Pigs 2 Flashcards
(17 cards)
Why is understanding pig behaviour important?
It helps with clinical practice, assessing housing suitability, and ensuring pig welfare.
What does the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Pigs provide?
Guidelines for housing, handling, and managing pigs to ensure welfare.
What are the three key players influencing pig welfare?
The animal, the environment, and the human.
What are the main classes of pig behaviour?
Natural/normal behaviours and abnormal behaviours.
What are examples of natural pig behaviours?
Mating, nesting, mothering, aggression, rooting, and playing.
What are examples of abnormal pig behaviours?
Tail biting, ear biting, and inguinal nosing.
What is the social structure of wild or feral pigs?
Matriarchal sounders typically made up of 2–4 genetically related sows.
What behaviours are used to maintain pig social structure?
Dominance behaviours including vocalisation, body posture, and aggression.
What are two types of social orders in pigs?
Teat order and dominance hierarchy.
When is aggression most common in pigs?
In the first week of life or when unfamiliar groups are mixed.
What impact does social rank have on pigs?
It can influence growth rate and access to resources.
What environmental factors can influence pig aggression?
Space, feeding time, group size, and housing design.
How can aggression in pigs be reduced?
Avoid mixing unfamiliar pigs, maintain stable groups, and ensure resource availability.
Is tail biting considered aggressive behaviour?
No, it’s considered an abnormal behaviour, not aggression.
Why is vocalisation important in pigs?
It is used for communication in feeding, distress, mothering, and sexual behaviour.
What is the visual range of pigs?
Pigs have a 310-degree panoramic range and 35–50-degree binocular vision.
What behaviours indicate a pig is adapting poorly to its environment?
Frequent aggression, tail biting, and lack of exploratory behaviours.
