N. Lidster: Moving Pigs: How Cutting Distance can Increase Time

Last week I stated that the laws of physics often work against us when we are moving pigs. A prime example is the equation:        

Distance = Rate x Time


Example: to travel 600 km at 120 km /hour will take

600 km ÷ 120 km/ hour  = 5 hours.


If I go 240 km tonight, how long will it take me to go the remaining distance tomorrow morning?

Remaining distance will be 600 km - 240 km = 360 km

Remaining time will be 360 km ÷ 120 km / hour = 3 hour.


The equation makes perfect sense doesn’t it? But there is a problem if we try to use it when moving pigs. The Problem: In many situations it interferes with FLOWING herd behaviour and encourages BUNCHING Herd Behaviour.

Handlers in last week’s blog moved hogs forward some 7 – 10 meters and held them there until the gate opened, presumably to shorten the distance and time to hogs’ destination. This week we will look at their actions in terms of pigs’ Herd Behaviour.


FLOWING Herd Behaviour:

It is hard to start pigs moving in a confined space without some degree of stress and turmoil as pigs get turned, spaced out and moving. If handlers in last week’s blog had waited until the gate was open before they started hogs moving, they could have let FLOWING herd behaviour carry hogs calmly and easily all the way to their destination. Here’s an example of FLOWING herd behaviour.

Hogs joining Flow.

Once hogs are FLOWING, it takes very little pressure and effort to keep them moving.

Instead of letting herd FLOW carry hogs calmly and easily all the way to their destination, handlers in last week’s blog moved hogs forward to a closed gate.


BUNCHING herd Behaviour:

By moving hogs forward and stopping them the handlers in last week’s blog encouraged Bunching herd behaviour. Here is what happened just prior to last week’s clip:

Movement stopped – hogs BUNCHED.



With movement stopped, hogs became more crowded as additional animals moved forward. Stopping and crowding pigs encourages them to BUNCH.

With conditions already favouring BUNCHING herd behaviour, the handlers actions further reinforced a BUNCHING tendency as you’ll see in these stills from last week’s video:

 
Photo 1:

When Handler #1 moved from left to right after opening the gate she encouraged front hogs to turn sideways and block the gate. Her presence there held their attention – and their bodies – in place.




Photo 2:

When Handler #2 started flagging from behind, rear hogs crowded forward and she drew front hogs’ attention more towards the back. That tightened and intensified the BUNCHING response.



Many handlers would stay stuck at this “chase from behind” position and try to get hogs moving by intensifying their pressure. To Handler #2’s credit, she changed positions.


Photo 3:

Handler #2 moved up along the side of the pen where she could pressure the front animals and get them moving and out of the way. From that position her flagging drew hogs’ attention and orientation:
away from Handler #1 and the Bunch
towards the open gate and the movement of hogs that were leaving




Summary:

Pigs don’t just pay attention to their handlers. They also pay attention to what the rest of the herd is doing. Pigs’ Herd Behaviour is a critical part of their survival responses and we need to understand and manage pigs’ herd behaviour if we want to move them with the least amount of effort and stress.

In last week’s blog, moving hogs up to the gate shortened the distance hogs had to move once the gate opened but it increased the time required and the stress on the hogs.

• It destroyed the opportunity to let the initial movement and herd FLOW, carry hogs calmly and easily all the way to their destination
• It increased the time required by adding the time needed to get hogs out of their BUNCHING herd response and start them moving for a second time
• It put hogs through a second round of stress and turmoil to get turned, spaced out and moving. Even if done well this often works against our animal welfare and meat quality objectives.
• Every time we start movement and stop it, we make it a little bit harder to start pigs moving again: we make them a little more defensive, more inclined to BUNCH, and a little harder to work: we rob ourselves of the opportunity to let FLOWING herd behaviour reduce the work required to move pigs.

The Laws of Physics and a “chase from behind” approach both interfere with effective use of pigs’ herd behaviour.

That’s it for this week

Take care

By Nancy Lidster.

Source: DNL Farms Ltd.