What are farm animals thinking?

New research is revealing surprising complexity in the minds of goats, pigs, and other livestock.

Evaluation of environmental enrichment on thermophysical responses, carcass traits, and meat quality of finishing pigs.

Environmental enrichment consists of a way to provide better living conditions for animals, but its influence on physical integrity, thermoregulatory responses, and quality of pork meat is not known. The objective of this study was to evaluate the thermoregulatory responses, lesion score, lameness, carcass traits, and meat quality of pigs with and without access to environmental enrichment (EE) in the finishing phase. A total of 432 pigs of the Hampshire lineage, males and females, with average initial and final weights between 22-27 kg and 110-125 kg respectively were evaluated. The experimental design used was in randomized blocks, with 6 treatments, distributed in a 2×3 factorial scheme (sex × environmental enrichment), with 12 repetitions per treatment, totaling 72 stalls. The treatments were branched chain for males (T1), branched sisal rope for males (T2), males without EE (T3), branched chain for females (T4), branched sisal rope for females (T5), and females without EE (T6). Weekly, two assessments of physiological data were performed, in loco, in the morning and afternoon. Lesions on the tail, ear, body, and lameness were evaluated on the 1st, 16th, 37th, 51st, 79th, 93rd, and 112th days. On the 112th day, 72 animals were slaughtered for carcass traits and meat quality analyses. Statistical analysis was performed using generalized and mixed linear models. There was no effect (p>0.05) of the interaction of the studied factors (environmental enrichment × sex × period) on the head, back, leg, and average temperature. However, there was an effect of the period factor (p<0.01), with higher temperatures in the afternoon compared to the morning. For tail injury, there was no association between injury degree and gender (p=0.56) and between injury degree and enrichment (p=0.99), and there was no interaction effect (p=0.15). For ear injury, there was no association between the degree of ear injury and gender (p=0.72), as well as for the degree of ear injury and enrichment (p=0.99) and interaction (p=0.47). There was a higher occurrence of categories 2, 3, and 4 for lesions on the body in males (p=0.0257), regardless of the EE. Water retention, carcass yield, cut yield, marbling pattern, pH, and color showed no effect for sex, enrichment, and interaction between the two factors (p>0.05). The use of environmental enrichment with sisal ropes and branched chains does not change the thermophysical responses, carcass traits, and meat quality of finishing pig.

Changes in piglet and litter characteristics across parities in two highly prolific sow hybrids in an outdoor organic herd.

High piglet mortality constitutes a welfare challenge in organic pig production. Litter characteristics were investigated from parities 1-5 of two hyper-prolific hybrids with different selection traits in an organic commercial herd (DanBred vs. Topigs Norsvin [TN70]). TN70 sows had more functional teats than DanBred sows, and their offspring had higher birth weights. Several interactions between hybrid and parity were found. The total born increased with higher parity and was more pronounced for DanBred sows. Litter weight at weaning was higher in parities 1-4 for TN70 compared with DanBred, and within DanBred parities 4 and 5 had higher litter weight at weaning than parity 1. The survival rate was higher for TN70 in parities 1 and 2 compared with DanBred, and for both hybrids, the survival rate was higher in parities 1 and 2 compared with parities 4 and 5. The number of weaned piglets was stable across parities 1-4 but lower in parity 5 for both hybrids. Thus, despite a lower number of total born piglets in TN70, TN70 sows weaned the same number of piglets as DanBred, with a lower mortality rate and a heavier litter at weaning.

Condenações de carcaça suínas devido a doenças respiratórias revisão bibliográfica / Pork carcass condemnation due to respiratory diseases bibliographic review / Condena de canales de cerdo por enfermedades respiratorias revisión bibliográfica

As doenças respiratórias são um problema significativo na produção suína e podem levar à condenação de carcaças no abate. Entre os agentes causadores dessas doenças destacam-se o Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae e a Pasteurella multocida. O Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae é um patógeno altamente contagioso, que ocasiona hemorragia, pleuropneumonia purulenta e fibrosa. A Pleuropneumonia é amplamente distribuída e gera graves prejuízos para a suinocultura. O Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae ocasionador da pneumonia por micoplasma, doença respiratória crônica. As infecções originadas podem regular negativamente o sistema imunológico do hospedeiro e aumentar a infecção e assim a replicação de outros patógenos. A Pasteurella multocida é o agente causador de uma ampla gama de infecções levando a alto impacto econômico. Patógeno comensal e oportunista da boca, nasofaringe e trato respiratório superior. A identificação precoce e o manejo adequado desses agentes causadores de doenças respiratórias são fundamentais para minimizar a incidência de carcaças suínas. A adoção de medidas preventivas, como a vacinação e práticas de manejo adequadas, pode ajudar a prevenir a propagação dessas doenças e garantir a produção de carne suína segura e de alta qualidade para o consumo humano.(AU)

