Browsing by Author "Figueroa, Jaime"

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    Effects of trial and error and social learning on flavour palatability in nursery pigs
    (2021) Figueroa, Jaime; Luna, Daniela; Salazar, Laura C.; Morales, Pia; Valdivia, Catalina; Mueller, Maximiliano; Dwyer, Dominic
    The acquisition of behaviours that enhance the acceptability of new feeds could improve the performance and animal welfare in the pig industry. Pigs may learn individually by trial and error and/or by social learning to consume and prefer new flavoured feeds. However, there is little information regarding the effects of learning on the palatability of those flavours. This study aimed to investigate possible changes in pigs? hedonic responses, estimated by the mean consumption time per approach (CT/A), for flavours previously learnt through individual experiences (Experiment 1) and socially by a brief interaction with an experienced conspecific (Experiment 2). A total of 96 nursery pigs were used to study their preference, acceptability and palatability for flavours previously learnt about. Flavours were associated with 4% sucrose (Experiment 1) or with a demonstrator that recently consumed the flavour (Experiment 2). Those flavours or positive conditioned stimulus (CS+) were compared with control flavours that were not positively conditioned (CS-). In experiment 1, pigs preferred (P = 0.010) and tended to accept more (P = 0.069) of the CS + than CS- in water solutions. Nevertheless, no palatability differences were found (P = 0.875). In experiment 2, observer animals had a higher intake of CS + following interaction with demonstrators that consumed the same flavoured feed (P = 0.041). Snout to snout interaction time between those demonstrators and observers tended to present a positive correlation with CT/A (r = 0.497, P = 0.1). Thus both individual trial and error learning, and social learning, increased pigs acceptance of, and preference for, food flavours. However, only social learning modified the pattern of consumption with the observation of a correlation between changes in the CT/A ratio and the degree of snout to snout contact time between demonstrators and observers. Thus the mechanisms and effects of social and individual learning appear to differ at least partially. Regardless of mechanism, the fact that associative learning can increase food flavour consumption suggests that interventions based on associative learning may be beneficial for addressing welfare problems in pig production linked to low consumption, in particular with respect to weaning where the low consumption may relate to the inexperience of the animals.
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    Food Preferences in Dogs: Effect of Dietary Composition and Intrinsic Variables on Diet Selection
    (2019) Alegria-Moran, Raul A.; Guzman-Pino, Sergio A.; Ignacio Egana, Juan; Munoz, Carem; Figueroa, Jaime
    Simple Summary Preference tests allow the study of some aspects of the feeding behavior of domestic dogs. However, besides sensorial proprieties of food, intrinsic characteristics of dogs may play a role in diet selection. The aim of this study was to describe the feeding behavior of dogs in relation to diet composition and their intrinsic variables (age, breed, sex, and body weight) by using a ten-year database of two-feeder food preference tests (2007-2017). The content of less digestible fractions like crude fiber and dry matter negatively affected dogs' food preferences. In addition, animals' weight and breed influenced dogs' intake of the most preferred diets, where heaviest dogs presented lower intakes as did the Beagle breed in relation with both Boxer and Labrador Retrievers. Moreover, the hot season of the year decreased dogs' intake of preferred diets. In terms of preferences, Boxers presented a lower preference for selected diets compared to the other breeds. Finally, age and sex did not affect dogs' preference or intake of the foods selected. The understanding of the relationships between food composition and intrinsic variables of dogs with their diet selection could improve specific pet food formulation in order to satisfy animals' physiological and hedonic needs.