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Related Experiment Videos

Stereotypies in sows during chronic stress.

P R Wiepkema1, W G Schouten

  • 1Department of Animal Husbandry, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.

Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
|January 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary

Pigs in confinement develop stereotypies, a coping mechanism linked to brain endorphins that reduces stress. Some sows exhibit high stereotypy, while others show low stereotypy and greater uneasiness.

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Area of Science:

  • Animal behavior
  • Neuroendocrinology
  • Animal welfare science

Background:

  • Intensive pig husbandry often restricts sows' environmental control, leading to chronic stress.
  • Stereotypies, repetitive behaviors, emerge in sows under such conditions.
  • These behaviors are linked to the activation of brain endorphins and may serve as a stress-coping mechanism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between stereotypies and stress responses in confined sows.
  • To identify different coping styles related to stereotypy levels in sows under stress.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study of sows in controlled housing conditions.
  • Assessment of stereotypy levels (high vs. low).
  • Monitoring of neuroendocrine stress indicators and behavioral signs of uneasiness.

Main Results:

  • Sows develop stereotypies associated with endorphin activation, which mitigates some stress symptoms.
  • Two distinct coping styles were observed: high stereotypy and low stereotypy.
  • Sows with low stereotypy levels exhibited more pronounced signs of uneasiness and stress.

Conclusions:

  • Stereotypies in sows can be viewed as a coping strategy influencing stress levels.
  • Individual differences in stereotypy expression reflect varying responses to chronic environmental stress.
  • Low stereotypy in sows may indicate a less effective coping mechanism, leading to heightened distress.

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