Boar presence reduces fighting in mixed slaughter-weight pigs

Applied Animal Behaviour Science, volume 33 (1992) page 273-276

T. Grandin and J. Bruning
Animal Science Department
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado U.S.A.

Mixing pigs prior to slaughter results in skin blemishes and loss of meat quality.

Groups of 50 head of barrows and gilts from five different feeding pens were mixed in a shipping pen prior to transport.

Boar presence greatly reduced both the incidence and the intensity of fighting.

Pigs from the boar groups also had reduced skin blemishes.

These results indicate that boars may be
used as a simple method to reduce fighting.


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