Objetivou-se comparar os parâmetros comportamentais indicativos de estresse, a qualidade da carne e a influência do enriquecimento ambiental em leitões criados no sistema intensivo confinado, de acordo com a qualidade dos tratamentos recebidos. Para isso, foram utilizados 144 leitões divididos em três grupos que receberam tratamentos distintos: 1) Tratamento Aversivo (TA): pessoa se dirigia aos leitões de forma rude, utilizando tom de voz agressivo e fazendo ameaças posturais; 2) Tratamento Controle (TC): pessoa foi cuidadosa ao se movimentar e usou tom de voz suave; 3) Tratamento Misto (TM): os animais receberam TA durante as fases de maternidade e creche e TC durante as fases de crescimento e terminação. Após o desmame, os leitões foram submetidos a testes para aferir medo e verificar se conseguiam reconhecer seu tratador habitual. Foram observados os comportamentos nas mudanças de ambiente, através de instantâneos de 5 min. Na fase de crescimento/terminação, metade dos animais recebeu enriquecimento ambiental. Após o abate foi realizada a análise da qualidade da carne com relação ao seu pH, temperatura, coloração, perda de água por cocção e exsudação. Variáveis como cortisol, lactato, creatina-fosfoquinase, ganho de peso, conversão alimentar e consumo de ração também foram aferidas. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado e para a análise dos dados foi utilizado o procedimento PROC MIXED e GLM do programa estatístico SAS. Leitões que receberam tratamento aversivo apresentaram maior frequência de interações agonísticas na maternidade (P=0,01), creche (P=0,04), crescimento/terminação (P=0,0002) e no pré-abate (P=0,06); além de apresentarem maior frequência de belly-nosing no pós-desmame (P=0,001), maior atividade nos testes de medo (P=0,01), menor tempo (P=0,03) e menor frequência (P=0,005) de contato com o novo objeto. Animais que receberam enriquecimento ambiental apresentaram maior frequência do comportamento exploratório (P=0,01). Não houve diferença no ganho de peso, nas análises de qualidade de carne e de sangue (P>0,05), exceto para lactato que apresentou concentrações mais elevadas para animais tratados de forma aversiva (P<0,05). Leitões tratados de forma aversiva demonstraram um padrão comportamental indicando o elevado estresse. A simples cessação deste tratamento não parece ser suficiente para que os animais retomem o padrão comportamental comum à espécie, indicando um efeito residual do tratamento recebido anteriormente. Além disso, estes animais são mais medrosos à novidade, ao isolamento social e ao tratador aversivo. Mesmo não havendo diferença de desempenho e qualidade de carne, estes resultados indicam um empobrecimento do bem-estar desses animais. Por outro lado, quando cessado o tratamento aversivo e adicionado o enriquecimento ambiental, os efeitos residuais do estresse sofrido nas primeiras fases de vida foram suprimidos e os animais apresentaram uma melhoria na resposta ao estresse e no seu bem-estar. / The aim of this work was to compare the behavioral parameters indicative of stress, meat quality and the influence of enrichment in pigs housed in intensive confined system, according to the quality of the treatment received. For this, 144 piglets were separated in three groups with different treatment: 1) Aversive (TA): the person responsible for the treatment was rude with the animals, used an aggressive tone of voice and moved harshly and unpredictably; 2) Control (TC): the person responsible for this treatment was careful to move around as was using a soft tone of voice; 3) Mixed (TM): the animals received TA during farrowing room and nursery, and with TC during growing and finishing phase. After weaning, piglets were tested to assess fear and if they could recognize its usual handler. Behavioral time budgets at each change of phase, was registered by scan sampling every 5-min. In the growing-finishing phase half of the animals received environmental enrichment. After slaughter, meat quality was analysed in relation to their pH, temperature, colour, drip loss, water holding capacity e tenderness. Variables such as cortisol, creatine phosphokinase, weight gain, feed conversion and consumption of solid food were also assessed. The experimental design was randomized and to analyse the data, we used PROC MIXED and GLM procedure of SAS statistical program. Animals TA had more frequency of agonistics interactions at farrowing room (P=0.01), nursery (P=0.04), growing/finishing phase (P=0.0002) and at the day before the slaughter (P=0.06); in addition they had higher frequency of belly-nosing after weaning (P=0.001), higher activity on fear tests (P=0.01), lower time (P=0.03) and lower frequency (P=0.005) of a contact with the novel object. Animal that received environmental enrichment showed more frequency of exploratory behaviour (P=0.01). No difference was found on weight gain, meat quality and blood analysis (P>0.05), but to lactate that was higher to aversive treatment animals (P<0.05). Piglets that received an aversive treatment showed behavioral patterns indicative of higher stress. Finishing the aversive treatment was not enough to this animal restoring their behavioral pattern, indicating a residual effect of the aversive treatment. In addition, these animals were more fearful to novelty, social isolation and the aversive handling. Although there is no difference in performance and meat quality, the results show a poor animal welfare. In other hand, when the treatment was finished and an environmental enrichment was introduced, the residual effect of stress of the farrowing room and nursery were supressed and piglets showed an improvement of behavioral pattern and animal welfare.

