Monitoring the behavior of pigs as an indicator of assessing their health and welfare level

Abstract

Ethological observation and behavioral monitoring are important indicators for assessing the state of health, determining the level of well-being, and predicting the productive qualities of animals in productive pig farming. An important factor is also the possibility of using behavioral indicators for early diagnosis and monitoring of the course of diseases in pigs of different ages and areas of use. Behavioral tests are used to evaluate the nervous system, reactivity, reproductive and technological qualities of animals. There are many types of behavioral tests. As a rule, the same tests can explain one or more aspects of an animal's behavior. it was established that the following tests are most often used to assess animal behavior: backtest, test for a new object, new environment, person, new animal, etc. One of the most common tests to determine the behavior of pigs is the backtest. It is used to determine the stress resistance of animals. To do this, the piglet is placed on its back for 60 seconds and the number of struggle attempts and its sound response are determined. As a result of the conducted test, piglets were divided into animals with high resistance and low resistance. According to the authors, the behavioral reaction of piglets during the backtest at the beginning of life can indicate the level of coping with stressful situations at an older age. Pig backtesting demonstrated a relationship between the degree of resistance that occurs early in life and a variety of behavioral and physiological responses in fattening pigs. The human test is used to assess aggressive and social behavior, to determine the animal's emotional state, in particular fear, as an instinct for self-preservation. The novel object test can be used to study search and exploratory behavior. The novel objects tested were a rope, a pile of soil, an experimental glove, a ball game, a rubber duck, and a pile of leaves. An important test parameter of the condition of pigs is the assessment of their playing activity. It is believed that, subjectively, play is an expression of the satisfied state of the animal. The study of animal behavior is an important tool for assessing the conditions of keeping and feeding, the level of well-being, and the cognitive-emotional state of animals. Appropriate use of behavioral tests also allows for the assessment and prediction of features of social behavior, reproductive status and potential productive qualities of an animal. Key words: behavior, pigs, physiological state, productivity, methodology.