Individual coping characteristics, rearing conditions and behavioural flexibility in pigs

Bolhuis, J.E.; Schouten, W.G.P.; Leeuw, J.A. de; Schrama, J.W.; Wiegant, V.M.

doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2003.10.024

Cited by 220 publications

(135 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…This is in line with other studies reporting HR pigs to be more 'bold', i.e. less reluctant and faster than LR pigs to investigate novel stimuli (Hessing et al 1994;Ruis et al 2000;Bolhuis et al 2004). LR pigs spent more time nosing than HR pigs during exploration trials, in line with previous proposals that LR pigs would be more 'thorough' explorers than HR pigs (Hessing et al 1994;Ruis et al 2001).…”

Section: Exploration Trialssupporting

confidence: 91%

“…In the Backtest, piglets are manually restrained in supine position for 1 min and their behavioural response, which ranges from vigorous struggling to complete immobility, is recorded (Hessing et al 1993;Bolhuis et al 2004). Pigs that struggle most in the test, the 'high resisters' (HR), have been reported to explore a novel stimulus rather fast and superWcially, whereas 'low-resisters' (LR) were suggested to explore more slowly and thoroughly (Hessing et al 1994;Ruis et al 2000Ruis et al , 2001, but these results were all found during a single exposure to novelty.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pigs that struggle most in the test, the 'high resisters' (HR), have been reported to explore a novel stimulus rather fast and superWcially, whereas 'low-resisters' (LR) were suggested to explore more slowly and thoroughly (Hessing et al 1994;Ruis et al 2000Ruis et al , 2001, but these results were all found during a single exposure to novelty. The two 'types' of pig also diVer in the ability to adjust their behaviour to a changing situation (Geverink et al 2004;Bolhuis et al 2004Bolhuis et al , 2005a. For instance, HR pigs were less successful in reversal learning in a T-maze task than LR pigs, suggesting that they have a higher propensity to develop inXexible behavioural routines that are diYcult to inhibit under changing circumstances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial learning in pigs: effects of environmental enrichment and individual characteristics on behaviour and performance

et al. 2008

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This study investigated the eVects of both environmental enrichment and individual behavioural characteristics on spatial cognitive capabilities of pigs, using a novel latent spatial learning paradigm based on Tolman's detour experiments (1948). Pigs were housed either in 'barren' pens or in pens enriched with straw bedding from birth. Pigs were restrained in a Backtest at 10 and 17 days postpartum. Based on their escape behaviour in this test, which has been shown to reXect their behavioural style, six 'high-resisting'(HR) and six 'low-resisting' (LR) pigs were selected from each housing environment (n = 24 in total). At 12 weeks of age, pairs of pen mates (LR and HR) were exposed to a maze three times (exploration trials). Pigs were then placed individually in the maze, and social reinstatement proved to be a strong incentive to Wnd the exit leading to the home pen. We subsequently blocked the direct route to the exit, forcing animals to Wnd a detour (memory test 1, MT1). This test was repeated once to investigate the relative improvement, i.e. detour learning (memory test 2, MT2). Housing condition and Backtest response strongly aVected exploration patterns. In spite of this, no eVects on performance during the subsequent memory tests were found. Performance was substantially improved in MT2, indicating that once a goal is apparent, pigs are able to solve a complex spatial memory task easily. In conclusion, social reinstatement provided a good incentive to complete a spatial task, and the substantial improvement in performance between MT1 and MT2 stresses the need for task complexity when testing spatial memory in pigs. Housing conditions or individual behavioural style did not aVect spatial memory during MT1 or MT2. However, housing environment and behavioural style strongly aVected explorative behaviour of pigs in an unfamiliar maze during both exploration trials and memory tests. This implicates that apparent eVects of environmental enrichment on spatial learning and memory in pigs might reXect diVerences in explorative patterns rather than in cognitive processes.

