Behavioral Genetics in Pigs and Relations to Welfare - Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals - page 421

being the cleverest of animals” ( Orwell, 1945 ). Could and should we select
for calmer, more passive pigs; pigs that are less explorative and therefore
less bored pigs?
Let us assume it would be possible to select pigs for less internally moti-
vated curiosity, and thus less need for a rich environment. Would such a
selection be a good way to improve welfare? In the Code of good practice
for farm animal breeding and reproduction organizations ( EFAB, 2013 ), it
says that breeding organizations must maintain “the intrinsic characteristics
of domesticated species”. We interpret intrinsic as “belonging to”, by its
very nature. An uncurious pig could be regarded as an unnatural pig, even if
its welfare would be better. We agree with the Code of good practice about
maintaining the intrinsic characteristics of pigs and thus we would not rec-
ommend such a selection. Instead, management systems should be developed
and housing of growing pigs should be improved.
We have described some genetic studies on how easy the pigs are to han-
dle. A question we need to ask ourselves is: Do we select for “easy-care ani-
mals” so that we do not have to care? There is a risk that we select animals
that can stand a bad environment instead of improving the environment,
which is thoroughly discussed by Sand ¨ e et al. (1999) in the article “Staying
Good while Playing God.” There are no easy answers to these ethical ques-
tions. We have to work with them again and again, together with all stake-
holders, as long as we perform animal breeding.
In order to increase welfare and at the same time breed for efficient
animals, we need to improve breeding programs further. This develop-
ment should be done together with ethologists, to develop standardized,
relevant, and accurate measurements of behavior or other traits related to
welfare. Molecular surveys on behavior will greatly improve our under-
standing of the genes and biological pathways behind behavioral expres-
sions. Genomic selection (where many markers along the whole genome
are used for the genetic evaluation) opens up new possibilities to select
for traits that are difficult and thus expensive to record, like many behav-
ioral traits are. It is, however, important to remember that high-quality
recording of phenotypic data is the base for all breeding work, regardless
of method.
We recommend that breeding organizations should define a broader
breeding goal, aiming for a sustainable pig production, and they should
reflect on the possibility of including pig behavior in the genetic evaluation.
Direct selection for behavioral traits is, of course, not the only solution to
improve welfare. Often it can be more rewarding to select for improved
functional traits. With regard to behavior, we conclude:
Group housing of sows will be the standard housing system in the future.
Selection for less aggressive behavior in sows when kept in groups is fea-
sible and it could be worthwhile, for welfare reasons.