Respiratory diseases are a significant problem in pork production and can lead to condemnation of carcasses at slaughter. Among the causative agents of these diseases are Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Pasteurella multocida. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is a highly contagious pathogen that causes hemorrhage, purulent and fibrous pleuropneumonia. Pleuropneumonia is widely distributed and causes serious damage to pig farming. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae causes mycoplasma pneumonia, a chronic respiratory disease. Originating infections can down-regulate the host's immune system and increase infection and thus replication of other pathogens. Pasteurella multocida is the causative agent of a wide range of infections leading to high economic impact. Commensal and opportunistic pathogen of the mouth, nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract. Early identification and proper management of these agents that cause respiratory diseases are essential to minimize the incidence of swine carcasses. Adopting preventive measures, such as vaccination and proper management practices, can help prevent the spread of these diseases and ensure the production of safe, high-quality pork for human consumption.(AU)

Las enfermedades respiratorias son un problema importante en la producción porcina y pueden provocar el decomiso de las canales en el matadero. Entre los agentes causantes de estas enfermedades se encuentran Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae y Pasteurella multocida. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae es un patógeno altamente contagioso que causa hemorragia, pleuroneumonía purulenta y fibrosa. La pleuroneumonía está ampliamente distribuida y causa graves daños a la cría de cerdos. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae causa neumonía por micoplasma, una enfermedad respiratoria crónica. Las infecciones que se originan pueden regular a la baja el sistema inmunitario del huésped y aumentar la infección y, por lo tanto, la replicación de otros patógenos. Pasteurella multocida es el agente causal de una amplia gama de infecciones que tienen un alto impacto económico. Patógeno comensal y oportunista de la boca, nasofaringe y tracto respiratorio superior. La identificación temprana y el manejo adecuado de estos agentes causantes de enfermedades respiratorias son fundamentales para minimizar la incidencia de las canales porcinas. La adopción de medidas preventivas, como la vacunación y prácticas de manejo adecuadas, puede ayudar a prevenir la propagación de estas enfermedades y garantizar la producción de carne de cerdo segura y de alta calidad para el consumo humano.(AU)

Impactos relacionados à qualidade da água na suinocultura: revisão de literatura / Impacts related to water quality in swine farming: literature review / Impactos relacionados con la calidad del agua en la cría porcina: revisión de la literatura

O emprego de água na suinocultura global é o principal insumo e, conse- quentemente, elevado. Mas, para que o produtor obtenha resultados positivos técnicos e econômicos, precisa controlar que a água tenha a qualidade correta e seja ministrada na quantidade certa, seguindo as indicações da Instrução Normativa nº 113/2020 do Minis- tério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento-MAPA, acerca da qualidade exigida deste elemento líquido, bem como a Instrução Normativa nº 357/2005 do CONAMA, relacio- nada ao uso e controle da água potável destinada ao consumo de humanos e animais. Uma forma de manter a qualidade da água potável na suinocultura é utilizando o dióxido de cloro (ClO2), eficaz numa ampla faixa de pH (4-10) na eliminação de vírus, bactérias e algas. Neste trabalho, objetiva-se apresentar índices zootécnicos da suinocultura parana- ense relacionados com a qualidade da água potável ­ pH, alcalinidade, dureza e cloração - e o reflexo dela na sanidade do animal evitando a poluição dos efluentes. O procedi- mento metodológico adotado é qualitativo com abordagem indutiva e técnica de pesquisa exploratória baseada em uma revisão de literatura. Da pesquisa bibliográfico-documental em sites de revistas científicas como a UNIPAR, a SCIELO, a Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD), e sites do MAPA obteve-se um vasto material de consulta e apoio acerca do tema apresentado. Conclui-se que a qualidade da água na suinocultura deve ser monitorada por um profissional para que a produção seja lucrativa, zelando pelo bem- estar do rebanho, oferecendo-lhes água potável devidamente tratada, evitando a cloração indevida, dureza e alcalinidade fora do padrão exigido por lei.(AU)

