The use of social network analysis to describe the effect of immune activation on group dynamics in pigs.

The immune system can influence social motivation with potentially dire consequences for group-housed production animals, such as pigs. The aim of this study was to test the effect of a controlled immune activation in group-housed pigs, through an injection with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and an intervention with ketoprofen on centrality parameters at the individual level. In addition, we wanted to test the effect of time relative to the injection on general network parameters in order to get a better understanding of changes in social network structures at the group level.

Are changes in behavior of fast-growing broilers with slight gait impairment (GS0-2) related to pain?

Impaired walking ability in terms of slight or definite defects is more common in broiler production than lameness that obviously hinders movement, but it has received limited scientific attention. This study aimed to compare behavior of conventional broilers with impaired walking ability (assessed as gait score (GS) 2) with those walking normally (GS0) and those with only a slight gait defect (GS1). Behavior in the home environment was registered, and an analgesic intervention to quantify changes in time budgets indicating pain relief was applied.

The Effect of LPS and Ketoprofen on Cytokines, Brain Monoamines, and Social Behavior in Group-Housed Pigs.

Poor health is a risk factor for damaging behaviors, but the mechanisms behind this link are unknown. Injection of pigs with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can be used to model aspects of poor health. Recent studies have shown that LPS-injected pigs perform more tail- and ear-directed behavior compared to saline-injected pigs and suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokines may play a role in these behaviors.

A High Enrichment Replenishment Rate Reduces Damaging Behaviors and Increases Growth Rate in Undocked Pigs Kept in Fully Slatted Pens.

One of the difficulties in complying with the prohibition of routine tail docking is a lack of effective alternative solutions to prevent tail biting, especially in fully slatted systems. This study compared three slat-compatible enrichment replenishment strategies for pigs. Forty-eight mixed-sex pens (six males and six females/pen) of undocked pigs were followed from birth to slaughter.

Can increased dietary fibre level and a single enrichment device reduce the risk of tail biting in undocked growing-finishing pigs in fully slatted systems?

This study evaluated the effectiveness of combined dietary and enrichment strategies to manage tail biting in pigs with intact tails in a conventional fully-slatted floor housing system. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design was used. Pigs had either a high fibre (weaner 5.

Transcriptomics Analysis of Porcine Caudal Dorsal Root Ganglia in Tail Amputated Pigs Shows Long-Term Effects on Many Pain-Associated Genes.

Tail amputation by tail docking or as an extreme consequence of tail biting in commercial pig production potentially has serious implications for animal welfare. Tail amputation causes peripheral nerve injury that might be associated with lasting chronic pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the short- and long-term effects of tail amputation in pigs on caudal DRG gene expression at different stages of development, particularly in relation to genes associated with nociception and pain.

Multi-Step Tail Biting Outbreak Intervention Protocols for Pigs Housed on Slatted Floors.

Solutions are needed to keep pigs under commercial conditions without tail biting outbreaks (TBOs). However, as TBOs are inevitable, even in well managed farms, it is crucial to know how to manage TBOs when they occur. We evaluated the effectiveness of multi-step intervention protocols to control TBOs.

Development and validation of a multiplex fluorescent microsphere immunoassay assay for detection of porcine cytokines.

Cytokines are cell signalling proteins that mediate a number of different physiological responses. The accurate measurement of cytokine profiles is important for a variety of diagnostic and prognostic scenarios in relation to animal health and welfare. Simultaneous quantification of cytokine profiles in a single sample is now possible using fluorescent microsphere immunoassays (FMIA).

Rearing Undocked Pigs on Fully Slatted Floors Using Multiple Types and Variations of Enrichment.

In fully slatted systems, tail biting is difficult to manage when pigs' tails are not docked because loose enrichment material can obstruct slurry systems. This pilot study sought to determine: a) whether intact-tailed pigs can be reared with a manageable level of tail biting by using multiple slat-compatible enrichment; b) whether a variation of enrichment has an effect; and c) whether pigs show a preference in enrichment use. Ninety-six undocked pigs were given the same enrichment items from one week after birth until weaning.

