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Effect of environmental enrichment on pig welfare as measured by physiological and pathological parameters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

N.E. O'Connell ,
V.E. Beattie  and
B.W. Moss
N.E. O'Connell
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR, Northern Ireland
V.E. Beattie
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR, Northern Ireland
B.W. Moss
Affiliation:
Dept. of Food Science, The Queen's University of Belfast, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, Northern Ireland
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Extract

While it is accepted that environmental enrichment can improve the welfare of growing pigs by reducing harmful social behaviour (Beattie et al., 1995), the influence of environmental enrichment on physiological and pathological parameters remains unclear. The objective of this study was to monitor selected physiological and pathological parameters of pigs reared in barren and enriched environments.

In a randomised block design, three-hundred and twenty Large White x Landrace pigs were allocated to one of two environmental treatments from birth to slaughter. Five blocks were used, each containing eight groups of eight pigs. In each block, four groups were reared in barren environments which had slatted floors and recommended space allowances. The remaining four groups were reared in enriched environments which had three times the recommended space allowance, solid floors partially bedded with peat and pigs had access to straw from a rack. Both environmental treatments were located in separate buildings.

Type
Programme
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 1999 , 1999 , pp. 191
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 1999

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References

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