Understanding assessment strategies during aggressive encounters in pigs to improve welfare following regrouping.
Lead Research Organisation:
Scotland's Rural College
Department Name: Research
Abstract
Global demand for pig meat is increasing, with over one billion pigs slaughtered annually. Production has become increasingly intensive with most pigs in the UK and EU being raised indoors and reaching slaughter weight within 6 months. During this production cycle, regrouping of unfamiliar pigs is common practice, typically occurring several times during a pig's life. This sudden mixing of unfamiliar pigs represents a major animal welfare concern.
The social structure of domestic pigs is based on a dominance hierarchy. In the wild, migration between social groups occurs gradually, and hierarchies are formed with minimal aggression. In contrast, when pigs are mixed into new groups (regrouped) under commercial conditions, dominance hierarchies are formed through vigorous fighting, with many pigs receiving 100 or more skin scratches caused by biting. This is stressful for pigs, resulting in injuries, increased risk of infection, and reduced weight gain. This proposal is aimed at addressing the problem of regrouping aggression in pigs.
The information gathering and decision making processes used by pigs to resolve aggressive encounters are poorly understood. However, there is a large body of research on contest behaviour in numerous other animal species. This work has benefitted greatly from the application of theoretical models that are based on particular information gathering rules. Two classes of model have been developed that differ in the strategies used during contests. In the first class, termed self assessment, animals make fight decisions based purely on their own fighting ability and stamina, using internal cues and without reference to the fighting ability of an opponent. After a certain (threshold) amount of energy has been spent on fighting, the individual will give up, and the opponent with the lower threshold will be the loser. In the second class of model, termed mutual assessment, animals self assess but also use information about the fighting ability of an opponent. Although more complex, it has greater benefits as an animal can quickly withdraw from a fight it is likely to lose.
Whether pigs settle fights using a self or mutual assessment strategy has major implications for the degree of escalation. With self assessment animals will always fight up to a threshold, whereas with mutual assessment the use of information about the opponent will allow the weaker animal to quickly abandon a fight it is likely to lose. By examining aggressive interactions between pairs of unfamiliar pigs and employing a suitable statistical framework, this proposal will identify the assessment strategy used.
Similar to human personalities, pigs show individual differences in aggressiveness, with some individuals being more aggressive than others. How these differences influence fight outcomes and the types of assessment detailed above is currently unknown. This will be revealed using a technique to measure aggressiveness. Additionally, the importance of fight experience for developing mutual assessment ability will be examined by comparing pigs that have experienced regrouping in comparison to individuals with no prior fighting experience.
An important aspect of this project is aimed at optimising the assessment abilities of pigs to minimise levels of aggression when regrouped. We will investigate whether socialising piglets during early life, by allowing adjacent litters to mix prior to weaning, equips pigs with the necessary skills for mutual assessment during aggressive encounters later in life.
Finally, the above research outcomes will be translated to the regrouping situation. Group composition will be manipulated to optimise the capability of individuals for mutual assessment. This will facilitate hierarchy formation with minimal fighting. Achieving this objective and translating this knowledge to industry has the potential to improve the welfare of the vast majority of commercially produced pigs.
The social structure of domestic pigs is based on a dominance hierarchy. In the wild, migration between social groups occurs gradually, and hierarchies are formed with minimal aggression. In contrast, when pigs are mixed into new groups (regrouped) under commercial conditions, dominance hierarchies are formed through vigorous fighting, with many pigs receiving 100 or more skin scratches caused by biting. This is stressful for pigs, resulting in injuries, increased risk of infection, and reduced weight gain. This proposal is aimed at addressing the problem of regrouping aggression in pigs.
The information gathering and decision making processes used by pigs to resolve aggressive encounters are poorly understood. However, there is a large body of research on contest behaviour in numerous other animal species. This work has benefitted greatly from the application of theoretical models that are based on particular information gathering rules. Two classes of model have been developed that differ in the strategies used during contests. In the first class, termed self assessment, animals make fight decisions based purely on their own fighting ability and stamina, using internal cues and without reference to the fighting ability of an opponent. After a certain (threshold) amount of energy has been spent on fighting, the individual will give up, and the opponent with the lower threshold will be the loser. In the second class of model, termed mutual assessment, animals self assess but also use information about the fighting ability of an opponent. Although more complex, it has greater benefits as an animal can quickly withdraw from a fight it is likely to lose.
