Exploring the geneQc determinaQon of aggressive behaviour in adult female pigs to improve human safety and animal welfare

This PhD project will explore the genetic determination of aggressive behaviour in adult female pigs (sows). Sows express aggression towards humans, piglets and other sows. Aggression risks human injury, reduces the welfare of recipient animals and likely reflects poor welfare of the aggressive sow herself.

Globally, modern genotypes of sows are becoming increasingly aggressive, especially towards humans. Aggressive behaviour by sows has been poorly studied. Selective breeding can lead to cumulative and permanent improvements in behaviour and there is a pressing need to quantify the inter-relationships between sow aggressive behaviour performed in different contexts and estimate the genetic basis to these behaviours. We also seek to confirm evidence that less aggressive sows produce more viable piglets as this would deliver further welfare, economic and sustainability benefits from reducing sow aggression.

The project will partner with SUISAG, the Swiss national pig breeding organisation. SUISAG wishes to maintain and improve Switzerland's high standards of pig welfare by creating a selection strategy to reduce and optimise sow aggressive behaviour across contexts, improving farmer safety and pig welfare. We aim to (1) develop validated methods to record sow aggression and estimate the associated heritability; (2) quantify the genetic correlations between different aggressive behaviour traits, and hence how improving one form of aggression will impact others; and (3) quantify the impacts of reducing aggression on reproductive and piglet welfare traits.

The student will be registered at the University of Edinburgh, based at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC; Edinburgh, UK) and undertake two placements of 3-9 months duration each with SUISAG in Switzerland with desk-based and on-farm elements. The student will join the Animal Behaviour and Welfare Team at SRUC; one of the largest groups of its kind with 15 academic staff and 17 PhD students. They will also become part of the research and development team within SUISAG. The student will gain training opportunities in experimental and project management, business development and communication to academic and non-academic audiences.

This multidisciplinary animal science project combines animal behaviour, welfare, quantitative genetic analysis and applied animal breeding. The supervisory team brings the necessary expertise in each of these fields and will support the student in the development of academic skills within each discipline. The combination of academic training in breeding applied to behaviour and welfare and exposure to a progressive breeding company, is expected to be highly attractive to future employers.