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The objective of this study was to validate standing and locomotion lameness scoring, mechanical nociceptive threshold testing, and behavioral profile tools for the diagnosis of naturally occurring lameness etiologies in pigs. A total of 55 crossbred gilts and sows obtained from a commercial farm were enrolled in the study; with sound pigs classified as controls (8) and the remainder as lame due to integumentary (20), musculoskeletal (15), and combinations of integumentary and musculoskeletal (12) etiologies. Standing and locomotion lameness, mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) test, pig-human interventions, and latency to complete an obstacle course were evaluated. Standing and locomotion lameness scoring systems, MNT, and pig behavior (latency) were capable of discriminating between animals with mild organic lameness and animals that were sound and may have utility on the farm for staff to use to identify and manage lame animals. In rare instances, the tools used here were able to discriminate between broad categories of lameness etiology.

In the United States swine industry, preweaning mortality represents the highest mortality rate of any production phase, nearly half attributed to crushing. The overarching aim of this study was to determine if enrichment ropes would entice neonatal piglets away from the sow and reduce preweaning mortality. Rope enrichments were provided to 161 piglets from 26 sows after farrowing. Ropes were dipped in sunflower oil ( n = 7), semiochemical ( n = 8), or milky cheese ( n = 11). Piglet purposeful rope investigations, weight gain, and mortality were recorded. On Day 2, 75% of piglets touched the enrichment at least once, and frequency ranged from 1 to 21 investigations across all treatments. Frequency ( p = 0.20) and duration ( p = 0.21) of investigations were not affected by treatment. Preweaning litter average weight gain did not differ between treatments ( p = 0.71). MC (milky cheese) piglets had the lowest percent mortality when the enrichment ropes were present (Days 2 to 5, p = 0.01), and SC (semiochemical) piglets had the lowest percent mortality after the enrichment ropes were removed (Days 6 to weaning, p < 0.0001). This proof-of-concept study highlights the potential value of neonatal piglet environmental enrichment.

There is a strong industry demand for technically simple and highly efficacious alternatives to heat cautery disbudding in goat kids that can be performed as a stand-alone procedure without adjunct anesthesia, and that result in improved overall welfare through reduced acute pain, reduced tissues healing interval, and a consistent safety record. The objective of this study was to consider the net effect of disbudding techniques on goat welfare by examining vocalization frequency, long-term efficacy and animal safety associated with four alternative caprine disbudding methods against sham-disbudded and heat-cautery controls. Sixty-five commercial male dairy kids were disbudded at 3-10 days of age with one of six disbudding treatments (clove oil injection, caustic paste, two cryosurgical methods, heat-cautery, and sham procedure). Heat cautery was 91% effective, caustic paste was 55% effective, and the other treatments were ineffective. Heat cautery and sham procedures resulted in similar vocalization efforts; freezing with a liquid-nitrogen cooled iron resulted in significantly greater vocalization numbers. No unintended paste transfer injuries were observed with short-term application of the caustic paste. Heat cautery resulted in numerous superficial infections but no permanent injury. Clove oil injection was associated with several unexpected and severe complications including unintended tissue necrosis, temporary paresis, skull defects, meningitis, and death. Collectively, we did not find that any of the alternative methods of disbudding provided a feasible option over heat cautery to improve welfare.