Whether pigs settle fights using a self or mutual assessment strategy has major implications for the degree of escalation. With self assessment animals will always fight up to a threshold, whereas with mutual assessment the use of information about the opponent will allow the weaker animal to quickly abandon a fight it is likely to lose. By examining aggressive interactions between pairs of unfamiliar pigs and employing a suitable statistical framework, this proposal will identify the assessment strategy used.
Similar to human personalities, pigs show individual differences in aggressiveness, with some individuals being more aggressive than others. How these differences influence fight outcomes and the types of assessment detailed above is currently unknown. This will be revealed using a technique to measure aggressiveness. Additionally, the importance of fight experience for developing mutual assessment ability will be examined by comparing pigs that have experienced regrouping in comparison to individuals with no prior fighting experience.
An important aspect of this project is aimed at optimising the assessment abilities of pigs to minimise levels of aggression when regrouped. We will investigate whether socialising piglets during early life, by allowing adjacent litters to mix prior to weaning, equips pigs with the necessary skills for mutual assessment during aggressive encounters later in life.
Finally, the above research outcomes will be translated to the regrouping situation. Group composition will be manipulated to optimise the capability of individuals for mutual assessment. This will facilitate hierarchy formation with minimal fighting. Achieving this objective and translating this knowledge to industry has the potential to improve the welfare of the vast majority of commercially produced pigs.
Technical Summary
Regrouping of unfamiliar pigs occurs routinely during production, resulting in aggressive behaviour, with dominance hierarchies formed through vigorous fighting. This practice is a considerable welfare concern. However, the information gathering and decision making processes used by pigs to resolve such encounters are poorly understood and there is little knowledge regarding how to facilitate hierarchy formation in a manner that could be commercially adopted.
We detail a game theoretical approach to identify the assessments made by aggressively interacting pigs. Contest models fall into two broad categories: Self assessment models, presume that each contestant has some knowledge of its own fighting ability, termed resource holding potential (RHP) but gathers no information about the opponent. Mutual assessment models involve individuals gathering information concerning the fighting ability of the opponent and comparing this against their own ability. Existing work on pig aggression has failed to consider self assessment. The assessment strategy used has major implications for the costs of fights, with self assessment predicting that animals should always fight up to a threshold of costs whereas mutual assessment predicts that the use of information about the opponent will markedly reduce fight costs. Moreover, consistent individual differences in aggressiveness are well recognised in pigs but how these differences interact with RHP and assessment strategies is unknown. We will: (i) examine how aggressiveness influences RHP, (ii) determine the assessment strategy used, (iii) examine how fight experience influences assessment ability, and (iv) optimise assessment ability through early life socialisation. Finally, (v) we will translate these research findings to the regrouping scenario, manipulating group composition at mixing with respect to RHP, aggressiveness and previous socialisation to facilitate rapid hierarchy formation at minimal fight cost.
We detail a game theoretical approach to identify the assessments made by aggressively interacting pigs. Contest models fall into two broad categories: Self assessment models, presume that each contestant has some knowledge of its own fighting ability, termed resource holding potential (RHP) but gathers no information about the opponent. Mutual assessment models involve individuals gathering information concerning the fighting ability of the opponent and comparing this against their own ability. Existing work on pig aggression has failed to consider self assessment. The assessment strategy used has major implications for the costs of fights, with self assessment predicting that animals should always fight up to a threshold of costs whereas mutual assessment predicts that the use of information about the opponent will markedly reduce fight costs. Moreover, consistent individual differences in aggressiveness are well recognised in pigs but how these differences interact with RHP and assessment strategies is unknown. We will: (i) examine how aggressiveness influences RHP, (ii) determine the assessment strategy used, (iii) examine how fight experience influences assessment ability, and (iv) optimise assessment ability through early life socialisation. Finally, (v) we will translate these research findings to the regrouping scenario, manipulating group composition at mixing with respect to RHP, aggressiveness and previous socialisation to facilitate rapid hierarchy formation at minimal fight cost.
