Progress 07/01/20 to 06/30/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences included swine stakeholders (producers, industry), as well as scientists and veterinarians with an interest in improving swine production. Changes/Problems:Original sample size and experimental facility described in the project approach were not met due to complications with the COVID-19 pandemic and the unavailability of a commercial partner's facilities. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Completion of 1 MS degree (M.L. Kasakamu) Completion of Graduate Student Agricultural Communication program (M.L. Kasakamu) Attendance and presentation at 2022 national ASAS meeting (M.L. Kasakamu) Attendance and presentation at 2023 Midwest ASAS meeting (M.L. Kasakamu and C.J. Byrd) Attendance and presentation at 2023 national ASAS meeting (C.J. Byrd) How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?All results have been disseminated via popular press (National Hog Farmer), scientific meetings (American Society of Animal Science), and will be published in a peer-reviewed publication (currently submitted for peer-review to Applied Animal Behaviour Science). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
CHANGE IN KNOWLEDGE: The goal of this project was to determine whether early-life exposure to a ramp and platform within the pen during the nursery phase (approx. 3-9 wks of age) improved pigs' ability to ascend and descend the loading and unloading ramps during the marketing phase of production (when pigs are approximately 5-6 months of age). Pigs are commonly requried to ascend at least one rampto access the semi-trailer that will carry them to the processing facility. Given their lack of experience with ramp structures, pigs may experience stress and may be at higher risk of injury when utilizing the ramps during loading and unloading. The objectives of this study were to measurethe effects of ramped nursery housing on 1) loading and unloading speed and ease at marketing, 2) stress to pigs in the nursery and at marketing, and 3) pig condition at the processing facility. At 21 days of age, 540 pigs were transported to the experimental facility and housed in 20 pens (each pen containing 27 pigs). The 20 pens were allocated to 1 of 2 experimental treatments: 1) A pen that contained a ramp and connected platform structure(RAMP; n = 10 pens) or 2) a pen that did not contain a ramp (CONTROL; n = 10 pens). The ramps remained in the RAMP pens for the remainder of the nursery phase and were removed at the start of the grow-finish phase (when pigs were approximately 9 weeks of age). Once the ramps were removed, the pen designfor RAMP and CONTROL pigs were the same. During the nursery phase (3- 9 weeks of age), pig behavior (standing, lying, eating, drinking, aggression)was evaluated to determine whether the presence of a ramp in the RAMP pens had an effect on behavioral performance. Additionally, pig body weight, feed intake, average daily gain, and feed to gain ratio (an indicator of feed efficiency) were evaluated as performance measures. No effect of ramp and platform provision in the RAMP pens was detected for any behavior evaluated. Similarly, no effect of ramp and platform provision in the RAMP pens was detected for any performance measure. Taken together, these results indicate that, at the very least, ramp and platform provision do not have a negative effect on swine welfare and performance during the nursery phase. At the end of the grow-finish phase (approximately 5.5 months of age), pigs were transported to the processing plant for marketing on 6 separate transport days. Groups of 4 same-treatment pigs from each of the 20 pens were loaded and unloaded on each transport day. The amount of time required for each group of 4 same-treatment pigs to ascend the loading ramp to the semi-trailer was quantified. Additionally, the incidence of trips, turnarounds on the ramp, and electric prod usage by the handler were determined. Our results indicate RAMP pigs required less time to ascend the loading ramp at marketing compared to CONTROL pigs (69.1 vs. 95.1seconds; P= 0.002). Additionally, RAMP pigs required fewer electric prod interventions during loading compared to CONTROL pigs (20 vs. 33 instances;P= 0.02). No differences in trips or turnarounds on the loading ramp were observed (P> 0.05). After ascending the loading ramp,experimental pigs were housed in 1 of 4 upper-level trailer compartment or 1 lower-level compartment in mixed-treatment groups. All pigs were required to ascend an internal trailer ramp to reach their compartment. The pigs housed in the lower-level compartment were rquired to ascend the internal trailer ramp and descend a second internal ramp to reach their compartment.After loading, all experimental pigswere transported to the processing plant approximately 325 km from the experimental facility. Upon arrival to the facility,the experimetnalpigs were unloaded in mixed treatment and variable sized groups. The amount of time required for pigs to descend the internal trailer ramp to the processing facility was quantified, along with human handler intervention (rattle paddle usage), trips, turnarounds on the ramp, and backwards movement down the ramp. Interestingly, CONT pigs descended the ramp slightly faster than RAMP pigs (12.7vs. 13.9 seconds;P= 0.03). Additionally, RAMP pigs descended the ramp backwards more often compared to CONT pigs (10 vs. 2 instances;P= 0.02). Our data do not provide a meaningful explanation for this behavior. However, descending the ramp backwards may be an attempt to avoid adverse situations (e.g. unfamiliar handlers) during unloading. The ability of an animal to successfully descend the ramp backwards may be beneficial for reducing ramp-related injuries. In conclusion, ramp and platform exposure during the nursery phase of production improves ease of loading at market weight, which is benficial for the prodcuer (i.e. faster loading) and the pig (i.e.reduced ramp novelty). Additionally, the ramp had no negative effects on behavior and growth performance during the nursery period.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Kasakamu, M.L., Young, J.M., Samuel, R.S., Wagner, S.A., Byrd, C.J.(2023)Ramped piglet housing in the nursery: Increasing speed of loading at transportation to marketing. National Hog Farmer Magazine (July/August 2023).