The use of water in world pig farming is the main input and, consequently, high. In order for the producer to obtain positive technical and economic results, he will need to control that the water has the correct quality and that it is administered in the appropriate quantity, following the indications of Regulatory Instruction No. 113/2020 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply-MAPA, on the required quality of this liquid element, as well as CONAMA Normative Instruction No. 357/2005, relating to the use and control of drinking water for human and animal consumption. One way to maintain the quality of drinking water in pig farming is by using chlorine dioxide (ClO2), effective in a wide range of pH (4-10) to eliminate viruses, bacteria and algae. In this work, the objective is to present zootechnical indices of swine production in Paraná related to the quality of drinking water - pH, alkalinity, hardness and chlorination - and its reflection on animal health, avoiding effluent contamination. The methodological procedure adopted is qualitative with an inductive approach and an exploratory research technique based on a literature review. From the bibliographical-documentary research on websites of scientific journals such as UNIPAR, SCIELO, the Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD) and MAPA websites, a large amount of reference and support material on the topic presented was obtained. It is concluded that the quality of water in pig farming must be monitored by a professional so that production is profitable, ensuring the well-being of the herd, offering them duly treated drinking water, avoiding undue chlorination, hardness and alkalinity of the appropriate standard required by law.(AU)

El uso de agua en la porcicultura mundial es el principal insumo y, en consecuencia, elevado. Para que el productor obtenga resultados técnicos y económicos positivos, necesitará controlar que el agua tenga la calidad correcta y se administre en la cantidad adecuada, siguiendo las indicaciones de la Instrucción Normativa nº 113/2020 del Ministerio de Agricultura, Pecuaria y Suministro-MAPA, sobre la calidad exigida de este elemento líquido, así como la Instrucción Normativa del CONAMA n° 357/2005, relativa al uso y control del agua potable destinada al consumo humano y animal. Una forma de mantener la calidad del agua potable en la porcicultura es utilizando el dióxido de cloro (ClO2), eficaz en una amplia faja de pH (4-10) para eliminar virus, bacterias y algas. En este trabajo, el objetivo es presentar índices zootécnicos de la producción porcina en Paraná relacionados con la calidad del agua de bebida - pH, alcalinidad, dureza y cloración - y su reflejo en la salud del animal, evitando la contaminación de los efluentes. El procedimiento metodológico adoptado es cualitativo con un enfoque inductivo y una técnica de investigación exploratoria basada en una revisión de la literatura. De la investigación bibliográfico-documental en sitios web de revistas científicas como UNIPAR, SCIELO, la Biblioteca Digital de Tesis y Disertaciones (BDTD) y sitios web del MAPA, se obtuvo una gran cantidad de material de consulta y apoyo sobre el tema presentado. Se concluye que la calidad del agua en la porcicultura debe ser monitoreada por un profesional para que la producción sea rentable, velando por el bienestar del hato, ofreciéndoles agua potable debidamente tratada, evitando cloraciones indebidas, durezas y alcalinidades del padrón adecuado exigido por ley.(AU)

Use of organic acids to reduce Salmonella Typhimurium excretion in swine / Uso de ácidos orgânicos para reduzir a excreção de Salmonella Typhimurium em suínos

The use of antimicrobials as growth promoters and disease prevention is being constantly reduced in several animal production systems, including in the swine industry. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using acidifiers to control Salmonella Typhimurium in 65-day-old pigs by detecting the pathogen in organs at euthanasia. For this, 24 piglets were divided into two experimental groups consisting of 12 piglets each. An untreated control group (G1) and a treatment group (G2) received a liquid organic acidifier in the drinking water for 10 days (D-5 to D5). Five days after the start of treatment (D0), all piglets were challenged with 106 CFU of Salmonella Typhimurium and assessed for 12 days (D12). Every three days (D3, D6, D9, and D12), three animals from each experimental group were euthanized and then submitted for necropsy. Samples from the intestines (ileum, cecum, mesenteric lymph nodes, and ileocolic lymph nodes), liver, spleen, and lungs were collected to isolate Salmonella. The results show that, numerically, Salmonella isolation in the organs of G2 was lower than in G1 and that the number of positive cecum samples in G1 (66.7%; 8/12) was statistically different from the number of positive models in G2 (16.7%; 2/12), with a reduction of 28.6% of the total cecum positive samples in the treated group compared to the control. Therefore, it was observed that the liquid organic acidifier product could reduce the colonization of organs by Salmonella Typhimurium. (AU)

Use of organic acids to reduce Salmonella Typhimurium excretion in swine / Uso de ácidos orgânicos para reduzir a excreção de Salmonella Typhimurium em suínos

