The bases of sow-piglet identification. 2. Cues used by piglets to identify their dam and home pen

doi:10.1016/S0168-1591(05)80070-X

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Volume 33, Issue 4, June 1992, Pages 329-343

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(05)80070-X Get rights and content

Abstract

In each of a series of 21 experiments designed to determine the sensory cues piglets may use to identify their own mothers, 20 piglets were given a choice, in a T maze, between two stimuli, identical in general nature except that one came from their mother or home pen and the other from unrelated pigs. In each case, an additional 20 control piglets, for whom neither stimulus was derived from their home environment, were also run. Two additional experiments, employing a further 422 piglets, in which response to specific stimuli was tested in more naturalistic settings, supplemented these findings. Piglets were found to be able to discriminate their whole home environment very reliably by 1 day of age. They could also distinguish odours derived from various sources on their mother compared with odours from other sows, including urine, faeces and the udder. In addition, they were able to identify their own sow's ‘calling-up’ vocalisations at 36 h of age. However, they seemed to be less good at discriminating their littermates from other piglets, though they could do so by 1 week of age provided body odours were not washed off or masked. Results are discussed in relation to the natural ethology of the pig.

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