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Kasakamu, M. L., Young, J. M., Samuel, R. S., Wagner, S. A., Byrd, C. J. (2024) The effect of ramped nursery housing on pig behavior during loading and unloading at marketing. Submitted to Applied Animal Behaviour Science in May 2024.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Kasakamu, M. L., Young, J. M., Samuel, R. S., Wagner, S. A., Byrd, C. J.(2023) PSX-19 Does housing pigs with access to a ramp alter pig behavior during the nursery period? J. Anim. Sci. 101 (Suppl 3): 514-515. doi:10.1093/jas/skad281.607
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Kasakamu, M. L., Young, J. M., Samuel, R. S., Wagner, S. A., Byrd, C. J.(2023) 183 Ramped piglet housing during the nursery phase increases speed of loading during transportation to market. J. Anim. Sci. (Suppl 2):5-6. doi:10.1093/jas/skad341.005
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Progress 07/01/21 to 06/30/22
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:Only 20 total commerical pens (10 pens for each treatment; approximately 500 total pigs)were utilized in the data collection instead of 40 pens. We had difficulty obtaining ramp fabrication supplies in time before the project needed to be initiated due to the SDSU barn's production schedule. With the large number of pigs raised in 20 pens, we do not anticipate major effects on the results. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One-on-one mentoring of a MS student has occured throughout the entire project duration. The student has gained experience in experimental design, statistical design, behavioral data collection and analysis, heart rate variability data collection, and some public speaking (through courses on campus). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?No, results will be disseminated once data have been analyzed. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?After the 31st, we will have all of our data collected. Behavioral observation of the video collected during thestudywill occur September - December. The MSstudent funded through the project will present her results at a professional scientific meeting during Spring 2023. The MS studenthas a tentative graduatation date of Summer 2023. At that point, we will likely submit the results of the study for peer reviewed publication.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Project data collection began in March 2022 as weaned pigs arrived at SDSU's wean-to-finish barn. Behavioral video collection occured between March and August 2022 to determine whether early-life exposure to a small ramp would reduce aggression and improve feed efficiency during the nursery and grow-finish periods. On August 3rd, we began the trailer loading aspect of the study, where we will evlaute whether presence of a ramp during the nursery period induces improved loading/unloading of the truck trailer at market weight (speed up the ramp, reduced behavioral stress associated with loading/unloading). Our 7th and final loading/unloading period will take place next week, August 31st.
Publications
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Progress 07/01/20 to 06/30/21
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:COVID-19 led to the loss of our experimental location. We have identified a new location (SDSU's wean-to-finish facility) for the experiment, however, it is likely that we will not have the opportunity to attain the sample size we had hoped. We are now looking at 40 pens total instead of approximately 70. Additionally, we will have to pay a fee for animal use that was not a requirement for the previous location.The reduction in pen numbers (and therefore, the reduction in ramp costs) will allow us to pay for the fees. The graduate student selected for this project is an international student. Border closures last year due to COVID-19 did not allow her to travel to the U.S. to begin her studies. She has officially arrived at NDSU and began her assistantship on August 16th, 2021. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The project will be officially initiated in early October at South Dakota State's commercial wean to finish facility. A graduate student has been identified for the project and she officially started at North Dakota State University as a graduate research assistant on August 15, 2021. Over this next reporting period, all on-farm, transport, and production plantdata will be collected, swine behavior will be collected from recorded video, and analysis of the data will begin.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Project has not been initiated due to COVID-19 related difficulties that led to a loss of experimental locationand inability to enroll an international graduate student identified for the project.
Publications
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