Erratum: Martin, J.E., et al. Welfare Risks of Repeated Application of On-Farm Killing Methods for Poultry. 2018, , 39.

The authors wish to make the following correction to their paper[...

Welfare Risks of Repeated Application of On-Farm Killing Methods for Poultry.

Council Regulation (EC) no. 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing restricts the use of manual cervical dislocation in poultry on farms in the European Union (EU) to birds weighing up to 3 kg and 70 birds per person per day. However, few studies have examined whether repeated application of manual cervical dislocation has welfare implications and whether these are dependent on individual operator skill or susceptibility to fatigue.

Determination of stable reference genes for RT-qPCR expression data in mechanistic pain studies on pig dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord.

RNA expression levels for genes of interest must be normalised with appropriate reference or "housekeeping" genes that are stably expressed across samples and treatments. This study determined the most stable reference genes from a panel of 6 porcine candidate genes: beta actin (ACTB), beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), eukaryotic elongation factor 1 gamma-like protein (eEF-1), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit A (SDHA), Ubiquitin C (UBC) in sacral dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord samples collected from 16 tail docked pigs (2/3rds of tail amputated) 1, 4, 8 and 16weeks after tail injury (4 pigs/time point). Total RNA from pooled samples was measured by SYBRgreen real-time quantitative PCR.

Characterization of short- and long-term mechanical sensitisation following surgical tail amputation in pigs.

Commercial pigs are frequently exposed to tail mutilations in the form of preventive husbandry procedures (tail docking) or as a result of abnormal behaviour (tail biting). Although tissue and nerve injuries are well-described causes of pain hypersensitivity in humans and in rodent animal models, there is no information on the changes in local pain sensitivity induced by tail injuries in pigs. To determine the temporal profile of sensitisation, pigs were exposed to surgical tail resections and mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNT) were measured in the acute (one week post-operatively) and in the long-term (either eight or sixteen weeks post-surgery) phase of recovery.

Application of a handheld Pressure Application Measurement device for the characterisation of mechanical nociceptive thresholds in intact pig tails.

The assessment of nociceptive thresholds is employed in animals and humans to evaluate changes in sensitivity potentially arising from tissue damage. Its application on the intact pig tail might represent a suitable method to assess changes in nociceptive thresholds arising from tail injury, such as tail docking or tail biting. The Pressure Application Measurement (PAM) device is used here for the first time on the tail of pigs to determine the reliability of the methods and to provide novel data on mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNT) associated with four different age groups (9, 17, 24 and 32weeks) and with proximity of the target region to the body of the animal.

Histopathological Characterization of Tail Injury and Traumatic Neuroma Development after Tail Docking in Piglets.

Tail docking of neonatal pigs is widely used as a measure to reduce the incidence of tail biting, a complex management problem in the pig industry. Concerns exist over the long-term consequences of tail docking for possible tail stump pain sensitivity due to the development of traumatic neuromas in injured peripheral nerves. Tail stumps were obtained post mortem from four female pigs at each of 1, 4, 8 and 16 weeks following tail amputation (approximately two-thirds removed) by a gas-heated docking iron on post natal day 3.

Avian reflex and electroencephalogram responses in different states of consciousness.

Defining states of clinical consciousness in animals is important in veterinary anaesthesia and in studies of euthanasia and welfare assessment at slaughter. The aim of this study was to validate readily observable reflex responses in relation to different conscious states, as confirmed by EEG analysis, in two species of birds under laboratory conditions (35-week-old layer hens (n=12) and 11-week-old turkeys (n=10)). We evaluated clinical reflexes and characterised electroencephalograph (EEG) activity (as a measure of brain function) using spectral analyses in four different clinical states of consciousness: conscious (fully awake), semi-conscious (sedated), unconscious-optimal (general anaesthesia), unconscious-sub optimal (deep hypnotic state), as well as assessment immediately following euthanasia.

