Abstract

The effect of environmental enrichment on levering aggressive behaviour of the weaned piglets was assessed in piglets. Forty-eight Large White Yorkshire (LWY) weaned piglets of either sex was selected and are grouped in to eight with 6 animals each. The treatments are, piglets weaned at 35 days on concrete floor of 9 sq.m (1mx1.5m) (T1-control), piglets weaned at 45 days on concrete floor of 9 sq.m (1mx1.5m) (T2-control), Piglets weaned at 35 days on concrete floor of 6 sq.m (1mx1m) (T3), Piglets weaned at 45 days on concrete floor of 6 sq.m (1mx1m) (T4), Enrichment of piglets weaned at 35 days with paddy straw for 2.5 cm on concrete floor (T5), Enrichment of piglets weaned at 45 days with paddy straw for 2.5 cm on concrete floor (T6), Enrichment of piglets weaned at 35 days with free balls on concrete floor (T7) and Enrichment of piglets weaned at 45 days with free balls on concrete floor (T8). In piglets weaned at 35 days, the duration of levering behaviour was longest in T3 (175.67 ±3.25 s) and lowest in T5 (48.33 ±3.13 s), followed by T7 (61.83 ±3.83 s) in day one. However, T5 and T7 showed significantly lower duration compared to T1 and T3 (P<0.01). In piglets weaned at 45 days significant difference existed in the duration and frequency of levering behaviour throughout 14 days. However, T6 and T8 showed significantly lower duration compared to T2 and T4 (P<0.05). Enriching barren pens with straw and balls had minimized the aggressive encounters between pigs while increasing duration of exploration on substrates. 

Keywords : Piglets-aggressive behaviour, levering duration and frequency-ballspaddy straw