Author: c001os

Research carried out by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute in Northern Ireland and Queen’s University, Belfast has found that stomach ulcers may cause changes in the way pigs rest, or may be the result of such changes. Therefore, changes in behaviour may allow an ulcer to be detected before more serious damage occurs. Also, pigs with stomach ulcers have been shown to be less prone to harmful behaviours such as tail biting. Stomach ulcers are an important pathological condition in pig farming. Research in several European countries suggests that approximately 20% of slaughtered pigs have mild ulcers, whilst another 10% have severe ulcers.

The researchers from the two institutions identified pigs with and without stomach ulcers at slaughter, and then compared their behaviour using video recordings taken in the two weeks prior to slaughter. The most obvious difference was the side they chose to rest on. Pigs with stomach ulcers (even mild ones) were much less likely to lie on their right side than those without ulcers (on average 12% of the time, as compared to 25% of the time for those without ulcers).

The research team also observed that pigs with stomach ulcers showed less harmful social behaviour than those without ulcers; tail biting occurred only a third as often as in pigs without ulcers, and ear biting half as often. Both ulcers and harmful social behaviour are increased by stress, and it is conceivable that some pigs respond to stress by adapting their behaviour, while others that do not act upon it may suffer more physical consequences.

Wood is an ideal enrichment material for piglets. Pig welfare expert Dr Irene Camerlink reflected on this in the pages of Pig Progress after seeing the Christmas trees thrown away in January. Pinewood, which can be obtained for free, can be a cheap alternative to buying toys and can help reduce tail-chewing.

Next to straw, wood is one of the best options for attracting and maintaining the interest of pigs. It can be investigated, manipulated, chewed and it does not matter if small pieces are swallowed. Wood is also durable, widely available, low risk from a biosecurity point of view and in many cases can be sourced locally at low cost. It can also be provided in different diameters for animals of different sexes and ages (growing piglets, sows, boars).

Wood types differ in their softness and moisture content. In one study, pigs consumed spruce posts more quickly than beech, larch or Scots pine. Soft wood therefore needs to be replaced more quickly. None of the tree species caused any internal damage (e.g. damage to the mouth, digestive tract or liver). Although spruce is favoured by pigs, it did not result in less tail chewing in two studies in Ireland (1080 pigs). However, in a Finnish study (780 pigs), where fresh wood was suspended horizontally, piglets showed less tail and ear biting. In conclusion, there is no guarantee that fresh wood reduces tail biting, but it seems to pose little risk to pigs and keeps them busy for a while.