Planned Impact
Who will benefit from this research?
Managed animals and animal welfare: The aggression that follows regrouping of unfamiliar pigs is a significant welfare concern, and addressing this problem will be of major benefit to individual animals.
Pig Producers: By engaging with industry representatives, both nationally (e.g. BPEX, QMS) and internationally (e.g. Danish Pig Research Centre) as well as targeting individual producers with specific events, research findings will be effectively translated.
Welfare accreditation schemes: The findings of this proposal will help deliver the goals and expectations outlined in a number of welfare accreditation schemes and codes of practice.
Research staff: The named researcher and technicians will gain valuable transferable generic skills related to the project.
Wider public: Consumers are increasingly aware of animal welfare problems associated with the housing and management of animals in intensive agriculture.
How will they benefit from this research?
Managed animals and animal welfare: This proposal addresses fundamental knowledge gaps in the understanding of the information gathering and decision making processes underlying aggressive interactions between unfamiliar pigs. Translating this acquired knowledge to reduce fighting amongst regrouped pigs has the potential to improve the welfare of the vast majority of commercially produced pigs, given that regrouping is common practice and involves animals at all stages of the production cycle.
Pig Producers: Negative consequences of regrouping include; injuries, reduced weight gain, poorer food conversion efficiency, immunosuppression, a heightened risk of infection and lameness and, in sows, compromised foetal implantation. These are not only welfare concerns but represent a significant economic burden for producers. By reducing regrouping aggression, the present proposal will therefore enhance the economic performance of production systems. This is especially important in an industry with traditionally low and variable profit margins that does not receive subsidy support. Moreover, the associated improvements in animal welfare can be promoted by the industry to improve public attitudes towards this agricultural sector.
Welfare accreditation schemes: A number of farm and abattoir accreditation schemes that certify welfare standards measure outcomes of aggression as a key component (e.g. Red Tractor, RSPCA Freedom Foods, all major retailer codes). The Defra Codes of Practice on Welfare of Pigs and the EFSA Report of the Scientific Veterinary Committee also require actions to be taken to minimise fighting. None of these auditing schemes or codes provide adequate advice on the actions that can best minimise fighting, either to farmers, abattoir managers or legislators. The impact of such schemes will be strengthened by our findings, providing advice on how the goal of reducing fighting can be achieved in a manner that is commercially applicable. Research findings will also be of interest to animal welfare charities (e.g. RSPCA), pressure groups (e.g. CIWF), expert groups that advise policy makers (The Farm Animal Welfare Committee, European Food Standards Agency) and policy makers themselves (e.g. Defra).
Research staff: Will gain useful skills in experimental design, data collection, analysis and manuscript preparation, as well as developing oral communications skills through presentations to a variety of audiences. Benefits will also be gained from working for SRUC and being based within the Roslin Institute Building. Career development will benefit from being exposed to this environment, which provides the ideal opportunity for networking and gaining knowledge.
Wider public: By reduced regrouping aggression, this proposal will have a positive effect on pig welfare which will be of interest to citizens concerned with the welfare of animals in intensive agriculture.
Managed animals and animal welfare: The aggression that follows regrouping of unfamiliar pigs is a significant welfare concern, and addressing this problem will be of major benefit to individual animals.
Pig Producers: By engaging with industry representatives, both nationally (e.g. BPEX, QMS) and internationally (e.g. Danish Pig Research Centre) as well as targeting individual producers with specific events, research findings will be effectively translated.
Welfare accreditation schemes: The findings of this proposal will help deliver the goals and expectations outlined in a number of welfare accreditation schemes and codes of practice.
Research staff: The named researcher and technicians will gain valuable transferable generic skills related to the project.
Wider public: Consumers are increasingly aware of animal welfare problems associated with the housing and management of animals in intensive agriculture.
How will they benefit from this research?
