Animal-based indicators of welfare post-mortem
Monitoring carcass animal-based indicators allows producers to review management practices that work well and those that can be adjusted to improve welfare.
Biomarkers of Welfare
Results from this project indicate pigs with ‘enhanced’ enrichment increased lifelong ADG and were easier to handle at eight weeks. Piglets with pre-weaning lameness had increased cortisol:DHEA ratio in hair, suggesting this could be an objective measure of individual welfare.
Play behaviour and its role in enhancing pig welfare and production
Play is a promising tool to support quality of life for pigs with benefits for pigs and producers. Pigs with a good quality of life resonates with consumers and supports the sustainability of commercial systems, while maintaining the social license.
Contribution of early life management to pig robustness
There are two early life periods where the pigs’ behaviour develops the most, between 0-4 and 4-12 weeks of age. In these periods, the development of a pig’s coping ability is influenced which may have long lasting consequences on their...
