Like Mother Like Child: Do Fearful Sows Have Fearful Piglets?

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Early life and gestational experience influence the behavioural development of the offspring. This study investigated the relationship between gestating gilts’ fear of humans and cortisol levels and their feeding and maternal behaviour, and the personality (coping style, human fear) and growth of their piglets. Gilts were classified as fearful or friendly after four human approach tests performed between d 104 and d 111 of gestation, cortisol level was assessed between d 90 and d 108 of gestation, and maternal behaviour evaluated at d 13 of lactation. Piglets were submitted to a back test at 13 days old, and to a human approach test and an open field test at 20 days old. Fearful gilts had higher cortisol levels than friendly gilts. Piglets from friendly gilts tended to have a more active response to the back test, less freezing reaction in the open field test, and accepted human contact more than piglets from fearful gilts. The results of this study support the hypothesis that the fearfulness of gilts towards humans is related to their stress levels, and that both could influence the behavioural profile of their offspring. ABSTRACT: Gestational and early life experiences affect subsequent behavioural and physical development. The objective of the current study was to investigate associations between gilts’ fear of humans, gestational stress level, and feeding and maternal behaviour, as well as how these related to aspects of the personality and growth of their offspring. A total of 37 gilts were used. Four human approach tests were performed between d 104 and d 111 of gestation to classify gilts as fearful or friendly. Gilt feeding behaviour and salivary cortisol concentration was measured between d 90 and d 108 of gestation, and gilt nursing behaviour assessed at d 13 of lactation. Piglets were subject to a back test at d 13 of age, to an open field test and a human approach test at d 20 of age, and growth was monitored to weaning (d 26 of age). Gilts classified as having a fearful behavioural profile had higher cortisol levels than friendly gilts (p < 0.05). Human fear level did not affect reproductive performance or the growth of offspring (p > 0.05). The offspring of friendly gilts tended to have a more active response to the back test (p = 0.09), less freezing response in the open field test (p < 0.05), and received human contact more than piglets from fearful gilts (p < 0.05). The present study shows that gilt human fear level is linked to their stress levels, which can affect the personality of their piglets.