Grassland covers approximately 17.4% of Europe's land area, stores about 20% of the world's soil carbon and has the potential to sequester carbon. With the help of sustainable management systems, ...grasslands could reduce greenhouse gases and act as a terrestrial sink for atmospheric CO
. In this study, we will investigate the effect of grassland management (cutting, grazing, and a combination of the two) and soil depth (0-10, 10-20, 20-30 cm) on the physical (volumetric water content-VWC, bulk density-BD, porosity-POR, mass consisting of coarse fragments-FC) and chemical properties of soil (organic carbon-SOC, inorganic carbon-SIC, total carbon-STC, total nitrogen-STN, organic matter-SOM, C/N ratio, pH) in Central European lowlands. The management system affected BD, SOC and STN and tended to affect VWC and STC in the first soil depth only. Grazing and the combined system stored greater amounts of STN, SOC and STC and had higher BDs at the surface (0-10 cm) compared to the cutting system. Most soil properties were influenced by soil depth, with C/N ratio and BD increasing and SOC, STC, STN, SOM, VWC and POR decreasing with depth. Our study highlights an opportunity for grassland users to improve soil quality, reduce fossil fuel usage and improve animal welfare through their management systems and argues that systems such as grazing and the combined system should be promoted to mitigate climate change.
•We introduced an experimental design that allows weaned piglets to mix spontaneously.•A post-weaning social order formation is a two-phase process: early high-aggression and late ...low-aggression.•Fighting and mounting showed clear opposing temporal dynamics.•The probability of initiating a fight increased with body weight, and the initiator was mostly the winner.•Mounting was initiated and performed mainly by the piglets of medium body weight.
The weaning process poses considerable challenge in pig production. The standard procedure usually involves mixing multiple litters in a relatively dense group where the pigs do not have much space and opportunity to interact uninterruptedly and therefore cannot exhibit the full natural display of agonistic behaviour to establish a hierarchy. Understanding the newly-formed group dynamics in this way is hardly possible under standard weaning procedures. Therefore, we implemented a weaning approach that allowed piglets to mix spontaneously and willingly – each litter was weaned in its pen, separated with an empty pen, with all pens connected by narrow passages that were opened 24 h after weaning. Twelve litters (117 piglets) were included in the study. A total of 2792 fights and 1567 mounts were recorded during the 8-day study period. Fighting was the predominant interaction between litters, most frequent at the beginning of mixing. We found no territorial tendencies in the interactions, except for a lower probability of winning the fight in the piglet’s pen of origin. Heavier piglets were involved in fighting to a significantly greater extent immediately (first day) after mixing, while there were no differences in the frequency of fights regarding body weight later on. However, the probability of initiating a fight increased with body weight, and usually, the initiator was also the winner. On the other hand, mounting was the activity initiated and performed mainly by the piglets of medium body weight. In general, females were more involved in both fighting and mounting. These two interactions showed clear opposing temporal dynamics, with the frequency of fighting steadily decreasing over time, while mounting increased and surpassed fighting in relative occurrence. Thus, the formation of the new dominance hierarchy appears to be a two-phase process: an early phase of high aggression, followed by a phase of low aggression in which mounting replaces fighting. Mounting appeared to serve as a means of mutually determining strength in order to avoid fighting; thus, it plays an important role when the relative strengths of group members are known from previous confrontations. Therefore, in assessing the establishment of social structure, we should not neglect subtle agonistic behaviours (e.g., mounting) that serve as a means of establishing or reinforcing social positions within a group.
