Internship in piglet behaviour and welfare

Background

Organic production is often associated with enhanced animal welfare, such as the increased possibility for the animals to express their natural behaviours. Improving animal welfare is reported as one of the motivations for farmers to join organic schemes. In organic pig production, health is improved in certain aspects, but studies also show that organic pigs can suffer from more leg problems than conventional pigs, despite using the same breeds.

According to the European legislation on organic pig farming, the animals must have a permanent outdoor access. Moreover, farmers in Sweden can choose to follow a stricter national label, KRAV, which requires a four-month pasture access for the pigs in the summer. The pigs are therefore more active on larger surfaces than in conventional production.

This student project would be part of a PhD project on leg health in organic pigs in Sweden, more specifically part of a study investigating if piglets can be prepared for a more active life in a more challenging environment. The goal is to see if the activity levels of piglets can be increased early in life by promoting play behaviour, and study the effects on growth, health and welfare.

Project description

The study will be conducted at Lövsta, SLU’s research farm. Piglets from two to ten weeks of age will be given a regular access to a “play pen”, an extra pen filled with toys next to their farrowing pen. The data collection will consist in recording the activity levels of the piglets, during and outside the access to the play pen. Play behaviour will also be recorded during the play sessions, and health will be monitored.

The student will participate in the data collection of the second batch of the experiment, running approximately from February to April 2027 (exact dates to be decided). The student will regularly go to the research farm where the experiment will be conducted, and together with the PhD student, conduct behavioural observations of the litters. Depending on the duration of the project and the student’s interests, extra data related to the experiment can be collected and analysed.

Specifications

The project is suitable for a student in agronomy or animal sciences with previous knowledge on ethology. Experience with pigs is an advantage but not required. The start and end dates are flexible, but the student should be present from February to April 2027, when the data collection is expected to happen. The internship is unpaid, but expenses related to the experiment will be covered.

For more information, please contact Lise Pinaqui, PhD student on organic pig health and welfare: lise.pinaqui@slu.se. The student will also be supervised by Katja Nilsson, associate professor at SLU with a focus on behaviour in breeding for welfare.