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The chewing behaviour of growing pigs presented with tail models soaked in different fractions of blood, as a test for tail biting predisposition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

J. McIntyre ,
V.E. Beattie ,
K. Breuer  and
S.A. Edwards
J. McIntyre
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Newcastle, King George VI Building, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU
V.E. Beattie
Affiliation:
The Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, BT26 6DR
K. Breuer
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Newcastle, King George VI Building, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU
S.A. Edwards
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Newcastle, King George VI Building, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU
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Extract

Tail biting is a widespread adverse behaviour that occurs in growing pigs but, as of yet, no one knows what initially encourages the development of this behavioural problem. It has been suggested that tail biting is linked to a behavioural predisposition, exacerbated by environmental inadequacy, or a nutritional deficiency such as inadequate protein or minerals. Using a model tail test, Fraser (1987, 1991) demonstrated an experimental link between mineral or protein dietary deficiencies and an increased attraction to blood. Using this test, Fraser demonstrated that large individual variation exists between pigs in the extent of their attraction to blood. The current experiment extended this tail test to investigate the nature of the attraction to blood, and to examine factors that may be related to tail biting predisposition.

Type
Open Communications Session
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2001 , 2001 , pp. OC3
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2001

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References

Fraser, D. 1987. Attraction to blood as a factor in tail-biting by pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 17: 61–68 Google Scholar
Fraser , D., Bernon, D.E. and Ball, R.O. 1991. Enhanced attraction to blood by pigs with adequate dietary protein supplementation. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 71: 61–619 CrossRefGoogle Scholar