Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

One of the major animal welfare issues that exist in current pig production is the early and abrupt weaning of piglets, where a significant stressor is that they have not learned how to eat solid feed and thus have a decreased feed intake post-weaning. Research has found that providing piglets with a diverse feeding experience can mitigate food neophobia post-weaning as well as that providing animals with the opportunity to choose between resources makes them engage in activities that are rewarding for themselves. The aim of this study was thus to investigate how providing piglets with the freedom of choice affects their welfare, behavioural development, feed intake and enrichment usage. This was accomplished by performing a behavioural study, involving observation of piglets subjected to either a control or choice treatment. Both treatments consisted of the piglets being housed in enriched environments, but choice differed from control by also having the opportunity to freely choose between different feedstuffs. Providing piglets with the freedom of choice resulted in increased activity levels, feed intake as well as enrichment usage. Therefore, providing freedom of choice may be a promising approach to increase pig welfare.