Swine rooting refers to the natural behavior of pigs to root or dig in soil with their snouts in search of food, roots, insects, and other edible items. This behavior is deeply ingrained in the...
Extended-release (ER) local anesthetics are often incorporated in multi-modal analgesia or as an alternative when the effect of systemic analgesics may confound research. In this study, we compared the analgesic efficacy of 2 ER bupivacaine...
Intensification of swine production can predispose pigs to chronic stress, with adverse effects on the neuroendocrine and immune systems that can lead to health problems, poor welfare, and reduced production performance. Consequently, there is an...
This study investigated the effects of lairage conditions on the welfare and meat quality of pigs during lairage periods. A total of 3070 finishing pigs were assigned to one of six groups arranged in two...
Identifying the potential presence of stress at the pig farm is fundamental since it affects pig welfare. As a result, a reliable and straightforward tool to monitor stress could record the welfare status of the...
The Maternity Ring was developed as a free farrowing alternative to crates that preserved space whilst providing the sow with unrestricted movement. This experiment aimed to apply the Five Domains model to assess sow welfare...
Report of the Transport Working Group established by the Laboratory Animal Science Association (LASA)
Light enables vision and exerts widespread effects on physiology and behavior, including regulating circadian rhythms, sleep, hormone synthesis, affective state, and cognitive processes. Appropriate lighting in animal facilities may support welfare and ensure that animals...
Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is a welfare evaluation tool that uses a holistic approach to capturing an animal’s emotional state. Lists of QBA descriptors validated to assess pig welfare exist, but their definitions are often...
Stalls or crates are a very common type of housing used on pig farms that restrict an animal’s movement. How this confinement impacts the animal’s affective states is seldom investigated. We conducted a preference test...