Original scientific paper

The effect of rubber slat mats on cortisol concentrations in stall-housed gilts

Mario Ostović orcid.org/0000-0002-0253-0000 ; Department of Animal Hygiene, Behaviour and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Renata Barić Rafaj ; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Sven Menčik ; Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Anamaria Ekert Kabalin ; Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Jurica Grahovac ; Bio Pharm Vet, Ltd., Zagreb, Croatia
Kristina Matković ; Department of Animal Hygiene, Behaviour and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Katarina Nenadović ; Department of Animal Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
Ivona Žura Žaja ; Department of Physiology and Radiobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Željko Pavičić ; Department of Animal Hygiene, Behaviour and Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

It has been established that rubber mats improve lying comfort in stall-housed gilts at low ambient temperatures. The present study investigated whether rubber mats influence stress levels in gilts by improved lying comfort. The study was performed in a commercial pig farm service unit, during the 28-day breeding cycles in autumn and winter. During both cycles, the control and experimental groups of gilts (9 gilts each) were housed in gestation stalls with a concrete slatted floor; in the experimental groups, the floor was additionally coated with adjusted 2-cm thick rubber mat. Stress level was assessed by determination of cortisol concentrations in gilt serum on days 1, 8, 15 and 28 of each cycle, when the postural behaviour of gilts was observed. In both groups of gilts, serum cortisol was significantly lower (P<0.05) on day 28 as compared with day 1 in both breeding cycles. However, on day 28, significantly lower (P<0.05) serum cortisol was measured in the experimental group as compared with the control group. There was a negative correlation between cortisol concentrations and the time that experimental gilts spent lying in total, and lying laterally (r = -0.46 and r = -0.52, respectively, P<0.05) and a positive correlation between cortisol concentrations and time spent standing (r = 0.43, P<0.05). In the control group, there was no significant correlation between serum cortisol concentrations and the postures observed, except for sitting (r = 0.55, P<0.05), but a correlation was recorded between cortisol concentrations and posture changing (r = 0.33, P<0.05). In conclusion, the use of rubber mats proved to be an efficient management tool to reduce stress levels in gilts by improving their lying comfort.

Keywords

pig; flooring; rubber mat; stress; cortisol

Hrčak ID:

178598

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/178598

Publication date:

15.3.2017.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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