Proporcionar condições favoráveis para animais alojados em ambientes restritos exige o conhecimento sobre comportamentos típicos da espécie em questão. A literatura disponibiliza poucas informações sobre colônias de gatos domésticos (Felis silvestris catus), em confinamento, levando a um déficit na qualidade de vida e bem-estar destes animais, nessas condições. O presente estudo objetivou analisar, por meio da observação de comportamentos exploratórios, alimentares, diferenças individuais e contato com um humano conhecido, como uma colônia de 35 gatos de um abrigo se comporta durante a alimentação cotidiana (ração seca disposta no comedouro), e em relação à interação com um enriquecimento ambiental alimentar (carne bovina suspensa por um cabo de aço). Os resultados indicaram que os animais possuem uma organização tanto para a alimentação cotidiana como para a utilização do enriquecimento, evidenciando a existência de uma ordenação para a o acesso a um recurso. Os dados também revelaram que a presença do humano influenciou no consumo de ração pelos animais. Com base nas informações contidas neste trabalho enfatizamos que prover condições satisfatórias no alojamento, alimentação e enriquecimentos ambientais, para grupos de animais, exige conhecimento das necessidades da espécie, assim como, da dinâmica de utilização dos recursos. / Provide favorable conditions for animals housed in restricted environments requires knowledge of species-typical behaviors in question. The poor literature, it provides less information about colonies of domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus), in confinement, leading to a deficit in quality of life and welfare of these animals under these conditions. This study aimed to analyze, through observation of exploratory behavior, feeding, individual differences and human contact with a known as a colony of 35 cats from a shelter behaves during daily diet (dry food prepared at the feeder), and in relation interaction with an environmental enrichment food (beef suspended from a steel cable). The results showed that animals possess both an organization for the daily diet and to the use of the gain, showing the existence of an ordering for the use of a resource. The data also revealed the presence of human influenced by food intake in animals. Based on the information contained in this paper emphasize that providing satisfactory housing, food and environmental enrichments for groups of animals, requires knowledge of the needs of the species, in this conditions, as well as the dynamics of resource use.

<p>Effective enrichments for farm animals are increasingly important to address public concerns about farm animal welfare and improve the welfare of the animals we raise. The public’s concern has increased in recent years as the management and care that farmers give their animals has become more apparent to them. Some of the conditions in which animals are kept are emotionally not appealing to the public. One such condition is farrowing crates for sows and piglets. The sows are confined in a small space with no social contact and cannot perform nesting behaviors. Farrowing crates are widely used though, as they allow farmers to handle piglets without fear of sow aggression, meet individual sow nutritional needs, and personalize care. Piglet mortality due to crushing is also decreased with crate use. Sow welfare in farrowing crates can be improved through environmental enrichments. Enrichments improve welfare by increasing species-specific behaviors, creating a more complex environment, reducing abnormal behaviors, and increasing an animal’s ability to cope with stressful situations. For pigs, different enrichments have been shown to decrease stereotypies, like sham chewing and bar biting, decrease harmful redirected behavior towards pen mates, like tail biting and belly nosing, increased exploratory behavior, and increase positive affect. Straw has been found to be the best enrichment for pigs because it allows them to perform motivational behaviors such as rooting, foraging, and nest building. It is also complex, manipulatable, destructible, and ingestible, which are important attributes of effective enrichments. Unfortunately, straw cannot be used in farms that have slurry systems, as the straw will fall through the slats into the pit below and cause drainage issues. This includes farrowing crates. There have been a few studies on alternative enrichments for sows in crates, like cloth tassels, but they are not as effective as straw and are rarely used on farm.</p> <p> Most enrichments target pigs’ motivations to forage, root, graze, or build nests. Pigs perform other behaviors and may have other motivations that enrichments have not targeted yet. One such behavior is scratching. In a semi-natural environment, pigs will rub against trees and bushes. In confinement, pigs rub on fences, walls, and even allow people to scratch them with their hands. There have been no recorded studies done on scratching enrichment for pigs. Many studies have been done in the dairy industry exploring rotating brushes. These brushes have been implemented successfully on commercial farms and are used by cows to groom and scratch themselves. A similar device may allow pigs to also satisfy their itch. Our aim is to provide scratching enrichment to sows in farrowing crates. Since there have been no studies recorded on scratching enrichment or scratching in pigs in general, several steps had to take place before addressing the topic for sows in crates. The first project’s aim was to see what materials pigs prefer to scratch on and their willingness to use such an enrichment.