Développement et utilisation d'un outil de description des pratiques humaines et des réactions des animaux lors de manipulations en élevage de porc
Résumé
The evaluation of the human‐animal relationship is a core facet of livestock systems but it rarely takes into account simultaneously the human and the animal. The aim of this experiment was to measure human operator and animal behaviour during handling. We first built record sheets listing all the observable operator and animal actions during standard husbandry practices. They were then used in two situations: the transfer at weaning of 107 sows from farrowing to mating unit by 5 operators and the sorting of 144 selected fattening pigs from their pen by 4 operators prior to transfer to the abattoir. A total of 57 human and 24 animal actions were listed. The operators did not differ in the number of negative actions (Fisher’s test) and the duration of transfer of the sows (ANOVA), whereas the number of negative reactions from sows differed between operators (P < 0.01, Fisher’s test). For fattening pigs, we observed differences among the operators concerning the number of negative actions and the number of negative reactions of the pigs (P < 10‐4, Fisher’s test), and a tendency for the duration of sorting (P = 0.09, ANOVA). Comparable frequencies of negative actions did not lead to similar negative reactions, and different frequencies of negative actions could lead to similar frequencies of negative reactions. The four operators who moved the fattening pigs were distinguished by a cluster analysis, based on their use of auditory, visual and tactile contacts. This tool is promising to study the human‐animal relationship in working conditions, but will have to be validated in larger conditions.
Domaines
Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]
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