Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2015 Swine feed efficiency: implications for swine behavior, physiology and welfare Jessica Diane Colpoys Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Agriculture Commons, and the Animal Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Colpoys, Jessica Diane, "Swine feed efficiency: implications for swine behavior, physiology and welfare" (2015). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 14747. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/14747 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Swine feed efficiency: Implications for swine behavior, physiology and welfare by Jessica D. Colpoys A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Animal Physiology (Ethology) Program of Study Committee: Anna K. Johnson, Co-Major Professor Nicholas K. Gabler, Co-Major Professor Aileen F. Keating Suzanne T. Millman Cheryl L. Morris Jason W. Ross Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2015 Copyright © Jessica D. Colpoys, 2015. All rights reserved. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................ ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................ xii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. xiv CHAPTER 1. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................ 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 Measuring Feed Efficiency ......................................................................................... 2 Biological Factors Contributing to Feed Efficiency ................................................... 5 Body composition, digestion, and metabolism ....................................................... 6 Activity and feeding behavior ................................................................................. 6 Immunological and environmental stress ............................................................. 10 Stress ......................................................................................................................... 12 Psychobiology of the stress response .................................................................... 12 Animal stress and feed efficiency ......................................................................... 15 Measuring animal stress ........................................................................................ 17 Animal welfare...................................................................................................... 25 Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 29 References ................................................................................................................. 29 CHAPTER 2. FEEDING REGIMEN IMPACTS PIG GROWTH AND BEHAVIOR .................................................................................................................. 40 Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 40 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 41 Materials and Methods .............................................................................................. 43 Animals and housing............................................................................................. 43 Performance .......................................................................................................... 45 Whole body composition and tissue accretion...................................................... 45 Behavior ................................................................................................................ 46 Data analysis ......................................................................................................... 46 Results ....................................................................................................................... 48 Performance .......................................................................................................... 48 iii Whole body composition and tissue accretion...................................................... 48 Behavior ................................................................................................................ 49 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 50 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 55 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... 55 References ................................................................................................................. 56 CHAPTER 3. EFFECTS OF GENETIC SELECTION FOR RESIDUAL FEED INTAKE ON BEHAVIORAL REACTIVITY OF CASTRATED MALE PIGS TO NOVEL STIMULI TESTS ........................................................................................... 68 Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 69 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 70 Materials and Methods .............................................................................................. 72 Animals and housing............................................................................................. 72 Test methodology and facility .............................................................................. 73 Human approach test......................................................................................... 76 Novel object test ............................................................................................... 77 Measures ............................................................................................................... 77 Data analysis ......................................................................................................... 77 Results ....................................................................................................................... 78 Human approach test............................................................................................. 78 Stimulus attention ............................................................................................. 78 Arousal and fear behavior ................................................................................. 79 Novel object test ................................................................................................... 79 Stimulus attention ............................................................................................. 79 Arousal and fear behavior ................................................................................. 80 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 80 Stimulus attention ................................................................................................. 80 Arousal and fear behavior ..................................................................................... 81 General discussion ................................................................................................ 82 Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 83 Acknowledgments..................................................................................................... 83 References ................................................................................................................. 84 CHAPTER 4. FEED EFFICIENCY EFFECTS ON BARROW AND GILT BEHAVIORAL REACTIVITY TO NOVEL STIMULI TESTS ................................. 93 Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 94 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 95 Materials and Methods .............................................................................................. 97 Animals and housing............................................................................................. 97 RFI selection and calculation ................................................................................ 98 Test methodology