Profile

Research into the ethology of pigs and poultry in order to elucidate how the production system and the surrounding environment influence the behaviour and welfare of the animals. The focus of interest is on the understanding of the relationship between production and the occurrence of unwanted behaviour in order to develop selection and breeding methods ensuring the welfare of production animals.

Main activities

• The maternal ability of sows and the interaction between sows and piglets
• The relation between general reactivity and maternal behaviour
• Tail biting in pigs
• The effect of a synthetic pheromone (apaisine) on aggression and fear in pigs