Meeting Abstract
P3.27 Wednesday, Jan. 6 Emotional states of domestic and feral pigs BRYER, PJ*; DAVIS, BL; SUTHERLAND, MA; MCGLONE, JJ; Lamar University, Beaumont TX; Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX; AgResearch, Hamilton NZ; Texas Tech University, Lubbock TX pamela.bryer@lamar.edu
Feral pigs in Texas (USA) are descended from introduced European wild boars and escaped domestic pigs. The objective of this project was to determine differences between the emotive states of feral and domestic pigs. Domestic (D; n = 4) and trapped feral (F; n = 4) pigs at approximately 3 weeks of age were used for this comparative study. Repetitive back tests were performed 7 days apart to determine pigs’ coping responsiveness by measuring the number of escape attempts. Pigs were placed in an open field arena with and without a standing person. Lastly, pigs were exposed to an unknown auditory stimulus (startle-freeze) and the delay and duration to the response was recorded. All behavioral testes were recorded continuously. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. All feral and domestic pigs were low responders. Domestic pigs moved through fewer (P < 0.05) squares than feral pigs before the observer entered the room (D: 5.6 ± 1.91 squares; F: 12.6 ± 1.91 squares). Once an observer was present, domestics pigs moved through more (P < 0.001) squares than feral pigs (D: 11.0 ± 1.76; F: 3.5 ± 1.76). In response to the startle-freeze test, feral pigs showed a shorter (P < 0.05) delay in responding to the auditory stimulus over time compared to domestic pigs. Domestic pigs habituated rapidly to the repeated startle. However, the duration of freeze increased (P < 0.001) among feral pigs over time; feral pigs did not habituate to the startle over time. While domestic pigs habituated to humans and startle-noise, feral pigs did not. Domestication involves a genetic and a learned component. This research suggests habituation in response to novelty (humans or unknown auditory stimulus) may be a predominantly learned aspect of domestication as these traits are not maintained in wild-domestic cross pigs.
