Stress assessment of piglets undergoing routine surgical procedures related to managemental practices

Abstract

Stress in piglets undergoing routine surgical procedures related to managemental practices was assessed in the present study. The experiment was conducted at the Center for Pig Production and Research (CPPR) of Kerala Agricultural University, Mannuthy. Sixty male piglets formed ten treatments with six replicates. Treatments undertaken were ear notching, handling for ear notching, castration, sham castration (restrained identically but not castrated), combined handling and performance of ear notching and castration. Behaviour and vocalization were observed during four different time frames viz: 30 minutes before the treatment, during the treatment, 30 minutes after the treatment and 24 hours after the treatment respectively. Salivary cortisol concentration was determined by radio immuno assay technique. In one-week-old piglets, though the stress related behavioural scores due to ear notching was higher during the procedure, the scores got decreased after 30 minutes and 24 hours of ear notching. The scores were intermediate in the combined performance of ear notching and castration compared to individual performance at one week. Castrates at eight weeks showed fewer stress related behaviours than the castrates at one week of age. The intensity of vocalization in week old ear notched groups got reduced after 30 minutes and 24 hours of ear notching. Vocalization intensity persisted till 24 hours in one week aged castrates, but it got reduced after 30 minutes and 24 hours in eight weeks castrates. The groups with combined performance of ear notching and castration were intermediate in the intensity of vocalization compared to individual performance at one week. There was reduction in the duration of vocalization in week-aged ear notched groups after 30 minutes and 24 hours of treatment. Castrates at eight weeks of age showed increased duration of vocalization after 30 minutes and 24

hours, but the level was lesser compared to one week old castrates. The groups with combined performance of ear notching and castration were intermediate in the duration of vocalization compared to individual performance at one week. The frequency of vocalization in ear notched group got reduced in week old group after 30 minutes and 24 hours. Castrates at eight weeks of age showed increased frequency of vocalization after 30 minutes and 24 hours, but the level was lesser compared to one week old castrates. The groups with combined performance of ear notching and castration had longer duration of vocalization compared to individual performance at one week. At one week, ear notched group had lower cortisol value than the group handled for ear notching. One-week old castrates had higher cortisol concentration than eight-week-old castrates. Cortisol level was higher in combined performance of ear notching and castration than individual performance of the same. Individual performance of ear notching and castration was less stressful. Performance of ear notching at one week and castration at eight weeks of age is beneficial. This is the routine management related surgical procedure, practiced in the Center for Pig Production and Research (CPPR) of Kerala Agricultural University.