Behavior changes associated with lameness in sows

Abstract

Lameness is a common health and welfare problem in sows. Very little research has been published about the behavioral changes in lame sows. Ketoprofen is an effective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used in studies and in practice effectively in treating non-infectious locomotor disorders in pigs.The aim of this study was to determine the effect of lameness and lameness-related pain on the behavior of sows. To evaluate this effect, we studied whether pain alleviation with ketoprofen and clinical relief of lameness were associated with changes in behavior. We allocated randomly 13 lame, early pregnancy sows in three treatment groups receiving either ketoprofen 4 mg/kg, ketoprofen 2 mg/kg (these two groups were pooled for statistical analyses) or placebo. The animals were treated orally for 5 days and lameness scored before and on the last day of the treatment. Lameness was assessed with a 5-grade scoring system and behavior by scan sampling method. A clinically healthy, nonlame control sow was selected for each lame sow and they were examined the same way as lame sows but received no treatment. Lame sows were more passive, they lay more and stood and explored pen fixtures less than the control sows before treatment. After 5-days treatment, placebo-treated sows were in contact with the wall and lying more when compared to control sows. Ketoprofen-treated sows were more seldom in contact with the wall and exploring bedding more often than placebo-treated sows.Placebo sows tended also to move and explore bedding less than control sows. Lameness had been relieved in altogether 7 out of 13 sows on day 5: six out of nine ketoprofen-medicated sows and one out of four placebo-treated sows. The behaviour of sows with relieved lameness did not differ from control sows on day 5. Sows with non-relieved lameness were in contact with the wall and lying more and moving and standing less than control sows. When compared to control sows, sows with non-relieved lameness tended to be more passive (P=0.06). When compared to sows with relieved lameness, sows with non-relieved lameness showed a tendency to be in contact with the wall more (P=0.07). Our study showed that lameness reduces the activity of sows and affects their position in the pen. Passive behavior seemed at least partly be due to pain and the recovery of lameness was connected to normalization of the behavior.

Your Pain Is Not My Gain: How the in-utero Experience of Piglets Born From Sows With Lameness Shapes Their Life Trajectory

“…Behavioral modi cations involve a decrease of social interaction, exploratory behavior 6 , and alteration in feeding and lying behavior 7,8 .…”

Pathological findings in spontaneously dead and euthanized sows – a descriptive study

“…Although the study sample represents unhealthy animals selected by the farmer, the high frequency of locomotor system lesions as incidental findings raises questions about the situation of sows in intensive production in general. Lameness has been associated with decreased longevity [22] and reduced activity [23] in sows as well as with decreased feed intake in growing pigs [24]. Joint disorders are often progressive.…”

Precision Livestock Farming in Swine Welfare: A Review for Swine Practitioners

“…Lame sows can be expected to behave differently due to physically reduced locomotion, pain or general discomfort and sickness behavior [64]. In groups, sows with non-resolved lameness were observed to move and stand less, lie down more, and were in contact with the wall more than healthy control sows [79]. These differences in behavior could be interpreted as signs of pain or as a way of seeking shelter and isolation from the group.…”