European researchers have developed a tool to decode the emotions that pigs express through their grunts and squeaks. In this way, the long-term welfare of animals can be improved.
The biologists studied a total of more than 7,000 records of 411 pigs from Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, France and the Czech Republic. They ranged from brief grunts of satisfied suckling to desperate cries at slaughter. Accordingly, the votes were categorized into nineteen different categories.
The study published in the journal temper nature, shows that pigs’ emotions can be identified based on the type of sound they make. It can also help improve animal welfare in the future. “If negative noise increases, the farmer knows something might be wrong and can start checking pigs,” the researchers said.
According to the results, positive emotions were expressed in short sounds, while negative emotions were often expressed in long grunts. Pigs were the ideal animal to study, as they had a wide range of beeps and sounds. “Its vocalization is very loud, which makes it easier to study compared to many other animals,” the researchers concluded.
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