摘要
This study was conducted in a Portuguese slaughterhouse for finishing pigs. A total of 93 batches with an average slaughter weight of 93.3 kg (±0.6) were assessed in the lairage pens using the qualitative behavior assessment (QBA) tool to evaluate both positive and negative descriptors. Social interaction behaviors and the physical conditions of pigs in each batch were also measured. Physical examination revealed that pigs with body condition scores of 4 or 5 were less active and playful, presenting negative correlations with these descriptors. Groups of pigs at rest showed negative correlations (p < 0.001) with active (r = −0.338), lively (r = −0.352), and playful (r = −0.424) behaviors, while resting behavior was positively correlated (p < 0.01) with relaxed groups (r = 0.331). The presence of fighting and mounting the backs of other animals was highly correlated (p < 0.001) with negative emotional states like agitation, distress, irritability, and tense. Batches exhibiting positive emotional states, such as calmness and relaxation, showed significant associations with behaviors like fighting and mounting the backs of other animals. This indicates that experiencing positive emotions can lead to a decrease in aggressive or stress-related behaviors. Ear biting correlated with the descriptor “bored”, indicating a potential relationship between this behavior and a lack of environmental stimulation. The descriptors “frustration” and “bored” (p < 0.001) showed an association with the behavior of chewing without a substrate, regardless of whether fights occurred. Descriptors like ”active”, ”friendly”, “positively occupied”, ”sociable”, and “lively” have higher loadings on principal component 1 (PC1), reflecting positive affective welfare. In PC2, descriptors representing relaxation are positioned as opposite to terms like “irritable”, “distressed”, and “tense”, suggesting that PC2 could be useful for identifying conditions of high stress in pigs. These findings underscore the relationship between emotional states and behaviors, suggesting that combining QBA with behavioral observations provides a comprehensive framework for assessing animal welfare. Improving pig welfare could be achieved by reducing aggression and enhancing environmental enrichment to alleviate boredom during lairage.
摘要译文
这项研究是在葡萄牙的屠宰场进行的，用于完成猪。使用定性行为评估（QBA）工具评估了93个批次，平均屠宰重量为93.3 kg（±0.6），以评估正面描述符和负面描述符。还测量了每批猪的社交互动行为和猪的身体状况。体格检查显示，身体状况评分为4或5的猪具有较不活跃和嬉戏，与这些描述符呈负相关。静止的猪组表现出与活性（r = -0.338），生动（r = -0.352）和嬉戏（r = -0.424）行为的负相关性（p <0.001），而休息行为（r = -0.424）行为，而休息行为则与放松的组正相关（p <0.01）（p <0.01）。战斗和安装其他动物的背部的存在高度相关（p <0.001），具有负面情绪状态，例如躁动，痛苦，易怒和紧张。表现出积极情绪状态的批次，例如平静和放松，表现出与战斗和安装其他动物的背部等行为的显着联系。这表明经历积极的情绪会导致侵略性或与压力相关的行为减少。耳咬与描述符“无聊”相关，表明这种行为与缺乏环境刺激之间存在潜在的关系。描述符“挫败感”和“无聊”（p <0.001）表明，无论是否发生战斗，都与没有底物的咀嚼行为相关。像“ Active”，“友好”，“积极占领”，“社交”和“活泼”之类的描述符对主要成分1（PC1）具有更高的负载，反映了积极的情感福利。在PC2中，代表松弛的描述符与诸如“易怒”，“痛苦”和“时态”之类的术语相反，这表明PC2对于识别猪的高压力条件可能很有用。这些发现强调了情绪状态与行为之间的关系，表明将QBA与行为观察结合在一起为评估动物福利提供了一个全面的框架。可以通过减少攻击性并增强环境富集来减轻牛仔疾病期间的无聊来实现改善猪福利。
Alexandra Mendes; C. Saraiva; J. G. Díez; M. Almeida; F. Silva; I. Pires; Sónia Saraiva. Emotional Welfare and Its Relationship with Social Interactions and Physical Conditions of Finishing Pigs in Lairage at the Slaughterhouse[J]. Animals, 2025,15(8): 1108