Environmental and management factors affecting the time budgets of free-ranging iberian pigs reared in Spain
Martínez Macipe, Míriam (Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries)
Mainau, Eva (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments)
Manteca Vilanova, Xavier (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments)
Dalmau Bueno, Antoni (Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries)

Date:	2020
Abstract:	Understanding the natural behaviour of pigs in free-range conditions facilitates interpretation of their behaviour in intensive conditions. Studying six different farms over two years at different seasons, with climatic and management variations, allowed for a general description of Iberian pig behaviour and which factors have an influence on it. The main activity found was resting (56. 5% of the time observed), followed by exploratory behaviour. However, this exploratory behaviour was higher when animals were fed only with natural resources than when fed with concentrates (50% versus 17. 8%, respectively). In addition, pigs used bathing areas in summer that were not visited in winter. Negative social behaviour was seen more frequently than positive social behaviour, accounting, in total, for 1% of the total activity of animals. Pigs situated at the centre of the groups tended to remain more relaxed, while the peripheral animals remained more alert and vigilant. Our results indicate that foraging behaviour accounts for a significant proportion of pigs' active time, but this proportion is much more reduced when pigs are fed concentrates. Therefore, behavioural needs in pigs reared in intensive conditions should consider that exploratory behaviour is reduced when pigs are fed with concentrates.
Note:	Altres ajuts: INIA-RTA2010-00062-CO2
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Porcs ; Hàbits i conducta ; Free-range pigs ; Iberian pigs ; Pig behaviour ; Pig welfare ; Time budgets
Published in:	Animals, Vol. 10 Núm. 5 (may 2020) , p. 798, ISSN 2076-2615

DOI: 10.3390/ani10050798
PMID: 32380690

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