Abstract
Adjusting foraging strategies is a common phenomenon within groups of animals competing for the same resource. In polytocous mammals, neonates concurrently compete for limited milk and ...alternate between two foraging (suckling) strategies: adaptable exploratory foraging with random sampling of teats, and ordered foraging with a tendency towards exploiting a particular suckling position. Some theoretical (game theory) models have shown that weaker siblings in particular benefit from foraging specialization (suckling order). Neonate piglets establish a well-defined suckling order that develops gradually and fluctuates throughout the lactation period, implying the existence of inter-individual differences in foraging strategies. We therefore analyzed suckling behavior in pigs to determine whether one foraging strategy was more beneficial to neonates in terms of their body weight and foraging environment. We found that intermediate and heavy littermates tended to adjust their suckling strategy according to the foraging environment; however, the selected foraging strategy did not affect their overall growth performance. Lighter individuals that consumed significantly less milk did not greatly alternate their foraging strategy according to the foraging environment, but their growth rate was significantly higher whenever they performed less-exploratory foraging behavior. Although suckling order appeared to be a relatively stable behavioral phenotype, it was beneficial exclusively for weaklings. These results confirm theoretical predictions and indicate that specializing in a suckling position is a beneficial strategy for weaker, light neonates. These findings suggest that physically weaker neonates might have driven the evolution of neonatal foraging specialization.
Effect of reduced salting and pig sex on the quality of Slovenian dry-cured ham Kraški pršut was studied. A total of 48 hams from 24 crossbred pigs (12 gilts, 12 castrates) were submitted to two ...different salting regimes; standard salting for 18 days (HS hams, n = 24) and shortened salting (LS hams, n = 24) for 10 days. Reduced salting time effectively reduced salt content but resulted also in higher extent of proteolysis of LS hams which was associated with differences in texture and colour of biceps femoris muscle. Lower fat oxidative stability was observed in HS hams. With regard to sex effect, the hams originating from gilts were more proteolysed which was associated with differences in texture and colour. Lipid oxidation was similar in gilts and castrates.
•Reducing salt level is a challenge for producers of Slovenian dry-cured ham Kraški pršut.•Duration of salting and sex of pig (gilts vs. castrates) affect the quality of dry cured ham.•Reducing salt level resulted in higher proteolysis and softer texture.•Higher salt level was associated with increased fat oxidation.•Hams from gilts exhibited higher proteolysis and softer texture.
The antioxidant activity (AA) of hop extracts obtained from different hop genotypes (n = 14) was studied. For comparison, the purified β-acids-rich fraction and α-acids-with-β-acids-rich fraction ...were also used to test the antioxidative potential. The AA of purified hydroacetonic hop extracts was investigated using the Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP), Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) and Intracellular Antioxidant (IA) methods. The FRAP values in different hop genotypes ranged between 63.5 and 101.6 μmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g dry weight (DW), the ORAC values ranged between 1069 and 1910 μmol TE/g DW and IA potential values ranged between 52.7 and 118.0 mmol TE/g DW. Significant differences in AA between hop genotypes were observed with all three methods. AAs were determined using three different methods, which did not highly correlate with each other. We also did not find significant correlations between AA and different chemical components, which applies both to AA determined using individual methods as well as the total AA. Based on this fact, we assume that the synergistic or antagonistic effects between hop compounds have a more pronounced effect on AA than the presence and quantity of individual hop compounds.
At weaning, piglets undergo an immediate transition from mother’s milk to the feed mixture. Feed refusal and growth lag is, therefore, a frequent feeding disorder in newly weaned piglets. The present ...study aimed to determine whether newly weaned piglets adapt their feeding preferences towards feeders of different types/shapes and positions. A total of 120 piglets were included in the study. The analysis was carried out in low- and high-density groups, with 10 or 20 individuals per pen, respectively. Two different feeders were present in the weaning pen: a hopper (circular/central) and a trough (rectangular/sidewall). Piglet activity was video-recorded, and the number of piglets in each feeder was counted. The results showed nearly five times higher competition at the feeder in the high-density groups (p < .0001). In both high- and low-density groups, piglets showed a significant preference towards the hopper (4 and 24 times higher number of piglets at the hopper compared to the trough, respectively; p < .0001). The trough feeder was mainly chosen when the (preferred) hopper feeder was occupied by a higher number of piglets (p < .0001). There are several co-founding factors that explain the observed phenomenon: the distance from the resting area, the perception of the circular feeder as less competitive, and contra-freeloading. However, the results showed that the feeder type/position should be considered when planning the layout of a weaning pen.HighlightsWeaners showed markedly higher competition at the feeder at high stocking density.Weaners preferred circular feeder (hopper) placed in the middle of a pen.Unlimited circular space, position (proximity to lying area), and contra-freeloading may explain hopper preference.