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Section: Exploration Trialssupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial learning in pigs: effects of environmental enrichment and individual characteristics on behaviour and performance

et al. 2008

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“…Moreover, in the study from Soede et al (2006), grouping had only minor effects on behaviour and cortisol release. The observed decline of offensive acts in our study could reflect the adoption of a new coping strategy to a changing and aversive environment (Schouten and Wiegant, 1997;Bolhuis et al, 2004). Gilts may have developed a more efficient strategy to establish a social hierarchy with less agonistic interactions (Puppe et al, 2008) and hence to limit the energetic cost and the number of injuries.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Behavioural, endocrine and immune responses to repeated social stress in pregnant gilts

Couret

Otten

Puppe

et al. 2009

Animal

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Pregnant sows are exposed to various stressors in intensive pig husbandry that may have negative consequences on their health, reproductive performances and welfare. Social stress is one of these challenges, because gestating sows have to be housed in groups according to EU guidelines (2001/88/CE). The purpose of this study was to determine the consequences of repeated social stress in pregnant female pigs on their behavioural, endocrine and immunological responses and on pregnancy outcome. Pregnant gilts were submitted to a repeated social stress procedure induced by housing unfamiliar gilts in pairs changed twice a week between days 77 and 105 of gestation (S group, n 5 18). Control gilts were housed in stable pairs during the same period (C group, n 5 18). Agonistic behaviour was observed during the first 3 h after each grouping. Skin lesions were numbered 2 h after each grouping. Salivary cortisol was measured before and repeatedly during the 4 weeks of grouping. Gilts were immunized against keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH) on days 81 and 95 of gestation. Immunoglobulins G against KLH, proliferative responses to concanavalin A, lipopolysaccharide, pokeweed mitogen and KLH and peripheral blood leukocyte numbers were evaluated 1 week before the first grouping and 3 days after the last one. Agonistic interactions and skin lesions were observed in S gilts at each grouping, although there was a decline between the first and the last grouping ( P , 0.05). The repeated social stress induced a sustained endocrine response as shown by elevated salivary cortisol levels from 1 to 48 h after grouping in S gilts compared to C gilts. The cellular as well as the humoral immunity and the leukocyte numbers were not influenced by social stress. Gestation length tended to be shorter in S gilts ( P 5 0.09), but litter size, piglet weight or mortality at birth were not affected. Variability of the response of S gilts to groupings was partly explained by their average success value determined according to the outcome (defeat or win) of all the groupings. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the application of repeated social stress to pregnant gilts during the last third of their gestation repeatedly activates their hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis but does not impair their immune function and pregnancy outcome.

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“…Ellenberg et al, 2009). Several authors have suggested that passive copers tend to be more observant and more prone to change on the basis of experience, whereas active copers are more likely to adopt routines (Koolhaas et al, 1999;Bolhuis et al, 2004;Groothuis and Carere, 2005;Quinn and Cresswell, 2005). These differences seem to be part of a higher behavioural plasticity of passive copers as compared to active copers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual differences in metabolism predict coping styles in fish

Martins

Castanheira

Engrola

et al. 2011

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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a b s t r a c tStudies on metabolism usually rely on measurements of oxygen consumption obtained in respirometry chambers. Despite rigorous standardization there is still considerable interindividual variation in metabolic rates which is often ignored. Furthermore, housing in respirometry chambers implies handling and exposure to a new environment, conditions known to be a source of stress in animals. The extent of stress response is known to be dependent on an individual's coping style. Therefore, the extent of individual variation in respirometry data may be related to the expression of coping styles. The goal of this study is to determine whether the variation in oxygen consumption after a stressor is the resultant of an individual's coping style. Our approach was to determine oxygen consumption in fish immediately after transfer to respiratory chambers and during the subsequent 22 h. In addition, the same individuals were subjected to 3 respirometry runs (22 h each) to address the question whether habituation occurs when fish are used in multiple runs and whether habituation potential is linked to coping styles. The same individuals were then subjected to an acute stressor and the escape behaviour and plasma cortisol were determined to assess coping style. Taken as a whole, the findings of this study suggest that individual variation in oxygen consumption in respirometry chambers are related to the expression of coping styles: individuals with higher oxygen consumption at the start and throughout the measurement period were shown to react passively (longer latency to escape) in a confinement stress. In addition, successive respirometry runs should not be assumed to result in habituation, as depending on an individual's coping style either habituation (in the case of passive copers) or sensitization (in the case of active copers) can occur.

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Individual coping characteristics, rearing conditions and behavioural flexibility in pigs

Cited by 220 publications

References 62 publications

Spatial learning in pigs: effects of environmental enrichment and individual characteristics on behaviour and performance

Spatial learning in pigs: effects of environmental enrichment and individual characteristics on behaviour and performance

Behavioural, endocrine and immune responses to repeated social stress in pregnant gilts

Individual differences in metabolism predict coping styles in fish

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