https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p Tune in to read about the three little pigs from an amateur behavioralist standpoint en-us 2019-01-14 19:35:35 UTC 2025-05-16 18:04:34 UTC hello@padlet.com poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/321352605 2019-01-16 17:36:53 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/321352605 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/321355847 I chose to focus on swine for this semester long padlet project because I have gained more 
experience with pigs within the last month and would like to learn more. In Belize for my study abroad course, we were able to work with boars and piglets. While working with them I was intrigued by some of their behavioral traits and for that reason I chose to focus on swine. I am also taking a swine class this semester so I thought it would be fun to write about what I see on the farm and relate it to what we discuss in this class. One of the traits that surprised me when working with the pigs is that they are really dramatic, and I want to understand why. ]]> 2019-01-16 17:42:53 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/321355847 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/324109658 This article discusses how certain pig behaviors are related to genetics. There's several types of behaviors in sows including maternal, aggressive, sexual, feeding and other farrowing behaviors. Behaviors have changed throughout the domestication process of boars so this article talks about how certain regions of chromosome 2, 6, 10, 14 and 15 can explain the genetic aspect of appearance of some behavioral patterns in domesticated sows.]]> 2019-01-24 19:25:42 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/324109658 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/324128440 Phenotypic and genotypic correlations were computed to investigate the existence of any relationship between learning behavior and traits of economic importance in these data. This data looked at body weight at 21 and 154 days of age and back-fat thickness were the economic traits used. To summarize the data, there is no large genotypic or phenotypic correlations that were clearly indicated between the 12 behaviors studied and traits of economic importance. ]]> 2019-01-24 20:02:11 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/324128440 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/329550714 An example of a sensitive period in pigs is when they are first weaned and have to establish dominance hierarchy. When they are first separated from their mothers the pigs must establish their dominance amongst other pigs in the litter. The establishment usually occurs within 24 hours in the group of weaned pigs but the aggressiveness drops dramatically after 1 hour. This is an important sensitive period because the dominance hierarchy is important as the social rank appears to influence productivity. Some workers have said that social rank influences growth, while others found that weight was not correlated with the dominance or sex. ]]> 2019-02-10 03:15:24 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/329550714 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/329552853 Pigs tested with food rewards in two operant conditioning tasks helped support the idea that food can be used as a motivator in learning behaviors, which suggests that handlers and managers can use food as a reward in positive reinforcement training and to assist with habituation to humans and handling. ]]> 2019-02-10 03:51:39 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/329552853 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/329686857 This gestation crate for the sows is set up so that the sow can't move back or turn around. This reinforcement allows for the protection of the piglets. There's areas on the side for the piglets that have a heating pad and room to move around.The danger with this is that the sow could potentially lay on a piglet if the piglet is underneath the sow trying to drink milk. ]]> 2019-02-11 00:39:26 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/329686857 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/329687596 Pigs have a very strong sense of smell and hearing so they are quite easy to train with those sensory cues. However, too little is known about their visual capacities but they are most likely red-green color blind. Scientists have done visual experiments with them like using images that can be projected onto touch screens during discrimination experiments or similar tasks with humans, primates, or chicken as subjects. Beside auditory reinforcers, sweet solutions can be used as effective reinforcers, and quinine can be added to food if an aversive taste experience is needed. Somatosensory information concerning pigs is as yet lacking, and should be further investigated.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3040303/ ]]> 2019-02-11 00:44:06 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/329687596 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/332071030 Olfactory: Using odor from urine and fecal glands to help them identify other pigs. Another interesting example is when they they release alarm substances in their urine to communicate danger to other pigs.
Visual: Tail and ear movements indicate the emotional state of a pig. Curled tail on a piglet is an indication of general well-being.
Auditory: 20 different known types of vocalization including those used during feeding and social behavior to communicate danger.
Tactile: Piglets huddle together in their litter to keep warm and stimulate each other.
https://www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/about-pigs.pdf]]> 2019-02-17 05:35:00 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/332071030 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/336562002 This agonistic behavior is described as head butting. When pigs are feeling threatened they will either head - to - head butt, head to flank, or head to legs to knock the person out by their feet. According to Dr. Lugar, pigs are known as "midget linebackers" and will come after your legs with their head if they feel threatened or uncomfortable in any way.

]]> 2019-02-28 18:30:29 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/336562002 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/336567424 The most frequent determinant of dominance in adult swine is what sex they are. Males tend to be more dominant in the hierarchy of swine, the next determent is the weight. Usually the most dominant pig will be the male and bigger than the rest.]]> 2019-02-28 18:39:11 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/336567424 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/344237194 1. Nest building - sows like to create nests for their piglets to ensure safety for her babies. They gather straw and paw at the ground when they are about to farrow. 
2. Let-down Phase - sows like to make a grunting noise when she is about to let down milk for her piglets, usually communicating that she is about to feed them. The sow lies on her side so her teats are reachable. 
3. I noticed some experiencef sows back all the way up in their crate and slowly lay down making sure no piglets are underneath her. Some sows or gilts do not do this and just lay down, but I have noticed some experienced mothers take caution before lying down. ]]> 2019-03-22 14:33:47 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/344237194 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/344241308 1. Teat Seeking -- piglets search for teats using their snouts
2. Teat sampling -- piglets move from teat to teat
3. Teat Defense -- confine actives to a specific area of the udder 
4. Teat maintenance -- following successful defense of a given teat, piglets go into the fourth phase of sucking and sleeping ]]> 2019-03-22 14:40:28 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/344241308 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/346979886 Pigs are diurnal, meaning they eat mostly during the day. In commercial settings, producers feed their pigs 8-12 meals per day but this number changes as they go through the different feeding phases. In large group-pen settings it may be more difficult for some pigs to eat because of the social hierarchy that exists. Which is why it is so important to make sure all the pigs are relatively the same size so nobody can fight over food. There are also hormonal effects, females is estrus have a depressed feed intake, and usually sows go off feed the day of parturition. ]]> 2019-04-01 00:36:14 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/346979886 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/346983128 2019-04-01 00:54:36 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/346983128 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/352630694 Whenever a person or some other animal enters into the flight zone, the animal moves away to maintain the distance. Moving slowly towards an animal results in a gradual withdraw. A rapid approach provokes a sudden retreat. Competent animal handlers take advantage of this instinctive reflects to move animals in a controlled manner. The point of balance on swine is their shoulder, so producers will use this to aid in the movement of these livestock. ]]> 2019-04-18 17:51:05 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/352630694 poojpatel12 https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/354290300 This is an example of a floor and walk way audit checklist for swine. There are several guidelines that must be followed to pass a swine operation for a welfare audit. ]]> 2019-04-25 21:45:18 UTC https://padlet.com/poojpatel12/7ryqlr2a3o2p/wish/354290300