Oxidation is one of the major reasons for impaired quality of meat and meat products but can be prevented by the addition of antioxidants. In the present study, the effect of dietary sweet chestnut ...wood extract and hop cones on the quality and oxidative stability of meat and dry-cured products was investigated. Control pigs (N = 11) were fed a commercial diet (13.1 MJ metabolizable energy, 15.5% crude protein), while the other two experimental groups were supplemented with 3% of sweet chestnut wood extract (Tannin; N = 12) or 0.4% of hop cones (Hops; N = 11). The quality of meat and dry-cured products was evaluated by means of chemical composition, water holding capacity, objective color, and lipid and protein oxidation. No major effects of sweet chestnut wood extract or of hops supplementation were observed, nevertheless, some indications of improved water holding capacity could be attributed to antioxidants supplementation. The color evolution of dry-cured bellies from Tannin and Hops groups of pigs during refrigerated storage was also indicative of an improved oxidative stability.
Due to the initiative to stop piglet castration, meat from entire male pigs is expected to take important share on the European market which can affect dry-cured ham industry. In the present study, ...hams of entire males (EM) and immunocastrates (IC) were submitted to dry-curing process. Sex category and salting regime were evaluated using standard (18days; HS) and shortened salting (6days; LS). At the end of processing, compared to HS, LS hams had lower (40%) salt content, were more proteolysed, were less salty, and had softer texture and different volatile profile. Sex effect was less evident; still, hams from EM exhibited higher processing losses and salt intake, and were drier, less marbled, harder, and more intensively coloured than IC hams. The panellists perceived higher off-flavours in hams with high boar taint compounds (correlation 0.67 and 0.53 for skatole and androstenone, respectively). The effect of sex category on volatile profile was negligible.
•Sex differences were lesser than the impact of salt reduction.•Hams of entire males had higher weight losses at salting and higher salt intake.•Sex effect on sensory and volatile profiles was not strong, contrary to salt reduction.•Off-flavour sensation was proportional to skatole and androstenone levels.
•Imprinting using simple 2D symbols in the juvenile stage (lactation period).•Virtual splitting of weaning pens using simple 2D symbols.•Lower aggression, distinct territoriality and better growth of ...weaned piglets.•Suitable simple method to improve weaners welfare under farm conditions.
Weaning stress accompanied by outburst of aggression is a critical point in pig production as it compromises piglets’ welfare and leads to poor growth rate and health problems. Therefore, a weaning methods to smoothen the lactation–weaning transition are of great importance. In the present study a simple practical approach based on the imprinting phenomenon to improve weaned piglets’ welfare and growth performance was implemented. From birth, piglets were continually exposed to the simple 2D shapes, either a white circle on a black background (WC) or a black cross on a white background (BC). At weaning, piglets were allotted to weaning groups consisting of one WC and one BC litter, whereby test weaning pens, but not the control pens, were virtually divided using WC and BC signage on respective halves of the pen. The approach was tested in low- and high-density weaning groups, i.e. 10 or 20 individuals per pen (120 animals in total). The results revealed better growth performance of the test group (12–17% higher daily gain). On the whole, the number of post-weaning fights was lower in the test group and the majority of fights (62–75%) occurred among WC and BC. As regards the territoriality, piglets post-weaning tendency to remain in the area marked with a familiar sign was in general significant − i.e. more distinct grouping in the test pens (p<0.05), comparing to the control pen. It appears that virtual splitting of weaning pens using simple 2D symbols to which pigs were exposed during lactation may decrease weaning aggression, promote distinct grouping and territorial behaviour, and promote growth performance of weaned piglets under farm conditions, especially in groups with lower stock density.
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