Work

Assessment of personality traits in cloned minipigs using three different behavioral tests

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Identifying and grouping personality types in pigs may be important for their management and welfare. This study assessed the within-individual consistency and between-group differences in activity level, boldness, and exploration in 12 two-year-old male miniature pigs from three clone groups using three behavioral tests: the open field test, the human approach test, and the novel object test, each repeated three times. The study examines the consistency of individual behaviors over time and potential differences between clone groups. Activity levels were consistent within individual pigs in the open field test. Conversely, the time spent close to the stimulus in the human approach test, and the novel object test was not consistent within individual pigs. Clone groups showed different activity levels in the open field test but did not differ in the time spent near the person or balloon in the human approach test and the novel object test, suggesting a genetic influence on activity levels but not on boldness or exploration in male miniature pigs.

Source: Journal of Veterinary Behavior

DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2025.08.006

Authors: Martina Felici, Aurora Paganelli, Tammi Cottrell, Micaela Sgorbini, Paolo Baragli, Adam R. Reddon

Institutions: University of Bologna, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Pisa

Language: English

Topic: Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies

Subfield: Small Animals

Field: Veterinary

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,490

Funders: Fondazione Pisa, Università di Bologna, Università di Pisa