ARS | Publication request: BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES FOLLOWING 21 TO 57 H OF FEED DEPRIVATION IN SWINE

Submitted to: International Society of Applied Ethology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 15, 2006
Publication Date: August 7, 2006
Citation: Toscano, M.J., Schenck, E.L., Dufour, B., Thogerson, C., Lay Jr, D.C., Craig, B.C., Pajor, E.A. 2006. Behavioural changes following 21 to 57 h of feed deprivation in swine. International Society of Applied Ethology. p. 265.

Technical Abstract: The current work sought to develop a broad foundation of scientific data to determine when the adaptive capacity of an animal is overextended and welfare is compromised by a metabolic challenge and the resulting hunger. For this purpose, two separate experiments were conducted in which physiological or behavioral measures were collected from swine deprived of feed for 21 to 57 h (DEP) or fed normally (CON) (physiology, n = 20/trt; behavior, n = 8/trt). Proc Mixed of SAS was used to determine the effect of treatment and treatment x time interactions on the observed measures. Treatment by time interactions were found for glucagon (P = 0.03), insulin (P < 0.001), insulin:glucagon (P < 0.001), ß-hydroxybutyrate (P < 0.001), non-esterified fatty acids (P< 0.001), drinking (P = 0.002), standing (P = 0.01), inactivity (P = 0.02), lying sternal (P = 0.03), lying lateral (P = 0.002), and total lying (P = 0.004). Although the animals appeared to adjust appropriately to the metabolic challenge imposed as suggested by increases in alternative energy substrates, our results suggest that feed deprivation for durations greater than 45 h produced behavioral changes (increased activity, standing, and total lying) that may be related to increased sensations of hunger. These data provide objective measures which can be used in evaluating diets designed to create a greater level of satiety in sows.