Table 2 Behavioural activities (% of total observations) in the first two weeks after weaning (week 1: 30 days of age, week 2: 38 days of age) of piglets reared by restrictedly-fed sows (RES) or full-fed sows (FF) and their creep feed presented in a control feeder (CON) or play-feeder (PL) prior to weaning.

From: Feed intake of the sow and playful creep feeding of piglets influence piglet behaviour and performance before and after weaning

Behaviour

RES

FF

Significance

CON

PL

CON

PL

SF

PF

SF × PF

Week 1 after weaning

‘Ingestive behaviour’

Eating feed

13.2 ± 0.7

13.1 ± 0.7

14.2 ± 1.2

13.5 ± 0.9

0.42

0.68

0.74

Drinking

0.7 ± 0.1

0.9 ± 0.1

0.6 ± 0.1

1.2 ± 0.2

0.61

0.02

0.54

‘Exploratory behaviour’

Exploring feed(er) and drinker

2.7 ± 0.3

2.9 ± 0.5

1.9 ± 0.4

2.0 ± 0.3

0.03

0.70

0.99

Exploring environment

22.5 ± 2.1

25.6 ± 2.2

18.2 ± 2.4

18.1 ± 1.0

0.01

0.43

0.59

‘Postures and locomotion’

Inactive behaviour

45.0 ± 3.5

40.7 ± 2.9

50.2 ± 4.2

47.2 ± 1.9

0.08

0.27

0.84

Standing and walking

6.6 ± 0.6

6.0 ± 0.6

5.9 ± 0.7

7.1 ± 0.8

0.84

0.73

0.21

‘Play behaviour’

Playing

2.1 ± 0.3

2.3 ± 0.4

2.2 ± 0.4

2.8 ± 0.5

0.68

0.37

0.59

‘Pig-directed behaviour’

Nosing pen mates

1.4 ± 0.2

1.8 ± 0.3

1.7 ± 0.4

1.7 ± 0.2

0.75

0.36

0.69

Ear biting

0.3 ± 0.1

0.4 ± 0.1

0.4 ± 0.1

0.4 ± 0.1

0.68

0.48

0.38

Tail biting

0.4 ± 0.1

0.3 ± 0.1

0.3 ± 0.1

0.3 ± 0.1

0.85

0.85

0.68

Belly nosing

0.1 ± 0.03

0.5 ± 0.3

0.4 ± 0.2

0.5 ± 0.2

0.16

<0.10

0.14

Manipulating pen mates

1.9 ± 0.3

2.2 ± 0.3

1.8 ± 0.4

2.0 ± 0.5

0.53

0.55

0.96

Mounting pen mates

1.2 ± 0.2

1.2 ± 0.3

0.9 ± 0.2

1.2 ± 0.1

0.49

0.52

0.61

Aggression

0.8 ± 0.2a

0.8 ± 0.2a

0.3 ± 0.1b

0.8 ± 0.1a

0.11

0.04

0.04

Week 2 after weaning

‘Ingestive behaviour’

Eating feed

10.5 ± 0.6

11.4 ± 0.7

10.4 ± 0.5

12.2 ± 0.8

0.57

0.01

0.40

Drinking

0.8 ± 0.1

0.9 ± 0.2

1.0 ± 0.1

1.5 ± 0.2

0.03

0.03

0.49

‘Exploratory behaviour’

Exploring feed(er) and drinker

2.0 ± 0.3

2.3 ± 0.1

2.3 ± 0.2

3.0 ± 0.2

0.06

0.05

0.45

Exploring environment

26.0 ± 1.7

25.9 ± 1.9

27.2 ± 1.9

21.7 ± 2.2

0.39

0.13

0.14

‘Postures and locomotion’

Inactive behaviour

46.0 ± 1.7

45.6 ± 2.4

44.0 ± 3.0

45.7 ± 3.9

0.72

0.86

0.76

Standing and walking

4.7 ± 0.4

4.0 ± 0.6

4.5 ± 0.4

5.0 ± 0.6

0.42

0.75

0.26

‘Play behaviour’

Playing

1.8 ± 0.2

1.8 ± 0.2

2.1 ± 0.4

2.4 ± 0.4

0.33

0.53

0.44

‘Pig-directed behaviour’

Nosing pen mates

1.9 ± 0.3

1.3 ± 0.2

1.5 ± 0.2

1.6 ± 0.2

0.84

0.33

0.16

Ear biting

0.4 ± 0.1

0.3 ± 0.1

0.8 ± 0.2

0.6 ± 0.1

<0.01

0.23

0.93

Tail biting

0.5 ± 0.1

0.5 ± 0.1

0.5 ± 0.1

0.4 ± 0.1

0.93

0.82

0.96

Belly nosing

0.6 ± 0.4

0.4 ± 0.2

0.4 ± 0.2

0.7 ± 0.3

0.66

0.78

0.52

Manipulating pen mates

2.3 ± 0.4

2.7 ± 0.3

2.6 ± 0.4

2.1 ± 0.3

0.67

0.98

0.19

Mounting pen mates

0.6 ± 0.1

0.6 ± 0.1

0.8 ± 0.2

0.8 ± 0.2

0.46

1.00

1.00

Aggression

0.8 ± 0.2

1.0 ± 0.2

1.0 ± 0.1

0.9 ± 0.2

0.88

0.79

0.53

  1. SF = sow feeding. PF = piglet feeding. Data are means ± SEM based on pen averages and were analysed with generalised linear mixed models. Within a row superscripts without a common letter differ at P < 0.05.
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