A recent test found that pigs understand mirrors, and can learn where a food bowl is through looking at the reflection. One group of pigs had time to get used to the mirror before they were tested, and another group were only shown a mirror at the beginning of the test. A hidden food bowl was then shown to them in the mirror. The food bowl was empty – so the pigs would not be relying on their sense of smell to locate it.
All but one of the pigs who were familiar with the mirror found the food bowl in less than 23 seconds – whereas the pigs who were new to it looked behind the mirror for the bowl.
Again, we see the amazing capacities of animals to work out their environment and shows the importance of using only high welfare farming systems as pigs easily become bored and frustrated in barren factory farms. At a minimum, all pigs should have access to bedding materials that let them root and explore like their wild ancestors.
Source:
Broom, D. M., Sena, H., Moynihan, K. L. (2009)
Pigs learn what a mirror image represents and use it to obtain information.
Animal Behaviour, Article in Press
If by the word ‘language’ we mean a system of communication, animals have different languages of their own. Hens and chickens have over 30 different calls, which they use to alert their group to food or danger, for example. Chicks start communicating with their mother hen while they are still in the egg and cockerels have a special food call to let the hens know that food has been found. Hens make a gentle crowing sound when they are happy.
Socialising in the village square. (c) Compassion in World Farming/Chi Keung Wong
Pigs are very chatty, communicating with grunts, squeals, snarls and snorts, champing their jaws and clacking their teeth. Sows have a special call for their piglets when it’s time for the piglets to suckle. Sows and piglets keep contact with each other and with their mother by squeals and grunts. If piglets are separated from Mum, they squeal for her. Scientists found that sows responded more strongly to the desperate squeals from cold, hungry piglets than they did to calls from larger, more well-fed piglets.
Animals can also understand each other’s language. For example, some animals can understand the meaning of another’s alarm call.
Dogs and humans have a long history of living together. While dogs are often quick are picking up what humans are saying – perhaps by the tone of voice rather than by all the actual words – we humans often seem to struggle to understand dog ‘bark language.’ In this really interesting video, courtesy of the social networking site Petstreet , dog communication expert John Rogerson helps us decipher what our furry friends are wanting to tell us.
Some pig breeding farms use computerised feeders for the pregnant sows. Each sow is fitted with an electronic collar which triggers the release of each sow’s meal individually. Perhaps unsurprisingly, some pigs reject the collars and will get them off. Other clever pigs have learnt that picking up the collar and taking it through the computerised feeding area means that they get another meal.
The farmer of course needs to replace the collars of the sows who discarded theirs, otherwise those sows will not get any food.
A TV series called ‘Clever Critters’ filmed some of these sows and you can see them here:
The clip says the sows are only fed one meal per day. The farmer does provide straw, a really important basic enrichment for pigs. But these clever animals may be hungry and they also will look for interesting activities to fill their days of pregnancy. It is admirable how they use their wits to beat the system!
Pigs are intelligent and curious and need an interesting environment. Image (c) Compassion in World Farming/Martin Usborne
“A cat looks down on man, a dog looks up to man,
but a pig will look man right in the eye and see his equal.”
Winston Churchill
It is well known that pigs are intelligent and curious. In nature, sows make a secure nest for their piglets and there are strong bonds between mother and young.
Recent research with pigs found that they have “episodic-like memory” – a particular kind of memory which indicates highly developed mental abilities.
Despite our knowledge of their sentience, the majority of the world’s pigs are kept in factory farms. And if the animal welfare reasons are not enough to end factory farming, swine flu may give us another reason. Cramped, stressed animals in filthy conditions provide the ideal breeding ground for bugs. (The link takes you to a short clip on CNN News with disease expert Dr Michael Greger).
A better quality of life. Image: Compassion/Martin Usborne
High welfare, free range or preferably organic systems can provide a much better life for pigs. Let’s give them space, fresh air and a life worth living.
Sue, an amazing six month old (male) pig, is charming the world’s media with his intelligence and abilities. He noticed that the family dogs received treats while they were being trained on a dog agility course and he started to copy them!
Sue lives at a UK animal centre, where the owner is quoted as saying:
“He certainly does a dog agility course without any trouble. He twists and turns in both directions, he gives his trotter and he does cones, the tunnel and ramps. Everybody is always amazed, but personally I’m not because I have kept pigs for years and I know they really want to learn.”
A pig needs to rest too! Image: Istockphoto.com
Another quick-thinking pig is LuLu, who brought life-saving help for her human companion.
‘Celebrity pigs’ like Sue and Lulu show us that they and fellow pigs are intelligent and interested in their world. It underlines the fact that how we treat pigs is of vital importance to them. Yet pigs are one of the most intensively farmed animals in the world. Millions of pigs reared for meat each year have a short and sometimes painful life in a barren concrete pen. The young pigs can never experience fresh air or daylight. They are unable to behave naturally and are likely to be bored and frustrated. But higher welfare free-range or organic farming systems give the animals a chance of a better quality of life.
High welfare free range or organic farms can give the animals a better quality of life
LuLu the Vietnamese pot-bellied pig is a star pig. When her human companion suffered a heart attack in their isolated holiday home, thirteen-month old LuLu charged to the rescue.
She squeezed through the ‘dog door’, scraping herself in the process, and headed for the road. This meant her leaving the fenced yard, which she never usually did on her own.
Then she laid in the road waiting for a car to stop. According to witnesses, it took 45 minutes before a kind driver did get out to see what was up. LuLu led him to the house and Jo Ann’s life was saved.
A follow-up article reported that the world was fascinated by LuLu’s courage and clever action. LuLu has had worldwide media coverage and TV appearances and she has been given a gold medal from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
