Abstract
Comparisons were made of Cortisol concentration and behavioural activity between piglets weaned at 3 weeks of age (early weaned piglets), and piglets weaned at 8 weeks of age (control piglets). Early weaned littermates were placed in cages with a floor area of either 0.20 m2 per piglet or 0.15 m2 per piglet. At 8 weeks of age, the piglets in the control litters were moved from the sow and early weaned piglets were moved from the cages. All litters were placed in pens, 1 pen for each litter. Radioimmunoassay was used for plasma Cortisol determination. Behavioural activity included determination of play, aggressive behaviour and non-nutritive oral activity. Statistical analysis for possible association between plasma Cortisol concentration and age, housing conditions, litter and sequence of capture of littermates for blood collection revealed a complex pattern. Generally, higher plasma Cortisol concentrations and more aggressive and non-nutritive oral activity, but less playing activity, were associated with early weaning. Plasma Cortisol concentration in individual piglets was positively correlated to both aggressive and non-nutritive oral behaviour, but was negatively correlated to playing behaviour. It is concluded that early weaning is a stressor.
Keywords: Cortisol, plasma, radioimmunoassay, piglets, early weaning, playing, aggression, non-nutritive oral behaviour
Sammendrag
I aldersintervallet 2–9 uger blev tidligt fravaennede grise og grise fravænnet i 8 ugers alderen sammenlignet, idet plasmacortisol og adfaerdselementer blev anvendt som parametre. Til plasmacortisolbestemmelsen blev anvendt radioimmunoassay. Den adfærd, der blev registreret, var leg, aggression og non-nutritiv oral adfaerd (sutten og trynepuffen).
De tidligt fravaennede grise blev fjernet fra soen 3 uger garnie. Hele kuld blev sat i bure med gulvareal p henholdsvis 0.20 m2/gris og 0.15 m2/gris.
Da de var 8 uger garnie blev kontrolgrisene fravaennet og burgrisene blev taget ud af burene. Alle kuld blev anbragt i stier med strøelse.
Statistisk analyse for eventuel sammenhaeng mellem plasma Cortisol og aider, opstaldningsforhold, kuld og den raekkefølge, i hvilken grisene blev fanget, viste et komplekst mønster. Generelt var tidlig fravænning associeret med højere plasma cortisolindhold og mere aggressiv og non-nutritiv oral adfaerd, men med mindre legeadfaerd. Plasma Cortisol koncentration var hos de enkelte grise positivt korreleret med både aggressiv og non-nutritiv oral adfaerd, men negativt korreleret med legeadfaerd.
Det konkluderes, at tidlig fravaenning er en stressor.
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Footnotes
This work was supported by the Danish Agricultural and Veterinary Research Council.
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