Managed animals and animal welfare: This proposal addresses fundamental knowledge gaps in the understanding of the information gathering and decision making processes underlying aggressive interactions between unfamiliar pigs. Translating this acquired knowledge to reduce fighting amongst regrouped pigs has the potential to improve the welfare of the vast majority of commercially produced pigs, given that regrouping is common practice and involves animals at all stages of the production cycle.
Pig Producers: Negative consequences of regrouping include; injuries, reduced weight gain, poorer food conversion efficiency, immunosuppression, a heightened risk of infection and lameness and, in sows, compromised foetal implantation. These are not only welfare concerns but represent a significant economic burden for producers. By reducing regrouping aggression, the present proposal will therefore enhance the economic performance of production systems. This is especially important in an industry with traditionally low and variable profit margins that does not receive subsidy support. Moreover, the associated improvements in animal welfare can be promoted by the industry to improve public attitudes towards this agricultural sector.
Welfare accreditation schemes: A number of farm and abattoir accreditation schemes that certify welfare standards measure outcomes of aggression as a key component (e.g. Red Tractor, RSPCA Freedom Foods, all major retailer codes). The Defra Codes of Practice on Welfare of Pigs and the EFSA Report of the Scientific Veterinary Committee also require actions to be taken to minimise fighting. None of these auditing schemes or codes provide adequate advice on the actions that can best minimise fighting, either to farmers, abattoir managers or legislators. The impact of such schemes will be strengthened by our findings, providing advice on how the goal of reducing fighting can be achieved in a manner that is commercially applicable. Research findings will also be of interest to animal welfare charities (e.g. RSPCA), pressure groups (e.g. CIWF), expert groups that advise policy makers (The Farm Animal Welfare Committee, European Food Standards Agency) and policy makers themselves (e.g. Defra).
Research staff: Will gain useful skills in experimental design, data collection, analysis and manuscript preparation, as well as developing oral communications skills through presentations to a variety of audiences. Benefits will also be gained from working for SRUC and being based within the Roslin Institute Building. Career development will benefit from being exposed to this environment, which provides the ideal opportunity for networking and gaining knowledge.
Wider public: By reduced regrouping aggression, this proposal will have a positive effect on pig welfare which will be of interest to citizens concerned with the welfare of animals in intensive agriculture.
Publications
Yang C
(2018)
Pre-weaning environmental enrichment increases piglets' object play behaviour on a large scale commercial pig farm
in Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Weller JE
(2019)
Socialisation and its effect on play behaviour and aggression in the domestic pig (Sus scrofa).
in Scientific reports
Weller JE
(2020)
The Association Between Play Fighting and Information Gathering during Subsequent Contests.
in Scientific reports
Weller J
(2019)
Playful pigs: early life play-fighting experience influences later life contest dynamics
in Animal Behaviour
Turner, SP
(2017)
Advances in Pig Welfare
Turner SP
(2015)
How to solve a conflict without getting into a fight
Turner SP
(2020)
Play fighting social networks do not predict injuries from later aggression.