The use of antimicrobials as growth promoters and disease prevention is being constantly reduced in several animal production systems, including in the swine industry. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using acidifiers to control Salmonella Typhimurium in 65-day-old pigs by detecting the pathogen in organs at euthanasia. For this, 24 piglets were divided into two experimental groups consisting of 12 piglets each. An untreated control group (G1) and a treatment group (G2) received a liquid organic acidifier in the drinking water for 10 days (D-5 to D5). Five days after the start of treatment (D0), all piglets were challenged with 106 CFU of Salmonella Typhimurium and assessed for 12 days (D12). Every three days (D3, D6, D9, and D12), three animals from each experimental group were euthanized and then submitted for necropsy. Samples from the intestines (ileum, cecum, mesenteric lymph nodes, and ileocolic lymph nodes), liver, spleen, and lungs were collected to isolate Salmonella. The results show that, numerically, Salmonellaisolation in the organs of G2 was lower than in G1 and that the number of positive cecum samples in G1 (66.7%; 8/12) was statistically different from the number of positive models in G2 (16.7%; 2/12), with a reduction of 28.6% of the total cecum positive samples in the treated group compared to the control. Therefore, it was observed that the liquid organic acidifier product could reduce the colonization of organs by Salmonella Typhimurium.(AU)

O uso de antimicrobianos como promotores de crescimento e prevenção de doenças vem sendo constantemente reduzido em diversos sistemas de produção animal, inclusive na suinocultura. Portanto, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a eficácia do uso de acidificantes no controle de Salmonella Typhimurium em suínos de 65 dias de idade, detectando o patógeno em órgãos após a eutanásia. Para isso, 24 leitões foram divididos em dois grupos experimentais constituídos por 12 leitões cada. Um grupo controle não tratado (G1) e um grupo de tratamento (G2) que recebeu um acidificante orgânico líquido na água de beber por 10 dias (D-5 a D5). Cinco dias após o início do tratamento (D0), todos os animais foram inoculados oralmente com 106 UFC de Salmonella Typhimurium e avaliados por 12 dias (D12). A cada três dias (D3, D6, D9 e D12), três leitões de cada grupo experimental foram eutanasiados e posteriormente submetidos à necropsia. Amostras de intestino (íleo, ceco, linfonodos mesentéricos e linfonodos ileocólicos), fígado, baço e pulmões foram coletadas para o isolamento de Salmonella. Os resultados mostram que, numericamente, o isolamento de Salmonella nos órgãos do G2 foi inferior ao G1, e que o número de amostras positivas de ceco no G1 (66,7%; 8/12) foi estatisticamente diferente do número de amostras positivas no G2 (16,7%; 2/12), com redução de 28,6% do total de amostras positivas de ceco no grupo tratado em relação ao controle. Portanto, observou-se que o ácido orgânico líquido foi capaz de reduzir a colonização de órgãos por Salmonella Typhimurium.(AU)

Non-contact detection method of pregnant sows backfat thickness based on two-dimensional images.

Since sow backfat thickness (BFT) is highly correlated with its service life and reproductive effectiveness, dynamic monitoring of BFT is a critical component of large-scale sow farm productivity. Existing contact measures of sow BFT have their problems including, high measurement intensity and sows' stress reaction, low biological safety, and difficulty in meeting the requirements for multiple measurements. This article presents a two-dimensional (2D) image-based approach for determining the BFT of pregnant sows when combined with the backfat growth rate (BGR). The 2D image features of sows extracted by convolutional neural networks (CNN) and the artificially defined phenotypic features of sows such as hip width, hip height, body length, hip height-width ratio, length-width ratio, and waist-hip ratio, were used respectively, combined with BGR, to construct a prediction model for sow BFT using support vector regression (SVR). Following testing and comparison, it was shown that using CNN to extract features from images could effectively replace artificially defined features, BGR contributed to the model's accuracy improvement. The CNN-BGR-SVR model performed the best, with R2 of 0.72 and mean absolute error of 1.21 mm, and root mean square error of 1.50 mm, and mean absolute percentage error of 7.57%. The results demonstrated that the CNN-BGR-SVR model based on 2D images was capable of detecting sow BFT, establishing a new reference for non-contact sow BFT detection technology.

Effects of the feeding level in early gestation on body reserves and the productive and reproductive performance of primiparous and multiparous sows.

Early gestation may be the best period for sows to recover body reserve losses from previous lactation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different levels of restricted feeding in early gestation on the body status, productive and reproductive performance, and hormonal-metabolic status of primiparous and multiparous sows. A total of 130 sows were randomly assigned to one of three feeding levels: Treatment I, which sows were fed at the level commonly used from day 3 to 28 of gestation (2.5 kg·d-1 of a diet with 2.18 Mcal NE·kg-1 and 13.72 g CP·kg-1), and Treatments II and III, where feed was increased by 25% and 50%, respectively. Sow body status, litter size and weight, early mortalities, reproductive rates, weaning-to-estrus interval, and hormones linked to metabolism were recorded. The highest weight gain, body condition score, and backfat thickness were found in sows fed Treatment III compared to those fed the usual feeding level (Treatment I). No differences among treatment groups were found in litter size or litter weight, although a tendency for more live born piglets and fewer stillbirths was found in sows fed Treatment III. In contrast, litters from sows fed at higher feeding levels had a higher mortality at 72 h compared to those fed at the lowest feeding level (I), which was partly linked to a higher percentage of piglets culled at birth and piglets weighing less than 800 g. There were no differences in conception and farrowing rates, leptin, progesterone, insulin, or cortisol among treatment groups applied in early gestation. In conclusion, increasing the feeding level in sows during early gestation to improve their short-term productive and reproductive performance remains controversial. Further studies are needed to focus on how the restricted feeding level applied could affect the viability and proportion of low-weight piglets.

