No Ifs, Ands, or Hams by Katie Smith https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act Everything you need to know about pig behavior. en-us 2020-01-15 04:38:38 UTC 2023-03-14 15:02:20 UTC hello@padlet.com Post #1 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/431695642  I chose to make my Padlet about pigs. I chose pigs because they are the reason I decided to major in agriculture. I started showing pigs the summer after my senior year of high school, and it was a good opportunity for me to not only experience something new, but also to learn the basics about swine and their behaviors. This Padlet will allow me to further explore swine behaviors as well as relate the basic knowledge I have to the bigger picture of how the swine industry has evolved and why farmers use the methods they do when raising pigs. This will also benefit me from an agricultural communications standpoint by helping me to find resources to use when explaining technology such as farrowing crates and confinement barns to consumers. ]]> 2020-01-15 04:44:46 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/431695642 Post #2 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453419922 This article discusses behavioral changes in various heat in humidity as observed in pig’s eating habits. Heat stress response was one of the main things found to be caused my genetic variation. Production efficiency is improved when breeding stock is selected for heat tolerance.]]> 2020-03-03 04:15:07 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453419922 Post #4 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453420289 If pigs do not get used to solid feed before being weaned, feed intake significantly decreases leading to intestinal problems, making this a sensitive period. https://www.deheus.com/news/knowledge/weaning-piglets-without-any-problems-769 ]]> 2020-03-03 04:16:31 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453420289 Post #5 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453424997 Pigs can run approximately 11 miles per hour!]]> 2020-03-03 04:33:38 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453424997 Post #6 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453426967 Male pigs will try to mount females and other male pigs to try to breed.]]> 2020-03-03 04:40:34 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453426967 Post #7 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453427194 This video shows a female pig that is not in heat. The worker is pushing down on her back, and she does not want to stand still. When a female pig is in heat, she will stand immobile.]]> 2020-03-03 04:41:45 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453427194 Post #8 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453428866 1. The mother pig will lay down and present their teats for nursing.

2. The mother will grunt in a rhythmic pattern as the piglets nurse.

3. The mother will roll on to her belly or stand up to signal the end of nursing to the piglets
]]> 2020-03-03 04:51:27 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453428866 Post #9 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453824504 1. The piglets will nudge at the mother’s belly to stimulate milk let down.
2. Piglets will vocalize as they start to nurse.
3. Piglets establish a teat order shortly after birth and will continue to go back to that specific teat to nurse.]]> 2020-03-03 17:56:49 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453824504 Post #10 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453832439 This article discusses an operant conditioning experiment where pigs are trained to work for their food. In some cases they receive the same predictable feed, in others, the feed type varies each time. The hypothesis predicted that the pigs would prefer the unpredictable, varied food type. However, this was not supported. ]]> 2020-03-03 18:06:51 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/453832439 Post #3 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/454120322 This picture shows a sow nursing her piglets. Maternal behaviors are heritable in pigs with certain breeds such as Yorkshire being more likely to have positive maternal behaviors. This is important economically because sows that easily lay down and nurse their piglets allow the piglets a better chance a growth. ]]> 2020-03-04 04:26:50 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/454120322 Post #11 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/454124258 According to the course book, Principles and Applications of Domestic Animal Behavior, a pig’s snout is a structural/sensory bias. They are able to use it to uproot food items and have a superior sense of smell. However, this does not limit them from learning certain things. ]]> 2020-03-04 04:42:27 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/454124258 Post #12 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/454546681 Tail position in pigs is the closest they use to visual communication. This may be by curling the tail or holding it straight down. However, they mostly communicate vocally/auditory by grunting to each other with different pitch and length of grunts communicating different things. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/behavior/normal-social-behavior-and-behavioral-problems-of-domestic-animals/social-behavior-of-swine ]]> 2020-03-04 18:16:24 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/454546681 Post #13 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/454547898 Most chemical and tactile communication occurs between boars and estrous females. The estrous female releases hormones the stimulate response from a boar, boar may then nudge at or try to mount a female (tactile). https://www.merckvetmanual.com/behavior/normal-social-behavior-and-behavioral-problems-of-domestic-animals/social-behavior-of-swine ]]> 2020-03-04 18:17:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/454547898 Post #14 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/528817539 This picture shows a few common ingestive behaviors in swine. The amount of light shows how pigs are diurnal eaters, meaning that they eat during the day. At the top you can also see that there are two pigs in this picture. Eating in groups is another common ingestive behavior in swine.]]> 2020-04-24 16:28:18 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/528817539 Behavioral Disorders ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/528856984 2020-04-24 16:43:47 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/528856984 Post #16 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/528992125 Stressful handling can cause:
1. Slower rate of gain in market animals
2. Fear of humans
3. Poor meat quality ]]> 2020-04-24 17:44:34 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/528992125 Post #17 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/529048634 2020-04-24 18:12:43 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/529048634 Post #18 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/529060762 This is Erin Brenneman, also known as @sowmomma. She uses her social media accounts to share accurate information about pig farming. I chose her as an expert for Animal Handling in pigs because she always takes the time to explain what and why she is doing things a certain way, mostly in the farrowing barn. Another way that she is able to connect with her followers is that she did not grow up on a farm so she can relate her information about pigs to people that do not have experience.]]> 2020-04-24 18:18:36 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/529060762 Post #21 ksmit35 https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/529073998 The Maschhoffs are one of the largest family owned pork producers in the United States. I had the opportunity to spend three days at their home office learning about different parts of the swine industry and what they do as a company. I think their Animal Care page does a good job of explaining the many steps they take to ensure they are providing the highest quality of life for their animals. Some things they mention include internal and external PQA programs as well as preventative methods so their animals are less likely to get injured or sick.]]> 2020-04-24 18:25:15 UTC https://padlet.com/ksmit35/k6bkon136act/wish/529073998