Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
links with long term effects (Bateson, 1979). Indeed, providing piglets with stroking and
petting during the first three or eight weeks of life induces a positive attraction to humans
compared with an absence of such contacts (Hemsworth and Barnett, 1992; Hemsworth
et al.,
1986b). Between 10 and 18 wks of age, handled piglets approached humans sooner
and interacted more with humans than non-handled animals. Moreover, positively-
handled boars expressed more sexual behaviours compared with non-handled boars and
had ejaculations which lasted longer at 6-7 mo of age.
12.2.3
Impact on the sows of painful husbandry practices applied to
piglets
During painful husbandry procedures applied to piglets by stockpersons, animals usually
demonstrate defensive behaviours and vocalizations (Hay
et al.,
2003; Marchant-Forde
et
al.,
2009; Noonan
et al.,
1994; Prunier
et al.,
2005; Sutherland
et al.,
2008; Torrey
et al.,
2009; White
et al.,
1995). These vocalizations can have specific features, as shown after
surgical castration (Puppe
et al.,
2005). They signal to the dam a need from the piglet and
hence are supposed to elicit a reaction from her (Weary and Fraser, 1995). Since these
negative experiences are paired with the presence of humans, they can contribute to
develop aversive reactions of the sows towards humans. On a very short term basis, sows
may react to handling of their piglets by aggressive reactions towards the stockperson. On
a longer term basis, sows may become more restless, suspicious and aggressive towards
humans even though scientific data are missing to substantiate this hypothesis.
12.3
Handlings of gilts and sows
Reproductive sows are currently submitted to various types of handling by humans:
injections for vaccination or pharmacological treatments, transfer from one pen or
building to the other, detection of oestrus, artificial insemination, and extraction of
piglets during farrowing. These handlings are aversive as they induce pain, even of a
low intensity, and may impose psychological stress, for instance when it is necessary to
restrict the animal in a corner of the pen (group-housed animals receiving an injection).
A pain component is necessarily associated with some handling practices, like injections
for vaccination, whereas other handlings, such as transfers, can be neutral, aversive or
even positive depending on how they are performed by the stockperson. Therefore, in
this chapter, we will evaluate separately the impact of handling at transfer from one pen/
building to another and the impact of other management practices. We will also evaluate
the impact of positive handlings that can be performed with the specific aim of improving
the human-animal relationship.
12.3.1
Transfer of gilts and sows
Transfer to either farrowing crates or to the insemination room after weaning is a routine
management procedure that occurs many times in the sows' life. The perception of the
situation by sows depends on the conditions. Indeed, this transfer can be performed in
groups or individually, roughly or calmly, for short or long distances. Transfer in groups
