The evidence for a causal link between disease and damaging behavior in pigs

Boyle, Laura (author), Edwards, Sandra A. (author), Bolhuis, J. Elizabeth (author), Pol, Françoise (author), Zupan Šemrov, Manja (author), Schütze, Sabine (author), Nordgreen, Janicke (author), Bozakova, Nadya (author), Sossidou, Evangelina N. (author), Valros, Anna (author)

Damaging behaviors (DB) such as tail and ear biting are prevalent in pig production and reduce welfare and performance. Anecdotal reports suggest that health challenges increase the risk of tail-biting. The prevalence of tail damage and health problems show high correlations across batches within and between farms. There are many common risk factors for tail-biting and health problems, notably respiratory, enteric and locomotory diseases. These include suboptimal thermal climate, hygiene, stocking density and feed quality. The prevalence of tail damage and health problems also show high correlations across batches within and between farms. However, limited evidence supports two likely causal mechanisms for a direct link between DB and health problems. The first is that generalized poor health (e.g., enzootic pneumonia) on farm poses an increased risk of pigs performing DB. Recent studies indicate a possible causal link between an experimental inflammation and an increase in DB, and suggest a link between cytokines and tail-biting. The negative effects of poor health on the ingestion and processing of nutrients means that immune-stimulated pigs may develop specific nutrient deficiencies, increasing DB. The second causal mechanism involves tail-biting causing poor health. Indirectly, pathogens enter the body via the tail lesion and once infected, systemic spread of infection may occur. This occurs mainly via the venous route targeting the lungs, and to a lesser extent via cerebrospinal fluid and the lymphatic system. In carcasses with tail lesions, there is an increase in lung lesions, abscessation, arthritis and osteomyelitis. There is also evidence for the direct spread of pathogens between biters and victims. In summary, the literature supports the association between poor health and DB, particularly tail-biting. However, there is insufficient evidence to confirm causality in either direction. Nevertheless, the limited evidence is compelling enough to suggest that improvements to management and housing to enhance pig health will reduce DB. In the same way, improvements to housing and management designed to address DB, are likely to result in benefits to pig health. While most of the available literature relates to tail-biting, we suggest that similar mechanisms are responsible for links between health and other DB.

• Language: English
• Keywords: welfare, health, lesion, risk, behavior, pig, tail biting
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: 28 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 8, art. 771682
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-134743
• UDC: 636.4:591.5
• ISSN on article: 2297-1769
• DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.771682
• COBISS.SI-ID: 95316483
• Publication date in RUL: 28.01.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Frontiers in veterinary science
• Shortened title: Front. vet. sci.
• Publisher: Frontiers Media
• ISSN: 2297-1769
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3969402

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 27.01.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: prašiči, etologija, obnašanje živali, anomalije v obnašanju živali, grizenje repov, poškodbe, bolezni, vzročna povezava

Projects

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Funding programme: COST - European Cooperation in Science and Technology
• Project number: Cost Action 15134
• Name: GroupHouseNet