I came across this very interesting new publication talking about charisma in pigs!  This is a bit different from what we are used to in animal science - a method of laboratory ethnography, commonly used in social science studies. Enjoy! 

Title: Encountering nonhuman charisma: caring for research pigs 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2026.104568

Journal: Geoforum 

Author: Kate Goldie, University of Southampton, UK (She is working under Dr Emma Roe who has done some very interesting work on human-animal relationship and human's role in animal studies.)

Abstract: In this paper, I examine the pig as a research animal and consider how a species-specific focus adds complexity to the inextricability of care and harm in the laboratory. Laboratory animal science is an ethically charged space where care and killing are inseparable, yet little attention has been paid to how this paradox is complicated by the particular identities and relational qualities of different species. Drawing on ethnographic research and interviews with animal technicians (ATs) in two UK facilities, I trace the ways in which pig charisma is actively engineered and mobilised across their lives in research. Distributed practices position charisma as a tool for shaping the ‘ideal laboratory pig’ while further entangling care with harm. At the same time, the same traits that engender close interspecies intimacies with pigs and ATs also make their deaths ethically and emotionally fraught. By following charisma across breeding, laboratory care, and potential afterlives beyond the laboratory, I extend debates on cultures of care and more-than-human ethics, while prompting reflection on the porous boundaries between laboratory subject, farmed animal, and companion species.

Source: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1717512

As shared in recent ManyPigs news, a large Australian producer has recently begun the transition from farrowing crates to maternity rings, with the intention of eventually retrofitting all crates across their sites. They have just published the first data reporting on the reproductive performance of sows in both systems, from one of their New Zealand sites. 

There was some evidence of more piglet deaths in the maternity ring system before litter management had taken place at approx. 24 hours post-farrowing, with crushing being the biggest cause of these pre-foster deaths. However after litter management, overall piglet mortality was similar between maternity rings and farrowing crates. 

Medication rates for both sows and litters were lower in maternity rings, which may suggest better health in this system possibly as a result of improved colostrum intake in piglets. Although interestingly, the authors also point out that the lower medication rates may instead be a result of stockpeople being more hesitant to enter maternity rings due to safety concerns. Stockperson hesitation to enter maternity rings may lower disease spread, which is positive, but it may also reduce the administration of medication to animals that require it. 

Only first parity sows were studied, and it will be interesting to see future reproductive data on multiparous sows that have previous experience in this system 

To read more about the maternity ring system, scroll back to see the linked Pig Progress articles from the previous news post.

Photo credit: Plush et al., 2026

Source: https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.70019 

Understanding what wild animals actually eat is notoriously difficult. Traditional approaches often rely on long hours of behavioral observation or microscopic inspection of stomach or fecal contents, which can miss many dietary items. This study is interesting because it shows how DNA extracted from feces can provide a detailed picture of diet complexity in wild boars, offering a powerful and non-invasive alternative to time-consuming observation methods. 

The authors used DNA metabarcoding of fecal samples to investigate the seasonal diet of wild pigs in a bottomland hardwood forest ecosystem in Arkansas (USA). The results revealed a highly diverse omnivorous diet, including at least 74 plant families and 106 genera. Plant material dominated overall, particularly oaks and hickories (Fagaceae), grasses (Poaceae), and asters (Asteraceae). Seasonal patterns were clear: hard mast (e.g., acorns) was most important in autumn and winter, while herbaceous vegetation increased in spring. The analysis also detected DNA from 23 vertebrate species, including mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles, with vertebrate consumption most frequent in autumn. Vertebrate material accounted for roughly 17% of the diet based on sequence abundance. These findings highlight both the dietary flexibility of wild pigs and their potential ecological impacts, including competition with native wildlife and effects on forest regeneration.  

Overall, the study demonstrates how molecular tools can greatly improve our understanding of wildlife feeding ecology and ecosystem impacts. Non-invasive genetic approaches like this can help researchers and managers obtain detailed dietary information without intensive field observation, supporting more effective conservation and management strategies.

Latest publication in Animal on temporary crating.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2026.101761

Journal: Animal

Title: The impact of lying down support on the lying down behaviour and piglet trapping in temporarily crated lactating sows

Authors: V. Sekyrová, H. Chaloupková, G. Illmann

Abstract: ct  The housing of lactating sows remains a persistent animal welfare concern. Temporary crating may offer a compromise that supports the welfare of both sows and piglets in the farrowing pen. This study examined whether, sows used lying-down supports (e.g. slope wall) before and after crate opening, and whether such use reduces the risk of piglet crushing. Nineteen healthy sows without any leg problems were housed in temporary farrowing crates from 5 days before farrowing until 3 days postpartum (pp), when crates were opened on the morning of day 4. The pen design included a slope wall angled at 18°, while the other wall, door, and nest barriers could also serve as supports. Sow and piglet behaviours were video-recorded for 24 h at three time points: 24 h before crate opening, 24 h after crate opening, and on day 25 pp. Analysed behaviours included the number and duration of lying-down events, use of supports, sow positions, and piglet positions in the pen and creep area. Continuous variables were analysed using linear mixed models accounting for repeated measures, and binomially distributed variables were evaluated using generalized linear mixed models. Following crate opening, sows significantly reduced their use of all supports compared with both the pre-opening period and day 25 pp, with nearly 34% of events occurring in the middle of the pen. Use of the slope wall declined significantly immediately after crate opening and decreased further by day 25. Lying-down events lasted longer when supports were used. Trapping events were rare (16 out of 1,539 lying-down events), with fatal crushing occurring in only four cases. These findings indicate that lying-down supports are not essential for preventing piglet crushing once the crate is removed; however, it is important to note that this applies only to healthy sows without mobility problems. Overall, releasing sows from close confinement does not appear to compromise piglet safety and may allow for more natural and maternal behaviours.

Source: Pig Progress, 3 part article. Part 1: https://www.pigprogress.net/world-of-pigs/farm-visits/maternity-rings-free-farrowing-no-space-issue…

SunPork, a large Australian integrator, has taken steps to reduce sow confinement through retrofitting their existing lactation facilities, with a plan to transition all farrowing crates in their operation to maternity rings.

The maternity ring system fits into the footprint of existing farrowing crates at SunPork. Each pen has a surface of 4.3 m2, which is more than the current code of practice space requirements in Australia. An oval ring in the middle of the pen is firmly attached to the pen walls at four points, at a height of about 20 cm above the slats. In that way, sows can step, turn and move around or over the ring, as piglets run underneath it. The floor is fully slatted and sows are provided with hessian bags to manipulate. 

Farrowing crates are currently the most common housing system for sows in Australia, making up ~80-90% of farrowing and lactation housing.

Sow and piglets are calmly resting in this pen with a maternity ring. Photos: Vincent ter Beek

Source: Scientific Reports - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-17205-9

A new study has developed a comprehensive model for detecting and classifying a wide range of pig vocalizations - including coughs, screams, and other sounds - under real farm noise. 

Traditional methods often focus on isolated sounds and struggle in noisy environments. This new Pig Vocalization Multi-stage Classification (PVMC) framework integrates multiple detection stages and emotional state classification, offering a more holistic view of pig sound patterns. 

Pig vocalizations are important indicators of health and emotional stress, meaning this approach could improve automated welfare monitoring by providing richer, more actionable acoustic data from everyday farm settings.

Photo credit: Chung et al., 2025