</p> <p><a> The first project consisted of 2 experiments. Exp. 1 was a pilot study where 5 different materials on scratch posts were presented to a pen of gestating sows. The scratch posts were constructed from polyvinyl chloride (<b>PVC</b>) pipes, boards, and a gate post. Five different materials were attached to the boards: white, soft, long-bristled brushes (<b>White Brush</b>), red, hard, short-bristled brush (<b>Red Brush</b>), black, short-bristled, astro-turf-like mat (<b>Plastic Mat</b>), colorful coir, hard, short-bristled mat (<b>Fiber Mat</b>), and blue, plastic, large-round-bristled combs (<b>Plastic Combs</b>). The 8 sows received all 5 scratch posts in their pen for a habituation day and then 7 d of testing. During testing, video was continuously recorded from which 2 behaviors were collected; scratching and interacting. Sows scratched the most on Plastic Mat followed by Fiber Mat, Plastic Combs, and Red Brush. The White Brush was scratched on the least. The top 3 preferences were chosen to proceed to Exp. 2.</a></p> <p> Experiment 2 for sow preference was performed on several pens (N=14) of sows and gilts with Plastic Mat, Fiber Mat, and Plastic Combs to narrow the preference down to 2 materials to proceed to the farrowing crates. The experiment was carried out in repetitions. Each repetition tested 4 pens at a time. The scratch posts were modified from Exp. 1 and each material was placed in a pen. Due to material destruction only 2 repetitions were carried out, both ending a little early (N=8). During the first repetition (<b>Rep 1</b>), sows ate and destroyed all the Plastic Combs within 2 d. The Plastic Comb scratch posts were pulled from the study and the second repetition (<b>Rep 2</b>) only had the Plastic Mat and Fiber Mat represented. An observation was made that one of the pens in Rep1 had extra feed on their floor and were not destroying their materials as fast as the other pens. So for Rep 2, more modifications to the scratch posts were made and the sows were given a little extra feed. The scratch posts were still destroyed in Rep 2 proving that the sows’ hunger and motivation to perform oral manipulations overwhelmed scratching behaviors. However, from the data that was collected sows spent more time and more frequently interacted with the Fiber Mat compared to the Plastic Mat. They more frequently and spent more time interacting than scratching with the enrichments but scratched on both enrichments the same amount of time and frequency (Durations: F_1,112.6= 13.63, <i>P</i> = 0.0003; Frequencies: F_1,111.9= 19.72, <i>P</i> < 0.0001).</p> <p> The plastic and fiber mats were presented to sows in farrowing crates for the second project by default. Sows (N=18) of parities 2 (<b>P2</b>) and 3 (<b>P3</b>) were housed for 25 d and assigned no enrichment (<b>Control</b>) or to a scratch pad treatment of plastic mats (<b>Plastic</b>) or fiber mats (<b>Fiber</b>). All were assessed for lesions, abnormal behaviors, eating and scratching behaviors, and time spent in different postures and behaviors. Scratching bouts occurred in short durations and were intermittent throughout the day. Parity 2 Plastic sows scratched for a longer total duration than P2 and P3 Fiber sows, P3 Plastic sows, and P2 Control sows (F_2,11= 11.94,<i> P</i> = 0.002). Parity 2 Plastic sows also displayed scratching bouts more frequently than all except P3 Control sows (F_2,11= 18.46, <i>P</i> = 0.0003). There were no body lesion differences between treatments (<i>P</i> > 0.05). Abnormal behaviors (<i>P</i> > 0.05) and proportion of time spent in different postures (F_2,94= 0.0003, <i>P</i> = 0.999) did not differ among treatments. </p> In conclusion, if a sow is experiencing hunger while in gestation pens this motivation may be overwhelming any other behavior needs. Scratch posts were destroyed and eaten. In this sort of environment, focusing on an enrichment that meets the need to forage and root would be more successful. Sows still scratched on the posts, so their preference and scratching use was still recorded to an extent to proceed to the experiment in farrowing crates. In farrowing crates, plastic scratch pads may be a suitable enrichment as they increased the natural behavior of scratching and did not increase abnormal behaviors. More research is needed to refine the scratch pad design and identify additional measures needed to examine the suitability of scratch pads as a form of environmental enrichment for sows in farrowing crates. In addition, the behavioral characteristics and sows’ underlying motivation for scratching need to be studied because very little is known about scratching behavior of sows. If sows are motivated to scratch, and scratching helps improve their welfare, then scratching enrichment may be beneficial to sows and farmers.