in Scientific reports
Description | Our main findings have been published in scientific journals, listed in the Publication section. The data gathered in this project showed that there is large variation in aggressiveness as a personality trait in pigs. Pigs that are more aggressive attack earlier and respond more impulsively in aggressive encounters. Aggression was not a factor contributing to the fighting ability of the animal, meaning that an aggressive animal was not more likely to win than an unaggressive animal. We showed that pigs do not apply mutual assessment in contest situations, which means that they do not compare their own strength with that of their opponent. Across publications we have pointed out, based on our data, ways in which the field of contest research can progress in general, mainly through improved methods of analysing data. A novel finding was that males strongly differ in their aggressive behaviour from females, even pre-pubertally, and almost always won when staged against a female. Experience of fighting, as well as early life socialization of piglets, reduces aggression in future encounters. These results can contribute to reducing aggression on farm, and thereby improve animal welfare. Additional papers have been published as a result of this grant that showed that high contest costs in terms of skin lesions negatively affect the emotional state (as perceived by human observers) of winners to a similar degree as losers and that both winners and losers have a pronounced peripheral thermal response to the moment of a retreat at the end of a contest which is greater than the thermal response to escalated aggression. Both lines of evidence suggest that winners can also be physically but probably also emotionally challenged by engagement in intense aggression. We have also shown that facial expression differs before the onset of aggression between eventual winners and losers of a contest and can be used as a measure of intent. We also took the opportunity to examine contests for evidence that lateralisation (the tendency to use either the left or right side of the body to attack an opponent) can affect contest duration and outcomes. In line with predictions, animals showing strong lateralization (irrespective of direction) had a shorter contest duration but winners did not differ from losers in their strength or direction of lateralization. This suggests that cerebral lateralization may aid in conflict resolution, but does not directly contribute to fighting ability, and will be of value in the study of animal contests. |
Exploitation Route | Our work has pointed out areas where current theoretical frameworks of contest behaviour can be improved. For example, game theory models are based on measures of contest duration. We showed that this measure is a poor reflection of costs and provide alternatives to this. These findings have been reported in relevant high impact scientific journals and are expected to be taken forward in future studies by others. Results on the socialization of piglets show that aggression is reduced in piglets that have been socialized with other piglets pre-weaning. This result can be taken forward by research and industry to reduce aggression on farm and thereby improve animal welfare. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Education |
URL | http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=jkiRo6MAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra |
Description | Turner has presented the key findings at most of the major pig farmer discussion groups in the UK and the main veterinary conference (Pig Veterinary Society annual meeting, 2018, 2021). This has raised awareness of the between-animal variability in aggressiveness, the economic and welfare costs of aggression and, together with outcomes from other work, we have highlighted the most effective management solutions to aggression. The findings have been reported in technical farming publications nationally and internationally and in international popular science articles. |
First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Description | AFRI Food Security Challenge Area |
Amount | $749,000 (USD) |
Organisation | U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 03/2014 |
End | 03/2017 |
Description | Eastbio DTP: Exploring the genetic determination of aggressive behaviour in adult female pigs to improve human safety and animal welfare |
Amount | £199,668 (GBP) |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2022 |
End | 09/2026 |
Description | SRUC PhD studentship |
Amount | £80,970 (GBP) |
Organisation | Scotland's Rural College |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2016 |
End | 04/2019 |
Description | SRUC Studentship |
Amount | £81,128 (GBP) |
Organisation | Scotland's Rural College |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2018 |
End | 10/2022 |
Description | USDA AFRI Food Security Challenge Area |
Amount | $999,000 (USD) |
Organisation | U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 06/2017 |
End | 07/2020 |
Description | Walsh Fellowship |
Amount | £55,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Walsh Fellowship Foundation |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | Ireland |
Start | 01/2015 |
End | 12/2017 |
Title | Blood sampling pigs |
Description | Blood sampling pigs is commonly a very stressful event for the animals. We obtained measures of blood glucose and blood lactate by a drop of blood collected from the ear vein by a small pin prick. This method is very fast and does not cause any harm to the animals. Animals were habituated to have their ears touched and the majority could be sampled without aversive effects. Sampling was completed within 1 minute. Glucose and lactate meters developed for humans were used as the blood of pigs is very similar to that of humans. |
Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This method can be used in research to refine studies (3Rs) for the welfare of pigs. |
Title | Data Lethal Aggression |
Description | Online survey amongst pig farmers about the occurrence of lethal aggression between pigs. In addition there is data on pig mortality numbers from one farm due to this type of aggression. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The data will be prepared for publication and this may have a notable impact on the perceived importance of this topic in the animal welfare community. |
Title | Data PhD Peden - Farmers survey |
