Table 3.
Ethogram for the Isolation, Human Approach, Social Challenge, and Comingling behavior tests
| Variable | Description |
|---|---|
| Isolation Test | |
| Activity | Walking, running, or jumping |
| Activity start | Time the piglet starts walking after being placed in the pen |
| Investigation | Piglet’s nose oriented at the floor or walls with the appearance of sniffing or rooting |
| Resting | Lying or sitting |
| Escape attempt | Jumping or climbing against pen wall |
| Human Approach | |
| Contact | Any physical contact the piglet makes with the human, mostly sniffing |
| Social Challenge | |
| Activity start | Time the piglet starts walking after being placed in the pen |
| Social contact | Sniffing the penmate either head-on or along the body with piglet nose in contact with penmate |
| Nudge | Using its snout to push the penmate |
| Agonistic encounters | Biting, head tossing, mounting, and shoving the penmate |
| Duration in proximity | Being within one body length of the penmate |
| Comingling | |
| Active | Physically mobile: standing, walking, or running that does not involve aggressive interactions |
| Inactive | Physically immobile, without activity |
| Aggressive interaction | Engaging in agnostic interaction-pushing, biting, and/or head-knocking with another piglet |
| Nursing | Mouth on teat |