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Evaluation of hunger In pigs using operant conditioning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2017

A B Lawrence ,
M C Appleby  and
H C Macleod
A B Lawrence
Affiliation:
The Edinburgh School of AgricultureWest Mains Road Edinburgh
M C Appleby
Affiliation:
The Edinburgh School of AgricultureWest Mains Road Edinburgh
H C Macleod
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology University of Edinburgh7 George Square Edinburgh
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Extract

Rules for feeding pigs have been derived from nutritional and economic considerations with little if any awareness of their behavioural consequences. Pregnant sows generally receive sufficient of a standard sow diet to allow medium growth during pregnancy. This quantity of food is, however, in the order of 0.5 of their (preferred) ad libitum intake (Whittemore et al., 1977). Recent results at Edinburgh have suggested a strong relationship between the food level and the development of stress-related activities, such as repetitive chain chewing, in tethered pregnant gilts (Appleby and Lawrence, 1987). Gilts on low feed levels performed significantly more repetitive behaviour than those on higher levels. These results suggest a link between the motivation to feed (hunger) and stress. There is, however, no information available regarding the hunger of pigs maintained on restricted food levels.

Type
Recent Developments in Pig Production
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1987 , March 1987 , pp. 103
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1987

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References

Appleby, M.C. and Lawrence, A.B., 1987. Food restriction as a cause of stereotypic behaviour in tethered gilts. Animal Production, in press.Google Scholar
Miller, N.E., 1955. Shortcomings of food, consumption as a measure of hunger. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 67: 141–143.Google Scholar
Whittemore, C.T., Fraser, D. and Darroch, R.L., 1977. Aspects of ingestive behaviour which may influence the productivity of piglets and sows. British Veterinary Journal, 133: 100.Google Scholar