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.

The application of micro-economic theory to behavioural priorities has shown that captive animals place a high value on some resources that are denied in captivity and a low value on others (Mason et al. 2001). For example, mink work hard for access to swimming water, but not for tunnels or toys. An alternative measure of value are the animal’s physiological and behavioural responses to denial of resources. In this study, mink were denied access to three resources (food, swimming water and tunnels) and their behaviour recorded for symptoms of deprivation.

The feeding behaviour of group-housed pigs differs from that of pigs housed individually in that they make fewer visits to the feeder of a longer duration (Bornett et al., 2000). Possible reasons for this difference in feeding behaviour include competition and group cohesion and these may be influenced by group composition in terms of aggressiveness. Indeed, Erhard et al. (1997) found that groups comprising all low aggressive pigs integrated into a group quicker than groups of all high aggressive pigs. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aggressiveness of individuals on the feeding behaviour of group-housed growing pigs.

Enriching the environment of young pigs reduces aggressive behaviour and increases exploratory behaviour. This difference in behaviour is maintained throughout life, even in the absence of enriching stimuli (Beattie et al., 1995). Although the exact neurochemical and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying aggression are not well understood there is evidence which indicates that low brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) may be involved in the etiology of aggression (Burrows, 1999). This study examined the possibility that behavioural changes induced by environmental enrichment may be associated with subtle alterations in brain 5-HT chemistry.

Recent increases in mechanisation, larger dairy units and financial pressure on dairy farmers result in a reduction in labour and time available to spend with stock. Cattle are innately fearful of humans and this fear has been found to have a substantial impact on their productivity. This survey compliments experimental work conducted at Newcastle University on approach behaviour (see companion paper). The objective was to gather information from dairy farmers on commercial heifer rearing systems; establish the different levels of human interaction and familiarity with stockpersons, explore on-farm indicators of fear and solicit farmers’ views on the subject.

Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) is secreted in a pulsatile manner by the hypothalamus. GnRH is the major hormone controlling the pituitary-testicular axis and therefore influences aggressive and sexual behaviour in bulls. In 6 to 10 week old bull calves an increase in GnRH pulse frequency is responsible for a short-lived rise in circulating levels of LH. It has been shown that bulls with a higher rise in LH attain puberty at younger ages and have comparatively enhanced semen quality once they mature (Evans et al., 1995). Furthermore testicular growth has been enhanced in calves with a premature increase in LH brought about by GnRH treatment (Chandolia et al., 1997). This experiment tests the hypothesis that bull calves with increased GnRH pulsatility engage in more male-male mounting behaviour during this early period while the pattern of hormone secretion is becoming established. Studying this behaviour may give an indication of reproductive potential from as early as 8 weeks of age.

Cows can be classified by their consistency of entry to one side of the milking parlour, which follows a normal distribution in a large herd of cows, from consistent to random selection (da Costa and Broom, 2001). We investigated whether this characteristic relates to the coping strategies indicated by cows in a novel environment and a competitive one, where two cows have access to a bucket with food.

Modern management of dairy heifers leads to lack of familiarisation with humans. Consequently when the dairy heifer calves and enters the milking herd in close contact with humans whom she innately fears, her productivity and welfare are at risk. The rearing period has potential for shaping the heifers experiences of people prior to the regular contact of milking where productivity can suffer and behaviour be disruptive. This experiment was to determine if positive treatment reduced fear of humans and if so if heifers generalise this response to other humans. The results will be used in further analysis relating to subsequent measures of behaviour, production and welfare associated with milking.

Historically, animal experimentation had been debated utilising an ethical standard. More recently ethics has been largely displaced by an assessment using a technological standard. Technological innovation has, it has been argued, the potential to remove most of the moral issues by producing subjects who suffer less, who are genetically destined to develop certain conditions (e.g. oncomouse) or environmental innovations that allow individuals to experience less pain and distress while the experiment(s) are carried out.

Tail-biting is an adverse behaviour which can lead to injury in the recipient pig, reducing welfare and causing abscesses in the carcass. A survey in abattoirs in the UK found that 5 percent of pigs at slaughter have their tails bitten (Guise & Penny, 1998). Work by Fraser (1987) suggested that tail-biting is linked to a deficiency in dietary minerals. This study investigated whether finishing pigs were more attracted to salt after being offered a diet deficient in salt for two weeks.

Nose ringing is widely used in conventional outdoor pig production as the only reliable method of preventing sows destroying pasture by rooting (Edwards et al., 1998), but is prohibited by some organic sector bodies as it inhibits the sows’ behaviour. Some organic producers use a rotation policy in which the sows are moved to fresh pasture about three times a year, after green cover has been destroyed. As well as limiting nutrient leaching, frequent movement also limits parasite build-up in a system which prohibits the routine use of anthelmintics. However, it has a high labour demand. An alternative strategy is to maintain the sows on a larger area for the whole year. This abstract presents initial data on comparison of the two systems regarding annual pattern of pasture damage by sows.

Evidence suggests that rooting behaviour in growing pigs involves elements of both foraging for food (Day et al., 1995) and exploration (Wood-Gush and Beilharz, 1983). The objective of this experiment was to investigate the relationship between rooting behaviour and foraging in growing pigs. This involved assessing the affects of food rewards and feed restriction on the performance of rooting behaviour.

There is some concern among Irish producers converting from stall to loose housing for pregnant sows that sows will be unable to adapt to these systems having spent several parities in stalls. The objective of the 2 experiments referred to in the current paper was to assess the welfare of sows previously housed in stalls when changed to group housing. In the 1st experiment housing constraints meant that it was not possible to measure sow welfare in the loose housing treatment for more than one month. With the advent of additional loose pens it was decided to conduct a second experiment whereby sow welfare was measured up to the end of the gestation-housing period. The current paper presents the findings from both experiments on responses of sows to an ACTH challenge at different stages.