Cross-species discrimination of vocal expression of emotional valence by Equidae and Suidae.

BACKGROUND: Discrimination and perception of emotion expression regulate interactions between conspecifics and can lead to emotional contagion (state matching between producer and receiver) or to more complex forms of empathy (e.g., sympathetic concern). Empathy processes are enhanced by familiarity and physical similarity between partners. Since heterospecifics can also be familiar with each other to some extent, discrimination/perception of emotions and, as a result, emotional contagion could also occur between species. RESULTS: Here, we investigated if four species belonging to two ungulate Families, Equidae (domestic and Przewalski's horses) and Suidae (pigs and wild boars), can discriminate between vocalizations of opposite emotional valence (positive or negative), produced not only by conspecifics, but also closely related heterospecifics and humans. To this aim, we played back to individuals of these four species, which were all habituated to humans, vocalizations from a unique set of recordings for which the valence associated with vocal production was known. We found that domestic and Przewalski's horses, as well as pigs, but not wild boars, reacted more strongly when the first vocalization played was negative compared to positive, regardless of the species broadcasted. CONCLUSIONS: Domestic horses, Przewalski's horses and pigs thus seem to discriminate between positive and negative vocalizations produced not only by conspecifics, but also by heterospecifics, including humans. In addition, we found an absence of difference between the strength of reaction of the four species to the calls of conspecifics and closely related heterospecifics, which could be related to similarities in the general structure of their vocalization. Overall, our results suggest that phylogeny and domestication have played a role in cross-species discrimination/perception of emotions.

The effect of air temperature, velocity and humidity on respiration rate and rectal temperature as an expression of heat stress in gestating sows.

Global warming combined with increased production (i.e. more piglets, more milk and consequently more heat) means that sows are more often challenged by heat stress. The objective was to develop an effective temperature (ET) equation to predict how air temperature, velocity and humidity affect the respiration rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT) and skin temperature (ST) as an expression of heat stress in gestating sows in order to elucidate the relationship between the thermal parameters and the sows' perception of the environment. The experimental room was equipped with a negative pressure ventilation system with diffuse air inlet through the ceiling, electrical heaters, steam generators and dehumidifiers. An air distribution unit was constructed to generate vertical air velocity. A total of 16 gestating sows were exposed to three temperatures (25°C, 29°C and 33°C), two levels of relative humidity (30% and 70%) and three levels of air velocity (0.2 ms-1, 1 ms-1 and 2.5 ms-1). The RR, RT and ST were recorded every 30 min throughout the three 2-h test periods. The estimated effects of humidity and velocity in relation to effect of temperature was nearly independent of whether it was determined from RR or RT, whereas the effect of humidity was much smaller when determined from ST. High coefficients of determination (>0.97) were found for the second order relationship between the estimated ET and RR, RT and ST. An increase in relative humidity from 50 to 70% corresponded to an increase in ET of 0.9°C, while an increase in air velocity from 0.2 to 1.0 ms-1 corresponded to a decrease in ET of 1.2°C. The applied ET equation was useful for expressing the combined effect of temperature, humidity and velocity on animals exposed to heat stress. However, multiplying the effect of velocity by the temperature gradient between the animal and the surrounding air did not improve the estimation.

Identification of candidate genes that specifically regulate subcutaneous and intramuscular fat deposition using transcriptomic and proteomic profiles in Dingyuan pigs.

Subcutaneous fat and intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition are closely related to meat production and pork quality. Dingyuan pig, as a native pig breed in China, low selection leads to obvious genetic and phenotypic differences in the population. Individuals with extreme fat content in the population are ideal models for studying the mechanism of fat deposition. In this study, we used RNA-Seq and tandem mass tags-based (TMT) proteomics to analyze the key pathways and genes that specifically regulate subcutaneous fat and IMF deposition in Dingyuan pigs. We identified 191 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 61 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in the high and low back fat thickness (HBF, LBF) groups, 85 DEGs and 12 DAPs were obtained in the high and low intramuscular fat (HIMF, LIMF) groups. The functional analysis showed that the DEGs and DAPs in the backfat groups were mainly involved in carbohydrates, amino acids, and fatty acids metabolism, whereas the IMF groups were involved in the insulin pathway, longevity, and some disease-related pathways. We found 40 candidate genes that might tissue-specifically lipids deposition for subcutaneous and intramuscular fat. Our research provides theoretical reference materials for the improvement of fat deposition traits of local pig breeds in my country.

