Keyword : Wieaning

Reducing Weaning Stress in Piglets by Pre-Weaning Socialization and Gradual Separation from the Sow: A Review

Céline Van Kerschaver, Diana Turpin, Joris Michiels, John Pluske

Published in 2023

Scientific review of alternative piglet management strategies to reduce weaning stress. These include the pre-weaning grouping of piglets from different litters and intermittent suckling. Their effects on post-weaning pig behavior, performance, mortality, gastrointestinal function and immunocompetence are described.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Aggression, Aggressivity, Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Housing, Weaning, Stress

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Devenir des jeunes ruminants laitiers : comment concilier élevage et attentes sociétales 

Dominique Pomiès, Caroline Constancis, Julien Jurquet, Isabelle Veissier, Hugues Caillat, Gilles Lagriffoul, Marie Drouet, Clément Fossaert, Yannick Le Cozler

Published in 2023

Review of the natural behaviors of young stock from the three major dairy breeds, and of farming practices currently employed for these young animals. It lists alternative practices that can meet the expectations of the public and consumers in terms of animal welfare, as well as those of farmers on improving their profession's public image and the way their products are sold.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines

Keywords: Enrichment, Human-animal relationships, Lactation, Living environment, One Welfare, Weaning, Stress, Livestock systems,Societal issues, Welfare indicators

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Effects of improved early-life conditions on health, welfare, and performance of pigs raised on a conventional farm

S. Gavaud, K. Haurogné, A. Buchet, I. Garcia Vinado, M. Allard, A. Lehébel, M. Leblanc-Maridor, J.M. Bach, C. Belloc, B. Lieubeau, J. Hervé

Published in 2023

Scientific paper to examine the effects of the complete elimination of painful procedures and of reducing weaning stressors in the living conditions of piglets on a commercial farm. This form of management resulted in improved innate immunity at weaning, fewer and less severe body lesions but more tail lesions than in the control pigs.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Aggression, Aggressiveness, Castration, Mutilation, Weaning, Socialization, Sterilization, Stress

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Chapter 4 of the book Husbandry interventions in suckling piglets, painful consequences and mitigation

Original chapter (English): A. Prunier, N. Devillers, M.S. Herskin, D.A. Sandrcock, A.R.L Sinclair, C. Tallet, E. von Borell. French translation: G. Aubin-Houzelstein for FRCAW. Proofreading: T. Bridgeman, A. Prunier

Published in 2022

Translation in French of Chapter 4 of the book Husbandry interventions in suckling piglets, painful consequences and mitigation

Document Types: Scientific work

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Pain, Mutilation, Human-animal relationships, Weaning, Stress

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A systematic review of the impact of housing on sow welfare during post-weaning and early pregnancy periods A systematic review of the impact of housing on sow welfare during post-weaning and early pregnancy periods A systematic review of the impact of housing on sow welfare during post-weaning and early pregnancy periods

Jen-Yun Chou, Thomas D. Parsons

Published in 2022

Systematic review of the literature showing that the indicators relating to housing that are used to measure the welfare of sows in the post-weaning and early gestation periods are mainly physiological and health-related. There is a lack of studies on the effects of housing on the mental welfare of sows during this period of their reproductive cycle.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Housing, Weaning, Stress, Welfare indicators

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Effects of a Multi-Suckling System Combined With Enriched Housing Post-Weaning on Response and Cognitive Resilience to Isolation

Severine P. Parois, Lisette E. Van Der Zande, Egbert F. Knol, Bas Kemp, T. Bas Rodenburg, J. Elizabeth Bolhuis

Published in 2022

Scientific paper investigating the effect of an alternative housing system to improve cognitive resilience and also to promote pig welfare. It shows that the provision of social and environmental enrichments, which better meet the basic needs of the animals, appears to be beneficial to the welfare of pigs overall.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Maternity, Weaning, Societal issues

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Preslaughter handling and slaughter of meat animals

Luigi Faucitano

Published in 2022

Announcement of a book on the slaughter preparation and slaughter of animals for human consumption. After a general chapter on welfare assessment using animal-based indicators, individual chapters are devoted to different species: cattle, fish, horses, pigs, poultry, sheep and non-traditional slaughter species. The book ends with a chapter on mobile slaughter.

Document Types: Scientific work

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Restraint equipment, Human-animal relationships, Weaning, Transport

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Piglet Viability: A Review of Identification and Pre-Weaning Management Strategies

Bryony S. Tucker, Jessica R. Craig, Rebecca S. Morrison, Robert J. Smits, Roy N. Kirkwood

Published in 2021

A scientific review of the criteria for identifying and managing low-viability piglets at an early stage to increase their chances of survival, and proposal of measures to be taken in pregnant and lactating sows to reduce the proportion of low viability piglets.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Maternity, Prenatal, Weaning, Breeding and rearing system

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Reducing weaning stress: is pre-weaning socialisation a good strategy?

John Pluske

Published in 2021

Technical paper setting out the advantages and disadvantages of the two main techniques for socialising piglets housed indoors: one allows piglets to move freely between farrowing pens but not dams, and the other allows dams and piglets to interact freely. The outcomes of early socialisation are not only behavioural (more play, less aggression) but also physiological, with lower metabolic energy levels that could explain reductions in stress and aggression.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Pain, Mutilations, Weaning, Stress, Breeding and rearing system

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The effect of milk feeding strategy and restriction of meal patterning on behavior, solid feed intake, and growth performance of male dairy calves fed via computer-controlled milk feeders

Margit Bak Jensen, Annedorte Jensen, Mogens Vestergaard

Published in 2020

Study to determine the effects of milk feeding strategy and feeding frequency on feeding behaviour, consumption and growth in calves.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Precision breeding, Weaning, Breeding and rearing

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