Andrea Pierdomenico

Dr. Andrea Pierdomenico


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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10 July 2023 in Animals
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
ECEdoardo Collarini
Edoardo Collarini
LCLuca Capponcelli
Luca Capponcelli
APAndrea Pierdomenico
Andrea Pierdomenico
INIvan Norscia
Ivan Norscia
giada cordonigiada cordoni
giada cordoni
Domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) possess complex socio-cognitive skills, and sows show high inter-individual variability in maternal behaviour. To evaluate how females—reared under natural conditions—react to the isolation calls of their own piglets or those of other females, we conducted observations and experimental trials. In January–February 2021, we conducted all-occurrences sampling on affiliation, aggression, and lactation (daily, 7:30–16:30 h) on six lactating and four non-lactating females at the ethical farm Parva Domus (Turin, Italy). The trials (30 s each, n = 37/sow) consisted of briefly catching and restraining a piglet. We recorded the sow response (none/reactive/proactive movement towards the piglet; self-directed anxiety behaviours such as body shaking) before and during the trial and under control conditions. Increased levels of anxiety behaviour in sows were accompanied by an increased frequency of responses. Less aggressive sows and lactating sows showed the highest frequencies of response. Finally, the isolation calls’ maximum intensity had an influence on the type of response observed, with higher proactive response frequencies following lower intensity isolation calls. Our results suggest that being under lactation could play a key role in increasing sow response levels and that specific acoustic features may influence the response.