Effects Of Music And Toys On The Welfare Level In Weaned Piglets

This paper measured the sound volume in pigsty and studied the effects of music and toys on the welfare level in weaned pigs, some biochemistry indexes were studied in this research, such as production performance, saliva cortisol content, skin lesion, behavior, skin temperature and respiration rate.Experiment one studied the change of sound volume in delivery room and nursery room. In conclusion, the highest sound volume is 72.16dB in pig delivery when they are eating. And it is 70.00 dB in pig nursery room. Experiment two, Ninety-six weaned piglets at 28 day with similar initial weight (8.60±0.12 kg)were randomly allocated into four groups (control, music, toys, music+toys) by two factorial design. Each group had 4 replicates of 6 pigs (3 boars and 3 gilts) which come from different mother. Experimental period was 15 d.《The sound of silence》was played during 8:00-10:00 and 15:00-17:00 at everyday. The sound volume is between 65-75dB. The toy was made by innocuous rubber. All the pigs were recorded a video for 2 hours in the 15:00-17:00 during the 1,7,14d after weaning. The results showed that toys and music had no significant influence on the ADG, ADFI, F/G, Skin temperature and respiration rate. After weaned first day, toys very significantly increases incidence of huddling(P < 0.01) and decreases incidence of pen manipulation(P < 0.01). Meanwhile, toys significantly decreases incidence of standing posture.After weaned 7th day, music very significantly decreased saliva cortisol concentration (P < 0.01), toys significantly decreased saliva cortisol concentration (P = 0.02), Music and toys had significant interaction on the saliva cortisol (P < 0.05). Music very significantly increases incidence of lying posture(P < 0.01), decrease aggression and penmate manipulation behavior incidence (P = 0.05, P < 0.05); Toys very significantly increases incidence of toys manipulation(P < 0.01), decreases incidence of penmate manipulation. Music and Toys had no significant influence on the skin lesion, but decreases its score.After weaned 14^th , music significantly decreases saliva cortisol content(P = 0.02), toys decreases it too, but no significant(P = 0.07); music significantly increases incidence of sitting posture(P < 0.05) and toys manipulation(P < 0.01).It was concluded that music or toys had no significant influence on performance, but they could reduce stress level and improve welfare. it isn't necessary that music and toys is required at the same time.