Description | Data of survey responses from pig farmers about how they perceive pig aggression |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Being prepared for publication. This data will support the notion how important it is to engage farmers in mitigation strategies to improve animal welfare |
Title | Data PhD Peden - Video study |
Description | Data on the responses of farmers to watching videos showing pig aggression. Social science study to investigate perception of animal welfare and desentisization to aggression. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Data is being prepared for publication - this data will reveal if farmers are desentizised to seeing aggression between pigs and how this concequently affects their motivation to change this animal welfare issue. |
Title | Dataset 1. Contests between weight matched pigs |
Description | Dataset including information on the behaviour and physiology of 125 pigs which were staged in dydic contests. Dyads were matched for weight and differed in their aggressiveness as a personality trait (High, Intermediate, Low aggressiveness). The dataset includes amongst others individual aggressiveness levels, latency times till the initiation of aggressive behaviours in resident-intruder tests and a contest, the duration of the dyadic contest, and measures on body weight, blood glucose and blood lactate levels. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This database will provide the information required to amongst others assess the relationship between aggressiveness as a personality trait and contest duration, which is one of the hypotheses of the research project. |
Title | Dataset 2. Data on experiment 2 |
Description | Data collected from multiple tests on 316 pigs. Data includes scores on various personality tests (human approach test sow, backtest, human approach test pigs (3x), resident-intruder test (2x)), dyadic contests (2x), group mixing (2x), physiology (blood glucose and blood lactate), growth rates, and body confirmation. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | With this dataset we will be able to distinguish between assessment strategies which pigs may use during contests and we will be able to determine the influence of personality and experience. This is expected to result in several publications. |
Title | Dataset 3. Experiment 3 Socialization |
Description | Data set of an animal experiment on the social behaviour of ca 600 pigs |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The data is being prepared for publication, and is expected to harvest at least 2 publications in peer reviewed journals |
Title | Dataset Facial expressions |
Description | Facial expressions of 38 pigs during aggressive encounters have been collected. In total, 572 images were collected in different situations. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Results of this database are being prepared for publication on the facial expression of emotions in pigs. |
Title | Dataset Farmers Survey |
Description | Data from a survey about aggression between pigs, which has been collected in summer 2015. The database contains roughly 150 responses. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The data has been analysed and a research publication is being prepared. The topic has been invited for submission to a Special Issue of Applied Animal Behaviour Science. |
Title | Dataset Lateralization |
Description | Dataset on strength and direction of lateralization of pigs during the contest in the 1st experiment (Dataset 1). The data was collected by Sophie Menneson, a MSc student visiting from France. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The data has been analysed and a manuscript for scientific publication is currently being prepared. |
Title | Dataset QUB: Play in piglets pre-weaning |
Description | Behavioural observations, focussed on play behaviour, were made from piglets in the farrowing environment. Observations were made from video recordings, recorded during the trial on socialization as part of this BBSRC project. The behavioural observations have been carried out by a PhD student at QUB, with who we collaborate. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The data is currently being analysed and will contribute to a chapter in a PhD thesis. It has also being used for a conference abstract which has been submitted. |
Title | Dataset Qualitative Behaviour Assessment study |
Description | Database containing the outcomes of a Qualitative Behaviour Assessment study which has been carried out in Autumn 2015 with 20 participants. QBA footage was obtained from the experiment related to Database 1, and included information from Database 1. The study was carried out by Mieke Peijnenburg, an internship student from The Netherlands. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The data of the QBA study has been written into a scientific manuscript and has been submitted for publication. |
Title | Dataset Socialization of piglets |
Description | This dataset hold records of 380 pigs on their behaviour, physiology (weight, glucose, lactate) and contest outcomes. Pigs were either socialized in early life or not and this treatment effect was studies in contest behaviour. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The results show that socialization of piglets can reduce aggression in later life. These results are prepared for publication and will also be communicated to farmers. The data has been shared with our collaborator at Queen's University, where the data is now contributing to a substantial part of a PhD study. |
Title | Dataset Thermal Images |
Description | Thermal images of 312 pigs during dyadic contests. Images were taken every 5 seconds. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This database can be used to study the link between behaviour, emotions and body temperature in pigs. |
Title | Dataset Third party interaction |
Description | Dataset containing information on third-party involvement into fights between pigs. Footage from which this data has been collected originates from a completed PhD study. The data has been collected by Lucie Sarramia, an internship student from France. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The data has been analysed and has been presented on the regional ISAE meeting in Cork, Ireland, in November 2015. The data is currently being prepared for a manuscript for scientific publication. |
