Behavior of piglets in function of the weaning age

Abstract

The experiment was conducted using 32 pigs, with initial weight of 5,60 ± 0,75kg, 16 of them weaned at 21 days of age, , and the other 16 weaned at 35 days of life, distributed by a completely randomized experimental design composed by two treatments and four repetitions with four animals by experimental unit, aiming to evaluate the behavior of pigs after the weaning at different ages. The behavior was verified through images collected by cams and registered by specific software, for 63 hours ceaselessly after the animals weaning, using the "Focal" technique. Significant differences in the frequency of animals practicing of nosing were verified, as to be using the drinker, mounting, practicing biting, and as for the time of permanence in the feeder, permanence in play behaviors and in agonistic behaviors. The animals weaned to at 35 days of age presented less stereotyped behaviors than those weaned at 21 days. Significant differences were verified as for weight gains in all of the periods studied. Animals weaned at 35 days of age presented a smaller incidence of undesirable behaviors than the animals weaned at 21 days of age, resulting in better development of the animals weaned at 35 days of age.