Browsing by Author "Chidgey KL"

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    Characterisation of the Behavioural Effects of a Thoracic Squeeze in Healthy Newborn Piglets
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-08) Holdsworth SE; Kells NJ; Chidgey KL; Vallée E; Ward N; Mellor DJ; Beausoleil NJ
    A thoracic squeeze has been observed to cause both healthy and low vigour neonatal foals to enter a ‘less-responsive state’, characterised by loss of posture, eye closure and cessation of movement, from which they rapidly recover to express normal healthy behaviours when the squeeze is released. To date, there have been no systematic studies characterising the responses of healthy neonates of other mammalian species to a thoracic squeeze. We describe the responses of healthy newborn piglets (n = 17) to a standardised application of the thoracic squeeze and evaluate the effect of the method of squeeze application on the response. Neonatal piglets were squeezed around the chest with either a soft fabric rope as has been used in foals (n = 8) or a novel purpose-made inflation cuff (n = 9). Both methods were effective at inducing a less-responsive behavioural state in all piglets, with neural reflexes reduced or absent in over half of them. The inflation cuff appeared to induce the less-responsive state faster than the rope, and more piglets squeezed with the cuff remained in this state for the full 10-min squeeze. These findings suggest that the behavioural response of foals to thoracic squeezing can be generalised to neonates of other precocial mammalian species. This initial study provides a foundation for further research using the inflation cuff to explore mechanisms underlying the thoracic squeeze and ways in which it may be applied whilst performing husbandry procedures.
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    Using poultry by-product meal to replace soybean meal in grower -finisher pig diets
    (Elsevier B V, 2024-07-01) Nguyen TT; Chidgey KL; Wester TJ; Schreurs NM; Morel PCH
    This study investigated the effect of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with poultry by-product meal (PBM) in grower-finisher diets on pig feeding, growth performance, carcass yield and meat quality. The replacement levels were increased from no PBM (PBM0) to 37 g/kg PBM (PBM37), 85 g/kg PBM (PM85) and 111 g/kg PBM (PBM111). All diets met or exceeded nutrient requirements for pigs between 20 – 100 kg live weight (NRC, 2012). Sixty-four entire males (PIC 337 x PIC Camborough 42), at an average live weight (LW) of 27.60 ± 2.48 kg (mean ±SD) were blocked by LW and randomly assigned to 8 pens, with each diet replicated across 2 pens. Pigs had ad libitum access to diets via electronic feeders until they reached approximately 100 kg LW, at which time they were slaughtered. Results showed no significant effect of replacing SBM with PBM on pig feeding behavior parameters and the majority of pig growth performance, carcass yield, and meat quality traits, with the exception of higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) in pigs fed the PBM37 diet. Loin muscles from the group fed the PBM111 diet had significantly lower ultimate pH and a greater cooking loss than the other treatments (P < 0.05). Loin muscles from pigs fed high levels of PBM (PBM85 and PBM111) had greater ash content than those fed the PBM37 and control diets (P = 0.001). Overall, the present research indicated that PBM could be a viable primary protein source in diets for growing-finishing pigs, as it did not appear to have any adverse effects on pig feeding behavior, growth performance and meat quality. In addition, PBM is potentially a good source of calcium and phosphorus for growing–finishing pigs. However, due to the variation in quality and composition of available PBM, it is essential to measure nutritional composition before including PBM in diets for growing-finishing pigs.