Physiological responses to low atmospheric pressure stunning and the implications for welfare.

In low atmospheric pressure stunning (LAPS), poultry are rendered unconscious before slaughter by gradually reducing oxygen tension in the atmosphere to achieve a progressive anoxia. The effects of LAPS are not instantaneous, so there are legitimate welfare concerns around the experience of birds before loss of consciousness. Using self-contained telemetry logging units, high-quality continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiogram (EKG) recordings were obtained from 28 broiler chickens during exposure to LAPS in a commercial poultry processing plant.

Behavioural and physiological measures following treadmill exercise as potential indicators to evaluate fatigue in sheep.

The welfare consequences of long-distance transportation of animals remain a controversial topic. Animals that stand for most of the long journey (especially if additional muscular activity is required to deal with postural instability) are at risk of developing fatigue. Previous observational studies of behaviour and physiology suggested either that sheep do not become markedly fatigued by long journeys or that previous methods did not adequately identify fatigue.

A gastroretentive gabapentin formulation for the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy: efficacy and tolerability in a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

Aims: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 147 patients to determine the efficacy and safety of a gastroretentive formulation of gabapentin (G-GR) in treating painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).

Methods: Diabetic patients with symmetrical painful symptoms in distal extremities for 1-5 years and a baseline average daily pain (ADP) score of ≥4 received G-GR 3000mg, as a single evening daily dose (G-GR-QD) or a divided dose (G-GR-DD, 1200mg AM/1800mg PM), or placebo for 4 weeks. G-GR was titrated from 300 to 3000mg/day over 2 weeks, followed by 2 additional weeks at 3000mg/day.

The impact of prenatal stress on basal nociception and evoked responses to tail-docking and inflammatory challenge in juvenile pigs.

The consequences of tail-docking (at 2-4 days) and prenatal stress (maternal social stress during the 2nd third of pregnancy) on baseline nociceptive thresholds and responses to acute inflammatory challenge were investigated in juvenile pigs in two studies. Nociceptive thresholds were assessed on the tail root and on the hind foot using noxious mechanical and cold stimulation before and after acute inflammatory challenge by intradermal injection of 30 μg capsaicin (study 1) or 3% carrageenan (study 2) into the tail root. Four groups of 8 (study 1, n=14-16 pigs/treatment) or 5 (study 2, n=6 pigs/treatment/sex) week-old pigs were exposed to the main factors: maternal stress and treatment (docked vs.

Quantifying genetic (co)variation and effects of genetic selection on tibial bone morphology and quality in 37 lines of broiler, layer and traditional chickens.

1. Tibial bone morphology and quality was assessed at 6, 8 and 10 weeks of age in 12 broiler, 12 layer and 13 traditional lines of chickens. 2.

Development of a mechanical stimulator and force measurement system for the assessment of nociceptive thresholds in pigs.

A mechanical stimulator and force measurement system was developed to quantify withdrawal thresholds to noxious mechanical stimulation of the foot in young pigs. The device and associated PC software have design and control features not previously used in other mechanical stimulators. The device, capable of delivering stimulus rates between 2 and 17 mm/s, maximum force 27 N, was validated in a cross-over study on 8 juvenile pigs (6-8 weeks of age) to check the repeatability and reliability of force threshold measurement and assess its ability to measure changes in force threshold following an inflammatory challenge.

Pre-natal stress amplifies the immediate behavioural responses to acute pain in piglets.

Pre-natal stress (PNS) or undernutrition can have numerous effects on an individual's biology throughout their lifetime. Some of these effects may be adaptive by allowing individuals to tailor their phenotype to environmental conditions. Here we investigated, in the domestic pig Sus scrofa, whether one possible consequence of a predicted adverse environment could be altered pain perception.