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Influence of resources on pig aggression and dominance
1Department of Animal Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
Behavioural Processes
|June 5, 2014
Summary
Aggressive behavior in pigs (Sus scrofa) was studied. Dominant pigs did not gain preferential access to feed or water, even when resources were scarce.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior studies
- Ethology
- Animal husbandry
Background:
- Aggressive behavior is common in pigs (Sus scrofa) during social regrouping.
- Understanding resource access is crucial for animal welfare and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between resource availability (feed and water) and aggressive behavior in pigs.
- To examine the correlation between social dominance and resource utilization in pigs.
Main Methods:
- Sixty-four pigs (Sus scrofa) aged five to eight weeks were housed in groups of four.
- Social dominance orders were established, and aggressive behaviors were recorded.
- Resource access and utilization were observed under varying conditions of feed and water availability.
Main Results:
- Aggressive behavior decreased significantly within 19.4 hours after regrouping.
- Pigs exhibited similar levels of aggression regardless of feed and water presence.
- More aggressive pigs spent more time drinking water when resources were limited.
- Dominant pigs did not secure preferred access to resources, whether abundant or limited.
Conclusions:
- Social dominance in pigs does not guarantee preferential access to essential resources like feed and water.
- Aggressive behavior, while present, is transient and not directly correlated with resource acquisition in this context.
- Resource limitation may influence the behavior of more aggressive individuals, increasing their water consumption.
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