Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in serum as an animal welfare indicator of environmental enrichment in pigs
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Providing Meaningful Environmental Enrichment and Measuring Saliva Cortisol in Pigs Housed on Slatted Flooring
Published on: September 30, 2019
J-L Rault1, A J Lawrence2, C R Ralph3
1Institute of Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, A-1210, Austria; Animal Welfare Science Centre, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, VIC 3010, Australia.
Abstract:
Environment enrichment is a rising topic for animal welfare but measures to identify effective enrichment interventions are lacking. In humans and rodent species, environmental enrichment increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the most abundant neurotrophin in the brain. Higher BDNF concentration is ultimately linked to higher stress resilience, and BDNF in the hippocampus enhances learning and memory. In addition, BDNF concentrations in the brain and blood are correlated, offering the opportunity to use peripheral BDNF as a minimally invasive measure of effective enrichment reflecting neural changes. This study investigated changes in serum BDNF following the provision of environmental enrichment to pigs. Pigs were housed in different environments during lactation (enriched vs barren) and after weaning (enriched vs barren), using a 2 × 2 factorial design and the provision of a foraging block as enrichment. Pigs provided with foraging enrichment during lactation or after weaning tended to have higher serum BDNF concentrations than pigs housed in a barren environment, and this effect was significant for pigs enriched during lactation when sampled 5 wk after weaning. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentration reduced as the pigs aged from 3 to 11 wk. The measurement of BDNF in serum brings a practical approach to study the effects of environmental enrichment on neurobiological changes in domestic animals. A better understanding of the factors modulating BDNF and its link to welfare states could bring insight into the benefits of stimulating an animal's life.
Related Concept Videos
Indicators
Transcription Factors
Mechanical Ventilation I: Indication and Settings
Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
Environmental Influences on Intelligence

