Music during play-time: Using context conditioning as a tool to improve welfare in piglets

Abstract

In this experiment, we investigated whether music can facilitate play behaviour in piglets after weaning, when that music had been presented preweaning as a contextual cue associated with access to a playroom. One group of piglets was given daily access to a playroom preweaning while music was played during the entire play period (Playroom group, n = 6 pens). The control group was daily exposed to the music as well, but this group was not given access to the playroom (NO Playroom group; n = 6 pens). It was hypothesized that replay of music post weaning (on post-weaning days W2, W3 and W6) would facilitate play behaviour above and beyond the previously reported effects of preweaning playroom exposure per se. The results confirm that music replay post weaning does facilitate play behaviour in the Playroom group. The results also showed that playroom exposure preweaning reduced the number of injuries post weaning (W1, W2 and W3). In contrast with our expectations, music replay also facilitated play behaviour in the control group, although significantly less so than in the Playroom group. The results are discussed in relation to the possibilities to use music as a tool to improve welfare in animal husbandry systems. #

Effect of Using Two Music Types on Non-Pregnant Non-Lactating Arabi Ewes Behaviour As a Tool for Welfare Improvement

“…Similarly, music reduced stress, fear and aggression in race horses (Stachurska et al, 2015). Playing music in playroom preweaning reduced aggressiveness in piglets post-weaning (de Jonge et al, 2008). Furthermore, similar to the present study's results on sheep, classical music reduced stress response in chicks at the first week of age (Hafizah et al, 2015).…”

“…It has been widely used as a therapeutic tool in many disorders in humans, for instance, Alzheimer disease (Simmons-Stern et al, 2010;Simmons-Stern et al, 2012), Parkinson disease (de Dreu et al, 2012), depression (Maratos et al, 2008), autistic spectrum disorder (Gold et al, 2006), schizophrenia (Mössler et al, 2011) and aphasia (van der Meulen et al, 2012). Using sensory enrichments, such as music, have been studied in several animals, including sheep, dairy cattle, piglets, goats, mice, rats, fish, horses, monkey and poultry, mainly day-old chicks (Uetake et al, 1997;Campo et al, 2005;de Jonge et al, 2008;Xu et al, 2009;Papoutsoglou et al, 2010;Stachurska et al, 2015;Xing et al, 2016). Although, using music is a vital tool for improving piglets and dairy cows' welfare and behaviour where it reduces the stress on cows and increases milk yield (O'Brein, 2014).…”

Nosing Around: Play in Pigs

“…The application of species-specific enrichment (e.g., rope, straw, compost) can increase natural behaviors of chewing and rooting while simultaneously reducing aggressive social behavior and harmful stereotypic behavior. In fact, research has shown that merely conditioning pigs to the anticipation of enrichment (i.e., doorbell ring) can be used to facilitate play behavior in piglets (Dudink, Simonse, Marks, de Jonge, & Spruijt, 2006;de Jonge, Boleij, Baars, Dudink, & Spruijt, 2008). Encouraging pigs to scamper, interact with their environment, and socialize with peers does not require great effort -but often results in great rewards.…”

Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) response to two pieces of music (“Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” and “Romanza”) combined with light intensity, using recirculating water system

“…Similarly, behavioural reaction to classical music has been reported for common domestic animals (de Jonge et al 2008;Rickard et al 2005). Furthermore, the results of transmission of a piece of Mozart's music to the rearing tanks of two fish species, Cyprinus carpio and Sparus aurata (Papoutsoglou et al 2007 are of great importance to the fish-farming industry because they provide strong evidence of a positive effect of music on their physiological status.…”