Judgement bias of group housed gestating sows predicted by behavioral traits, but not physical measures of welfare.

Judgement bias testing has emerged as a potential tool for assessing affective states in animals. Researchers infer an animal's affective state based on an animal's response to an ambiguous stimulus that is intermediate to both the rewarded and punished conditioned stimuli. Animals can be classified as "optimistic" or having a positive affective state if the animal displays behaviors that suggest an increased expectation of reward in the face of ambiguous stimuli. Alternatively, animals can be classified "pessimistic" or having a negative affective state if the animal displays behaviors that suggest an increased expectation of punishment in the face of ambiguous stimuli. Recent reports in multiple species question what factors influence performance in judgement bias testing, and which may allow for erroneous conclusions regarding individual affective state. In order to better understand this concern, 25 female swine were subjected to behavioral assessments at critical rearing stages to determine response variability. These same individuals were then assessed for physical measures of welfare and judgement bias using the "go/no-go" task as breeding adults. Sows which were more aggressive approached the ambiguous, but not the positive, stimulus significantly faster than others. Both optimistic and pessimistic biases were observed despite all sows living in enriched housing, and, sows with more positive physical welfare measures (fewer skin lesions and healthy body condition) did not exhibit more optimistic judgement biases. Our data demonstrate that behavior traits, such as aggressiveness, can affect a sow's performance in a judgement bias test, while measures of physical health did not. We suggest that individual differences in behavior (e.g., bold-aggressive behavioral syndrome, or, proactive coping style) generate different emotional responses and can contribute to the animal's overall affective state more so than physical ailment. Our findings highlight the complexity of how different factors impact an animal's overall affective state and support the need for complementary measures in future JBT studies, including personality assessment.

Plasticity of feeding behaviour traits in response to production environment (temperate vs. tropical) in group-housed growing pigs.

Heat stress affects pig metabolism, health and welfare, resulting in reduced growth and important economic losses. The present experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of two climatic environments [temperate (TEMP) vs. tropical humid (TROP)] on feeding behaviour in growing pigs. The feeding behaviour traits were measured with automated feeders and included: daily feed intake, daily eating time, feeding rate, daily number of meals, feed intake per meal, and feeding time per meal. Pigs came from a backcross population between Large White (LW, heat sensitive) and Creole (CR, heat tolerant) pigs. The same 10 F1 LW × CR boars (sire families [SF]) were mated with related LW sows in each environment. Feeding behaviour was recorded for a total of 1,296 pigs (n = 634 pigs for TEMP and n = 662 pigs for TROP) between 11 and 23 weeks of age. Growth performance and thermoregulatory responses (rectal and skin temperatures) were also measured. Results show that TROP conditions affect feeding behaviour traits: animals had more meals per day but these meals were smaller both in duration and in size, resulting in lower daily feed intake and less time eating per day. Significant SF by environment (GxE) interactions were found for all feeding behaviour traits. When SF were distributed into robust and sensitive groups (previously defined according to performance and thermoregulatory traits), results showed group by environment interactions for all feeding traits, except meal frequency. Moreover, a significant difference in feeding rate between robust and sensitive group was detected in TEMP, suggesting that feeding rate may be a good candidate to evaluate heat tolerance.

Review: Improving the performance of neonatal piglets.

Newborn piglets have a high incidence of preweaning mortality that is not only associated with low birth weights but also with the presence of intra-uterine growth-restricted (IUGR) piglets. Such IUGR piglets are commonly seen in litters from hyperprolific sows as a result of insufficient placental transfer of nutrients. Nutritional strategies can be used prior to and during gestation to enhance foetal development and can also be implemented in the transition period to reduce the duration of farrowing and increase colostrum yield. Recent findings showed that the energy status of sows at the onset of farrowing is crucial to diminish stillbirth rate. Newborn piglets often fail to consume enough colostrum to promote thermostability and subsequent growth, and this is particularly problematic in very large litters when there are fewer available teats than the number of suckling piglets. One injection of 75 IU of oxytocin approximately 14 h after farrowing can prolong the colostral phase, hence increasing the supply of immunoglobulins to piglets. Nevertheless, assistance must be provided to piglets after birth in order to increase their chance of survival. Various approaches can be used, such as: (1) optimising the farrowing environment, (2) supervising farrowing and assisting newborn piglets, (3) using cross-fostering techniques, (4) providing nurse sows, and 5) providing artificial milk. Although research advances have been made in developing feeding and management strategies for sows that increase performance of their newborn piglets, much work still remains to be done to ensure that maximal outcomes are achieved.