Description | Collaboration KU Leuven |
Organisation | University of Leuven |
Country | Belgium |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaboration between SRUC and KU Leuven to use video data collected on this BBSRC proposal for designing new algorithms for automatic behavioural recording. |
Collaborator Contribution | In progress - expected contribution will be insight in how animal behaviour can be automatically recorded from videos |
Impact | No outputs yet. A review manuscript is being prepared under this collaboration. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Collaboration SRUC Studentship 2018 |
Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | SRUC PhD studentship with co-funding from QUB, based on the data collected during the BBSRC project |
Collaborator Contribution | Financial contribution to execute animal experiments during the course of the phd study |
Impact | A fully funded PhD studentship. One paper published and one in press. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Collaboration Teagasc on SRUC studentship |
Organisation | Teagasc |
Department | Teagasc Food Research Centre |
Country | Ireland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We were successful in the bid for a SRUC internally funded PhD studentship, which was carried out in collaboration with Teagasc |
Collaborator Contribution | Teagasc provided input and technical guidance to part of the PhD studentship |
Impact | The project was multi-disciplinary, combining animal science and social and economic science. Five papers have been published. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Collaboration with Danish Pig Research Centre |
Organisation | SEGES Pig Research Centre |
Country | Denmark |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Advice on behavioural phenotyping of social behavioural traits to support a SEGES funded project estimating the behavioural and welfare effects of selection for social genetic effects on growth. Assistance with manuscript preparation. |
Collaborator Contribution | Project partners were the lead on this work and secured the funding and led the experimental data analysis. |
Impact | One paper published. Two others in preparation. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Collaboration with Michigan State University |
Organisation | Michigan State University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Sub-contractor in three successful USDA funded grants on aggression in pigs. The first examines the genomic basis to aggressive behavioural strategies (now complete, and co-authored two papers). The second seeks to develop automated methods to phenotype aggressive personalities in pigs utilising data captured in the BBSRC grant (ongoing). The third has recently started and will look at social and economic barriers to adoption of technology to improve pig welfare. |
Collaborator Contribution | Michigan State University lead both projects |
Impact | The collaboration brings together specialists in genetics, image processing, ethology, human behaviour change and economics. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Collaboration with Queen's University Belfast |
Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Researcher (Gareth Arnott) at Queen's University Belfast is contracted on the research team (financial contribution) to provide guidance on theory and data analyses, and to contribute to the writing of manuscripts. |
Collaborator Contribution | Researcher at Queen's University of Belfast provided guidance on theory, experimental designs and data analyses, and contributed to writing manuscript. |
Impact | Arnott has contributed to experimental designs and co-authored 14 published papers. His expertise on game theory and assessment strategies has complemented disciplines from other team members in applied ethology and welfare science. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Collaboration with Queens University Belfast on PhD studentship |
Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
Department | School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Joint supervision between PI and Queen's University of a PhD student registered at Queen's University of Belfast. The student used data collected in the BBSRC project. |
Collaborator Contribution | PhD funding, primary supervision |
Impact | Four papers published on early developmental aspects of aggression and the role of cognition, socialisation and play. |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Collaboration with University of Edinburgh on social network analysis of aggression |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Primary supervision of two PhD students on the subject of using social network analysis to understand aggression in pigs. Provision of data for post-doc position at the UNiversity of Edinburgh to estimate the genetic basis to aggressive network position. |
Collaborator Contribution | Co-supervision of two PhD studentships. Funding of post-doc to estimate the genetic basis to aggressive network position. |
Impact | Two papers published and fellowship funding secured. The collaboration brings together the disciplines of applied ethology and animal genetics and breeding. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Article for Pig Progress on emergence of fatal aggression as a new phenomenon in commercial pig production |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Pig Progress is one of the main international online technical magazines for the pig industry. An article was written alerting the industry to the emergence and possible causes of fatal gang aggression in pigs which is a new and worrying phenomenon. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.pigprogress.net/Health/Articles/2019/1/Extreme-aggression-in-pigs--does-it-sound-familia... |
Description | Article for The Pig Site website on effectiveness of early life socialisation as a tool to reduce aggression. Oct 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Online magazine article for The Pigsite describing the benefits of early life socialisation for the reduction of aggression in pigs. This is one of the main sources of technical information for the international pig industry and is widely used. The hit rate is unknown. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.thepigsite.com/articles/weighing-up-the-costs-and-benefits-of-co-mingling-piglets-before... |
