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Bulletin No. 26 - Fall 2006
MiscelleanousWelfare
LLAMAS MOYA S, BOYLE LA, LYNCH PB, ARKINS S
Stress biology in the pig.
The Pig Journal, 2006, Volume 57, 8-29
Pig welfare is one of the parameters swine production system owners should not ignore since minimizing stress in production animals has a positive economic impact in terms of reduced morbidity and mortality rates and improved reproductive performance. Several types of stress factors may affect the welfare of swine (physical, social, psychological) but all of them can be defined as potential threats to the homeostasis of the animal. Faced with a stress factor, pigs elaborate a biological response that results from the interaction of three major regulatory systems, namely the nervous (central and autonomic), immune and endocrine systems. The study of animal welfare in modern production systems requires multiple biological indicators in order to evaluate the impact of potential stress factors on the homeostasis of production animals.
