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Plasma Cortisol and Behaviour in Early Weaned Piglets

Plasma Cortisol og adfœrd hos tidligt fravœnnede grise

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 21, pages 640–657 (1980)Cite this article

Abstract

Comparisons were made of Cortisol concentration and behavioural activity between piglets weaned at 3 weeks of age (early weaned piglets), and piglets weaned at 8 weeks of age (control piglets). Early weaned littermates were placed in cages with a floor area of either 0.20 m2 per piglet or 0.15 m2 per piglet. At 8 weeks of age, the piglets in the control litters were moved from the sow and early weaned piglets were moved from the cages. All litters were placed in pens, 1 pen for each litter. Radioimmunoassay was used for plasma Cortisol determination. Behavioural activity included determination of play, aggressive behaviour and non-nutritive oral activity. Statistical analysis for possible association between plasma Cortisol concentration and age, housing conditions, litter and sequence of capture of littermates for blood collection revealed a complex pattern. Generally, higher plasma Cortisol concentrations and more aggressive and non-nutritive oral activity, but less playing activity, were associated with early weaning. Plasma Cortisol concentration in individual piglets was positively correlated to both aggressive and non-nutritive oral behaviour, but was negatively correlated to playing behaviour. It is concluded that early weaning is a stressor.

Sammendrag

I aldersintervallet 2–9 uger blev tidligt fravaennede grise og grise fravænnet i 8 ugers alderen sammenlignet, idet plasmacortisol og adfaerdselementer blev anvendt som parametre. Til plasmacortisolbestemmelsen blev anvendt radioimmunoassay. Den adfærd, der blev registreret, var leg, aggression og non-nutritiv oral adfaerd (sutten og trynepuffen).

De tidligt fravaennede grise blev fjernet fra soen 3 uger garnie. Hele kuld blev sat i bure med gulvareal p henholdsvis 0.20 m2/gris og 0.15 m2/gris.

Da de var 8 uger garnie blev kontrolgrisene fravaennet og burgrisene blev taget ud af burene. Alle kuld blev anbragt i stier med strøelse.

Statistisk analyse for eventuel sammenhaeng mellem plasma Cortisol og aider, opstaldningsforhold, kuld og den raekkefølge, i hvilken grisene blev fanget, viste et komplekst mønster. Generelt var tidlig fravænning associeret med højere plasma cortisolindhold og mere aggressiv og non-nutritiv oral adfaerd, men med mindre legeadfaerd. Plasma Cortisol koncentration var hos de enkelte grise positivt korreleret med både aggressiv og non-nutritiv oral adfaerd, men negativt korreleret med legeadfaerd.

Det konkluderes, at tidlig fravaenning er en stressor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forensic and State Veterinary Medicine, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Bülowsvej 13, Copenhagen, DK-1870, Denmark

    Helle Worsaae & Mette Schmidt

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  1. Helle Worsaae
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  2. Mette Schmidt
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This work was supported by the Danish Agricultural and Veterinary Research Council.

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Worsaae, H., Schmidt, M. Plasma Cortisol and Behaviour in Early Weaned Piglets. Acta Vet Scand 21, 640–657 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546852

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147