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Ever been close to a nosey pig?
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EVER BEEN CLOSE TO A NOSEY PIG? G. VAN PUTTEN Research Institute for Animal Husbandry,
“Schoonoord”,
Zeist (The Netherlands)
ABSTRACT Rooting seems to be a very important behaviour in pigs. Observations on fattening pigs during 24 h and with a recording interval of 2 min demonstrate that these animals show rooting behaviour with a frequency of about 70 times/day in their third month of life, 6O/day in their fourth, 50/day in their fifth and 40/day in their sixth month of life. The presence or absence of straw made little difference. After each of the two meals a day a strong increase in rooting was observed. As with sucking, it is assumed that an uncoupling of the appetitive behaviour and the very short eating period takes place. Rooting behaviour is very complicated but its major function seems to be exploratory. A pig’s snout and rooting-disc is the universal tool of this animal. The rooting-disc consists of as many tactile receptors as a human hand. Only the upper edge of the rootingdisc is naked, the lower part is covered with hair and is kept wet by mucuous glands, in order to increase the sensitivity. The need for exploration in pigs and in other animals is vital and as urgent as, for instance, feeding or sexual behaviour. The urge for exploratory behaviour is generally regarded as endogenous. The snout, and especially the rooting-disc, serve as the instrument for this behaviour in pigs (feeling, groping, fumbling, biting, ploughing, etc.). If environmental conditions deteriorate, exploration increases (being the only method to find a way out). How can a pig react in a barren concrete pen without straw, if ventilation fails? Well, it can use its penmates as a substrate and redirect exploratory behaviour towards them! This situation often leads to cannibalism. In order to avoid difficulties we should (1) imnrove the environment (e.g. . I bvI_ nroviding some straw), and (2) make exploration possible (by providing a suitable substrate, like straw). Anyone coming close to a pig, say for a better understanding of its needs, will discover that he is not dealing with a dummy but with an alert animal with its own dignity and its own needs. Accepting responsibility for farm animals’ welfare means more than providing food, water and shelter. The animals’ needs, including exploration must also be taken into account. The costs of providing such things as straw are not a good excuse for doing nothing. Compared with other investments, they are negligible. Furthermore, they help to prevent the side-effects of an impoverished environment like cannibalism. .I
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EVER BEEN CLOSE TO A NOSEY PIG? G. VAN PUTTEN Research Institute for Animal Husbandry,
“Schoonoord”,
Zeist (The Netherlands)
ABSTRACT Rooting seems to be a very important behaviour in pigs. Observations on fattening pigs during 24 h and with a recording interval of 2 min demonstrate that these animals show rooting behaviour with a frequency of about 70 times/day in their third month of life, 6O/day in their fourth, 50/day in their fifth and 40/day in their sixth month of life. The presence or absence of straw made little difference. After each of the two meals a day a strong increase in rooting was observed. As with sucking, it is assumed that an uncoupling of the appetitive behaviour and the very short eating period takes place. Rooting behaviour is very complicated but its major function seems to be exploratory. A pig’s snout and rooting-disc is the universal tool of this animal. The rooting-disc consists of as many tactile receptors as a human hand. Only the upper edge of the rootingdisc is naked, the lower part is covered with hair and is kept wet by mucuous glands, in order to increase the sensitivity. The need for exploration in pigs and in other animals is vital and as urgent as, for instance, feeding or sexual behaviour. The urge for exploratory behaviour is generally regarded as endogenous. The snout, and especially the rooting-disc, serve as the instrument for this behaviour in pigs (feeling, groping, fumbling, biting, ploughing, etc.). If environmental conditions deteriorate, exploration increases (being the only method to find a way out). How can a pig react in a barren concrete pen without straw, if ventilation fails? Well, it can use its penmates as a substrate and redirect exploratory behaviour towards them! This situation often leads to cannibalism. In order to avoid difficulties we should (1) imnrove the environment (e.g. . I bvI_ nroviding some straw), and (2) make exploration possible (by providing a suitable substrate, like straw). Anyone coming close to a pig, say for a better understanding of its needs, will discover that he is not dealing with a dummy but with an alert animal with its own dignity and its own needs. Accepting responsibility for farm animals’ welfare means more than providing food, water and shelter. The animals’ needs, including exploration must also be taken into account. The costs of providing such things as straw are not a good excuse for doing nothing. Compared with other investments, they are negligible. Furthermore, they help to prevent the side-effects of an impoverished environment like cannibalism. .I
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