Effects of dexmedetomidine on hemodynamic, oxygenation, microcirculation, and inflammatory markers in a porcine model of sepsis

Purpose: To determine whether dexmedetomidine aggravates hemodynamic, metabolic variables, inflammatory markers, and microcirculation in experimental septic shock. Methods: Twenty-four pigs randomized into: Sham group (n = 8), received saline; Shock group (n = 8), received an intravenous infusion of Escherichia coli O55 (3 × 109 cells/mL, 0.75 mL/kg, 1 hour); Dex-Shock group (n = 8), received bacteria and intravenous dexmedetomidine (bolus 0.5 mcg/kg followed by 0.7 mcg/kg/h). Fluid therapy and/ornorepinephrine were administered to maintain a mean arterial pressure > 65 mmHg. Hemodynamic, metabolic, oxygenation, inflammatory markers, and microcirculation were assessed at baseline, at the end of bacterial infusion, and after 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes. Results: Compared to Shock group, Dex-Shock group presented a significantly increased oxygen extraction ratio at T180 (23.1 ± 9.7 vs. 32.5 ± 9.2%, P = 0.0220), decreased central venous pressure at T120 (11.6 ± 1 vs. 9.61 ± 1.2 mmHg, P = 0.0214), mixed-venous oxygen saturation at T180 (72.9 ± 9.6 vs. 63.5 ± 9.2%, P = 0.026), and increased plasma lactate (3.7 ± 0.5 vs. 5.5 ± 1 mmol/L, P = 0.003). Despite the Dex-Shock group having a better sublingual vessel density at T240 (12.5 ± 0.4 vs. 14.4 ± 0.3 mL/m2; P = 0.0003), sublingual blood flow was not different from that in the Shock group (2.4 ± 0.2 vs. 2.4 ± 0.1 mL/kg, P = 0.4418). Conclusions: Dexmedetomidine did not worsen the hemodynamic, metabolic, inflammatory, or sublingual blood flow disorders resulting from septic shock. Despite inducing a better sublingual vessel density, dexmedetomidine initially and transitorily increased the mismatch between oxygen supply and demand.

Stress induced by pre-slaughter farm conditions in pigs / [Estresse induzido pelas condições da fazenda pré-abate em suínos]

Cortisol is a steroid hormone, one of the glucocorticoids, made in the cortex of the adrenal glands and then released into the blood, which transports it in the entire body. Almost every cell contains receptors for cortisol and so cortisol can have lots of different actions depending on which sort of cells it is acting upon. These effects include controlling the body's blood sugar levels and thus regulating metabolism, acting as an anti-inflammatory product, controlling salt and water balance and influencing blood pressure. The study was conducted over a period of 3 months, between March-August 2020, in 2 swine farms in Iasi county, Romania, on a total of 46 pigs, 3 to 4 months old, both males and females, in order to investigate stress levels in finishing facilities. The study revealed higher levels of cortisol while eosinophil counts severely decreased, changes which are associated with a strong reaction to stress for individuals that were housed in finishing facilities.(AU)

O cortisol é um hormônio esteroide, um dos glicocorticoides, produzido no córtex das glândulas suprarrenais e, em seguida, liberado no sangue, que o transporta por todo o corpo. Quase todas as células contêm receptores para o cortisol e, portanto, ele pode ter muitas ações diferentes, dependendo do tipo de célula sobre a qual atua. Esses efeitos incluem controlar os níveis de açúcar no sangue do corpo e, assim, regular o metabolismo, atuando como um produto anti-inflamatório, controlando o equilíbrio de sal e água e influenciando a pressão arterial. O presente estudo foi realizado durante um período de três meses, entre março-agosto de 2020, em duas granjas de suínos no condado de Iasi, Romênia, em um número total de 46 porcos, de três a quatro meses de idade, machos e fêmeas, a fim de investigar níveis de estresse nas instalações de acabamento. O estudo revelou níveis mais elevados de cortisol, enquanto a contagem de eosinófilos diminuiu severamente, mudanças que são consideradas associadas a uma forte reação ao estresse para indivíduos que foram alojados em instalações de acabamento.(AU)

PPARγ ligands modulate the immune response mediators in the pig myometrium - An in vitro study.

