Weaning is a critical event in the pig's life cycle, frequently associated with severe enteric
infections and overuse of antibiotics; this raises serious economic and public health …

Measuring and understanding personality in animals is a rising scientific field. Much
research has been conducted to assess distinctive individual differences in behavior in a …

The objective assessment of affective (emotional) state in farm livestock, especially positive
states, poses a significant challenge. In human psychology, there is evidence that affective …

While relatively little is known about the psychology of domestic pigs, what is known
suggests that pigs are cognitively complex and share many traits with animals whom we …

During the past decades, the study of “animal personalities” has gained increasing
importance in the field of behavioural and evolutionary ecology, thereby contributing to a …

Background Conventional pig housing and management conditions are associated with
gastrointestinal pathophysiology and disease susceptibility in early life. Develo** new …

The pig industry faces many animal welfare issues. Among these, biting behaviour has a
high incidence. It is indicative of an existing problem in biters and is a source of physical …

Research has shown that the domestic pig is highly playful throughout its development and
that play is an important aspect of social and cognitive development. Therefore, the neonatal …

Understanding the ways in which individuals cope with threats, respond to challenges, make
use of opportunities and mediate the harmful effects of their surroundings is important for …

Until today, anti-microbial drugs have been the therapy of choice to combat bacterial
diseases. Resistance against antibiotics is of growing concern in man and animals. Stress …