British project to reproduce sociable pigs

49850
©

British researchers in cooperation with PIC will conduct a project that will look at whether the “social competence” of pigs, and in turn their welfare, can be improved through management and breeding.

In a news release at the website of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), social competence is described as covering the range of decisions an animal makes in different social situations – such as whether to fight or flee or play or not. Traditionally, the effects of these social decisions have been studied in isolation but in the real world they are likely to combine to influence the animal’s welfare.

The study will use the idea of social competence, and whether it can be passed from one generation to another, to try to improve animal welfare.


PigUA.info by materials pigprogress.net