The current study was conducted with the aim to investigate effects of PPARγ ligands on synthesis of nuclear receptor κB (NF-κB) and selected cytokines (IL-1ß, IFNγ, TNFα, IL-4, IL-10, LIF) in the pig myometrium on days 14-15 of the estrous cycle (late-luteal phase) and days 14-15 of the gestational period (beginning of embryonic implantation). The myometrial slices were incubated in vitro for 6 h in medium containing PPARγ ligands, agonists: 15d-prostaglandin J2 or pioglitazone, and antagonist - T0070907. The mRNA transcript and protein abundances were evaluated in tissues and culture medium. During the estrous cycle, PPARγ ligands did not have an effect on the mRNA transcript abundance of the immune response mediators used for treatments. The IL-10 protein abundance in the tissue was less when there was inclusions of pioglitazone in the medium, while the treatment with T0070907 resulted in a larger abundance of NF-κB, IL-1ß (in the tissue) and IL-4 (in tissue and culture media). During the gestational period, pioglitazone or PGJ2 suppressed mRNA IFNγ and IL-10 transcript and protein abundances (in the tissue and culture media), whereas there was an enhanced NF-κB protein abundance (in the tissue). Treatment with T0070907 had diverse effects (e.g., for NFκB inhibited mRNA transcript abundance or enhanced protein abundance). The observed changes are related mainly in tissues from pregnant animals. Responses to PPARγ antagonist are indicative of the possible involvement of PPARγ-independent factors as well as ligand-independent activation of the receptor, ligand selectivity/functionality or tissue receptivity to the factors evaluated.

Soybean protein hydrolysate stimulated cholecystokinin secretion and inhibited feed intake through calcium-sensing receptors and intracellular calcium signalling in pigs.

Although soybean protein is the major component in livestock feeds, its effect on pigs' appetites is largely unknown. Recently, the importance of gut nutrient-sensing for appetite modulation by regulating anorectic gut hormone release has been recognised. This study investigates the roles of soybean proteins in appetite regulation, anorectic gut hormone secretion, and underlying mechanisms. The duodenal-cannulated piglets were used to evaluate the effects of soybean protein hydrolysate (SPH) on feed intake and anorectic hormone release, including cholecystokinin (CCK), peptide YY (PYY), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) in the hepatic vein by infusing SPH. Identifying which nutrient-sensing receptor in pig duodenum response to SPH stimulation for gut hormone release was conducted. Using its antagonist, the role of the identified receptor in feed intake and anorectic hormone release was also investigated. Combination with an ex vivo perfusion system, the possible mechanism by which SPH exerts the effects in porcine duodenum was further illustrated. Results in vivo showed that intraduodenal infusion of SPH inhibited short-term feed intake in pigs and promoted CCK, PYY, and GIP secretion in the hepatic vein. SPH also increased duodenum calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) expression. Pre-treated with CaSR antagonist NPS 2143, the feed intake of pigs tended to be attenuated by SPH (P = 0.09), and CCK release was also suppressed (P < 0.05), indicating that CaSR was involved in SPH-stimulated CCK release and inhibited feed intake in pigs. The ex vivo perfused duodenum tissues revealed that SPH-triggered CCK secretion was likeliest due to the activation of the intracellular Ca2+/TRPM5 pathway. Overall, this study's result illustrates that the diet soybean protein might decrease appetite in pigs by triggering duodenum CCK secretion by activating CaSR and the intracellular Ca2+/TRPM5 pathway.

Nutritional restriction during the peri-conceptional period alters the myometrial transcriptome during the peri-implantation period.

This study hypothesized that female peri-conceptional undernutrition evokes transcriptomic alterations in the pig myometrium during the peri-implantation period. Myometrium was collected on days 15-16 of pregnancy from pigs fed a normal- (n = 4) or restricted-diet (n = 4) from conception until day 9th of pregnancy, and the transcriptomic profiles of the tissue were compared using Porcine (V2) Expression Microarrays 4 × 44 K. In restricted diet-fed pigs, 1021 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with fold change ≥ 1.5, P ≤ 0.05 were revealed, and 708 of them were up-regulated. Based on the count score, the top within GOs was GO cellular components "extracellular exosome", and the top KEGG pathway was the metabolic pathway. Ten selected DEGs, i.e. hydroxysteroid (17ß) dehydrogenase 8, cyclooxygenase 2, prostaglandin F receptor, progesterone receptor membrane component 1, progesterone receptor membrane component 2, annexin A2, homeobox A10, S-phase cyclin A-associated protein in the ER, SRC proto-oncogene, non-receptor tyrosine kinase, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen were conducted through qPCR to validate microarray data. In conclusion, dietary restriction during the peri-conceptional period causes alterations in the expression of genes encoding proteins involved i.a. in the endocrine activity of the myometrium, embryo-maternal interactions, and mechanisms regulating cell cycle and proliferation.