Skip to main content
Log in

A playroom as novel swine enrichment

  • Technique
  • Published:
Lab Animal

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 01 January 2008

Abstract

Pigs, intelligent and potentially destructive animals, can present unique challenges to laboratory animal caretakers trying to provide optimal housing and environmental enrichment. The authors developed an enrichment area in their facility for pigs that are neither preparing for nor recovering from surgery. They rotate pigs into the play area for periodic enrichment and socialization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Figure 1: Pigs in the playroom.
Figure 2: A close-up of rooting pigs.

References

  1. Swindle, M.M., Smith, A.C., Laber-Laird, K. & Dungan, L. Swine in biomedical research: management and models. ILAR J. 36(1), 1–5 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Institute for Laboratory Animal Research, National Research Council. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996).

  3. Mount, L.E. & Ingram, D.L. The Pig as a Laboratory Animal (Academic Press, New York, NY, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  4. McGlone, J.J. Agonistic behavior in food animals: review of research and techniques. J. Anim. Sci. 62(4), 1130–1139 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. D'Eath, R.B. Consistency of aggressive temperament in domestic pigs: the effects of social experience and social disruption. Aggress. Behav. 30(5), 435–448 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Rushen, J. Social recognition, social dominance and the motivation of fighting by pigs. Curr. Top. Vet. Med. Anim. Sci. 53(1), 135–143 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Jensen, P. & Yngvesson, J. Aggression between unacquainted pigs – sequential assessment and effects of familiarity and weight. App. Anim. Behav. Sci. 58(1), 49–61 (1998).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Moore, A.S., Gonyou, H.W. & Ghent, A.W. Integration of newly introduced resident sows following grouping. App. Anim. Behav. Sci. 38(3–4), 257–267 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. McGlone, J.J. A quantitative ethogram of aggressive and submissive behaviors in recently regrouped pigs. J. Anim. Sci. 61(3), 559–565 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Barnett, J.L., Cronin, G.M., McCallum, T.H. & Newman, E.A. Effects of pen size/shape and design on aggression when grouping unfamiliar adult pigs. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 36(2–3), 111–122 (1993).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Blair Casey.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Casey, B., Abney, D. & Skoumbordis, E. A playroom as novel swine enrichment. Lab Anim 36, 32–34 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0307-32

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0307-32

  • Springer Nature America, Inc.

This article is cited by

Navigation