A BUDDING Clare zoologist has improved the mental health of two Galway pigs following a series of experiments – which could be used to improve the welfare of captive animals.
UCC zoology student Ellie Cullinan, from Crusheen, has pioneered a unique animal welfare project as part of her work placement, delivering a series of initiatives that improved the wellbeing of two boars at the Burren Nature Sanctuary over the summer.
Ellie carried out the enrichment project designed at improving the welfare of pigs Apollo and Jupiter from the end of June until the start of August.
The idea for the project developed after Ellie discussed her idea for her final year thesis with Mary, the owner of the sanctuary as she planned to study the enrichment of dairy cattle kept inside during winter months. Mary subsequently suggested that Ellie could carry out an enrichment project involving two male pigs at the sanctuary.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Cullinan explained that environmental enrichment involves making changes to a captive animal’s environment to improve its welfare and encourage more natural behaviours.
“Enrichment is any change to a captive animal’s environment that improves their welfare. If you’ve been to a zoo and you see a lion or a tiger or a cheetah pace up and down, that’s what’s called a repetitive or a stereotypical behaviour. That’s what animals do in captive environments if they’re bored or stressed”, Cullinan highlighted. Repetitive behaviours in pigs can include biting each other’s tails and constant shaking of their heads.
The two pigs involved in the project, Jupiter and Apollo, were both observed pacing during the initial stage of the study. For the first week, Ellie observed the animals without introducing enrichment in order to establish their normal behavioural patterns.
“Pacing took up 24.1 percent of Jupiter’s behavioural budget and 16.9 percent of Apollo’s behaviour”, she said.
The student then introduced a range of enrichment strategies designed to encourage the pigs to explore, forage and interact with their surroundings. One method involved scatter feeding, where food was placed in different areas of the enclosure so that the pigs had to search for it. Puzzle feeders were also created using recycled materials, including cardboard and plastic bottles.
“We used all recycled materials”, she said. “Putting holes into cartons or plastic bottles or even stuffing cereal boxes with hay, and that kept them occupied for ages”, Cullinan explained.
“They had a paddling pool of balls, which they really liked during the hot weather especially, soccer balls as well, stuff like that”, she continued.
Scent-based enrichment was also introduced for the animals, with different scents including cinnamon, garlic, oregano and clove rubbed onto pieces of wood. One of the most surprising reactions to this initiative came from the zoology student’s use of lavender however.
“We gave them lavender in its natural form, the plant, and it put both of them to sleep within three minutes. It seems lavender has the same kind of relaxing effect on pigs as it does on humans”, Cullinan noted.
Auditory enrichment was another element of the project, with the Crusheen woman using a steel tongue drum, an instrument commonly used during meditation to calm the animals.
“Apollo fell asleep to the sound of that, so I think that one kind of relaxed him as well. Pigs are like dogs. They wag their tails when they’re happy. When I was playing the music, Jupiter was constantly wagging his tail. He only stopped when I stopped playing. He enjoyed that one and he was kind of vocalising along with it”, Cullinan noted.
The results of the eight different enrichment methods used showed a significant reduction in the pigs’ repetitive behaviour, with pacing falling to just 0.6 percent in both animals during the enrichment study.
“After the enrichment study their pacing dropped to zero percent. There was no more repetitive behaviours. The aim of the study was to increase their more natural behaviours like exploring and foraging”, Cullinan said.
The enrichment study has provided valuable experience for the Crusheen student ahead of her fourth year studies as Cullinan now looks to apply the same principles to housed dairy cattle in winter.
