigs.

In trials 1 and 2, each with 2 replicates of a 2x2x2 factorial design, 128 Landrace-sired pigs weighing 42.5 and 43.5kg were used. Four pigs were placed in 1.35 X 2.25m partial-slotted pens in a closed house.

In trial 3, 184 Hampshire-sired pigs weighing 32.8kg were used in a 15 week trial with the treatments applied 5 times during the last half of the trial.

  • In all three trials the pigs had ad-libitum access to standard growing diet and water.