Comportamento de leitões sob diferentes estratégias de enriquecimento ambiental durante a fase de creche

Abstract

Brazil is considered the fourth largest pork exported in the world. There has been growing concern for animal welfare and the impacts on the environment generated by the pig farming production chain, especially in the nursery phase where there is a greater need for attention to piglets. Thus, the objective was to evaluate different types of enrichment at this stage, seeking to improve practices and contribute to animal welfare. The study was conducted in the Swine Sector of the Federal University of Paraíba, Campus II, in Areia, Paraíba, Brazil. Fifteen piglets from different litters were used in the nursery phase, and distributed in five pens, each one representing onde of the five treatments, namely: Control, sugarcane bagasse, ball, hanging plastic hose and brushes fixed to the wall. A completely randomized experimental design was adopted, with five cycles of five days each, totaling 25 days of experiment. During this period, the animals were observed for three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. The behavioral variables recorded ranged from basic behaviors, such as standing, lying down, eating and drinking, to social interactions, such as positive and negative interactions. In addition, playful behaviors, idle moments, exploratory activities, such as rooting, specific behaviors, such as belly nosing and simulated sexual behavior were analyzed. The results indicated that within the active behaviors vary between treatments, with Treatment 0 (control) associated with the highest feed consumption. Treatment 1 (sugarcane bagasse) showed lowed water intake and urination, demonstrating a relationship between the type of environmental enrichment and physiological behaviors. In the interaction with enrichment Treatment 1 was preferred, highlighting the complexity of environment-behavior interactions. Inactive behaviors shower variations, and it is notable that the pigs in Treatment 4 (brushing) demonstrated a preference for remaining lying down. Unwanted behaviors were infrequent, but fights were more common in the control and sugarcane bagasse treatments. The results of this study highlight the effectiveness of sugarcane bagasse and hanging hose as successful strategies to promote social interactions and reduce undesirable behaviors in nursery pigs. The nonnegotiable importance of piglet well-being in production was highlighted, highlighting the need to prioritize the care and quality of life of these animals from the initial stages of development. Furthermore, the finding that low-cost environmental enrichments are viable on farms, which reinforces the possibility of implementing accessible practices to improve animal welfare.