Description | Article in Pig e-newsletter |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | An article based on the research outcomes appeared in an e-newsletter from the SRUC pig strategy group. This newsletter is send around to all pig farmers related to SRUC. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Article on ISRA website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Article on the research on blog website of International Society for Research on Aggression |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.israsociety.com/yi-corner-blog/aggression-research-in-animal-sciences |
Description | Article on blog of Queens University Belfast |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Article on the research at the University's blog |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://blogs.qub.ac.uk/qubio/2016/09/16/game-theory-and-animal-contest-behaviour/ |
Description | Blog article on ISRA website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Blog on game theory and the project on website for international society for research on aggression (ISRA) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.israsociety.com/blog/applying-game-theory-to-the-study-of-aggression |
Description | Farmer's leaflet |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Leaflet developed for pig farmers, providing information on pig aggression and how to reduce it on their farm. Reducing pig aggression can have financial benefits for farmers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Farmers survey |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A survey was send out to 1,000 pig farmers in UK to ask for their perception on aggression between pigs and their opinion on a method of co-mingling piglets. Over 150 farmers responded and several expressed further interest in the project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Farmers survey 2 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A survey was send out to 150 pig farmers to study their perception of aggression. This was a follow up study on the previous survey and goes more in depth. Responses are currently being collected. The survey is also online. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/pigaggression |
Description | ISAE 2016 Theatre presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | A theatre presentation was given on an International congress with ca 500 attendees of the congress. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.isae2016.co.uk/ |
Description | ISRA 2016 Theatre presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Theatre presentation of 30 min on our work on pig aggression at the International Congress for Aggressive behaviour. This was mainly attended by scientists from animal and human behaviour sciences. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://www.israsociety.com/ |
Description | Poster presentation IPWC Denmark |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Poster presentation at the international pig welfare congress IPWC in Copenhagen Denmark in March 2015. This resulted in various conversations and strengthening of network relationships. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Presentation Behaviour, Cairns, Australia |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | An oral presentation on the international Behaviour congress, held in Cairns in Australia in August 2015. The presentation sparked many discussions afterwards and resulted in good network opportunities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Presentation EAAP Warsaw Poland |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited for an oral presentation at the international EAAP congress in Warsaw Poland in August 2015. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Presentation ISAE Hokkaido Japan |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Oral presentation at the international ISAE congress, held in Hokkaido Japan in September 2015. This has resulted in an invitation to submit a manuscript to a special issue. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Presentation regional ISAE Cork Ireland |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Oral presentation on the regional ISAE congress in Cork Ireland in November 2015. This has resulted in many new contacts and has strengthen old relationships. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Scientific American article - 'What are animals thinking when they face off' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Request from Scientific American to publish article summarising contest behaviour research and the state of knowledge about assessment strategies used during animal contests. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-are-animals-thinking-when-they-face-off/ |
Description | Stakeholder meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A stakeholder meeting was organized to discuss about the research (aggression between pigs) en to gain the opinion of industry and practice on the current situation of aggression in practice and their opinion about a method called co-mingling of piglets, which may reduce aggression. Representatives of almost all our targeted institutions/companies participated, resulting in a group of 10 people of diverse backgrounds (industry, farmer, veterinarian, animal protection organization, research). The discussions were very valuable and provided us with information for the experiment on co-mingling piglets. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | The Conversation article - Play fighting helps equip animals for later life |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Magazine article for general public describing the role of play fighting in later contest resolution and development of assessment strategies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://theconversation.com/play-fighting-helps-equip-animals-for-later-life-new-research-136969 |
Description | Video study |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | A video survey was developed in which the emotional response to videos of pigs during or after an aggressive interaction are shown. This is displayed to groups of farmers in UK and Ireland (7 different groups) and to groups of undergraduate students (controls). The aim of this study is to investigate desensitization of farmers to common farm practices such as aggression. The data is currently still being gathered. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |