Savaging
Channel: all the knowledge of the universe PRINCIPIA
Date: 2022-01-22

Savaging, by Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=10115233 / CC BY SA 3.0

#Abnormal_behaviour_in_animals
#Animal_welfare
#Causes_of_death
#Ethology
#Livestock
#Swine_diseases
Proper care of piglets by a mother gilt or sow depends on sanitary conditions and a comfortable environment.
Savaging is a term used in the study of ethology that refers to aggressive behaviour displayed by the mother towards the offspring.
Aggressive behaviour includes being rough with, injuring, biting, attacking, crushing and killing （maternal infanticide） of the offspring.
While savaging behaviour has been seen in multiple species, it is predominantly demonstrated in domestic pigs （Sus scrofa domesticus）.
As the definition of savaging is so broad, research on the prevalence of savaging behaviour varies with reports of little savaging of offspring to savaging of offspring up to the 20th percentile.
Prevalence of aggressive, non-fatal savaging is greater in gilts, or females who have not yet previously farrowed, as piglet-focused aggression is more frequent in young animals than sows, adult females who have previously given birth.
Occurrence of savaging demonstrated by sows is greater if the sow has previously savaged her offspring either as a gilt or sow.
Savaging behaviour usually occurs during the first two days after parturition.
Prevalence of savaging is similar among first and second farrowing cycles.
Savaging behaviour has a significant impact on both agricultural economy and animal welfare which is why it is currently a subject of interest in the pig industry.
There exist multiple environmental factors that increase the rate of savaging demonstrated by pigs.
It has been shown that human attitudes and behaviour can affect the behaviour of domestic pigs.
For example, annoyance and transmission of emotions can occur in gilts and sows when a new worker enters the farrowing rooms and makes excessive noise, does not feed the animals in a timely manner and/or is frustrated/annoyed....