Giant pandas in captivity are typically fed discrete amounts of highly concentrated food on a fixed time schedule, in addition to limited amounts of fresh bamboo throughout the day. In response to informal observations that these animals engage in a number of undesirable behaviors just prior to the predictable feeding of concentrated meals, we examined the existing feeding regime at the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, Peoples Republic of China. We sought to determine whether undesirable behaviors were occurring more frequently before the delivery of meals than at other times of day and whether modified feeding regimes would result in a more species-appropriate activity budget overall. As predicted, female giant pandas spent significantly more time engaged in door-directed/human-oriented behavior, stereotypic behavior, and non-stereotypic locomotion in the 30-minute periods prior to the feeding of concentrated meals. When placed on a modified feeding schedule in which frequency of bamboo provisioning was increased (total amount was held constant), significant differences were not found between study phases for the above-mentioned behaviors of interest, though a visual trend towards a decline in stereotypic behavior during the experimental phase was noted. Male pandas, when placed on a less predictable feeding schedule, did not exhibit significant behavioral differences in behaviors of interest between experimental phases or observation periods. These findings may be attributable in part to the low power inherent in the small sample size. However, visual trends that may be indicative of feeding anticipatory activity (FAA) were apparent. It appears that giant pandas, like many other animal species cited in the literature, are sensitive to periodic feeding regimes, though it is less clear as to which regime modifications will prove most beneficial.

Hos grisar finner man flera stereotypiska beteenden, som rörbitning och svansbitning. Dessa beteenden är relativt vanliga hos grisar. En miljöberikning definieras som förbättring av ett djurs välfärd, både psykologisk och fysiologiskt, genom förändringar hos djurets omgivning. Denna studie har undersökt om miljöberikningar kan minska stereotypiska beteenden hos grisar. De två olika miljöberikningar som har använts är en jutesäck fylld med halm och en Jolly Ball™. De tre stereotypiska beteendena som studerades var rörbitning, svansbitning och bukmassage. Studien utfördes på 107st grisar uppdelade på 12 boxar, under totalt tre veckor. Alla tre stereotypiska beteenden minskade statistiskt signifikant . Detta visar att båda miljöberikningarna hade en positiv effekt på grisarna då de minskade deras stereotypiska beteenden. De interagerade mer med jutesäcken fylld med halm än vad det gjorde med Jolly Ball™.  Grisarna föredrog den miljöberikningen som var omformbar, förstörbar, ätbar, tuggbar, vilket går i linje med liknande studier. / Among fattening pigs you find several stereotypical behaviours, such as bar-biting and tail-biting. These behaviours are quite common among domestic pigs. Environmental enrichments are often used to reduce stereotypical behaviours in animals.  An environmental enrichment is defined as an improvement of an animal’s welfare, both psychologically and physiologically, through changes in the environment of the animal. With this study, different environmental enrichments were studied to see if they can reduce stereotypical behaviour among fattening pigs. The two different environmental enrichments used were a jute sack filled with straw and a Jolly Ball™. The stereotypical behaviours that were looked at were bar-biting, tail-biting and belly-nosing. The study was carried out on 107 pigs divided into 12 pig boxes, during 3 weeks in total. All three stereotypical behaviours decreased significantly. This shows that the environmental enrichments had a positive effect on the pigs, since they reduced their stereotypical behaviour. The pigs interacted more with the jute sack than they did with the Jolly Ball™.  The pigs preferred the environmental enrichment that was destructible, edible, deformable and chewable, which fits well into similar studies that have been executed.

O termo neuroplasticidade se refere às mudanças funcionais ou anatômicas que ocorrem no sistema nervoso decorrentes de experiências. O enriquecimento ambiental (EA) é um dos modelos experimentais utilizados para estudar eventos relacionados à neuroplasticidade, pois aumenta a neurogênese, os níveis de neurotrofinas, a sobrevivência neuronal, a sinaptogênese, além de induzir cascatas de sinalização e uma mudança na arborização dendritica dos neurônios de diversas regiões encefálicas. Nos últimos anos a importância dos astrócitos tem ganho destaque, principalmente no que tange a sua capacidade de modular sinapses e na participação ativa em eventos plásticos no encéfalo, essas mudanças estão relacionadas a alterações funcionais e morfológicas. O EA é um modelo interessante para avaliar performances comportamentais pois é um modelo que ocasiona mudanças na capacidade de armazenar e acessar novas informações. Sendo assim, acreditamos que o EA é capaz de gerar efeitos plásticos nos astrócitos do Stratum Radiatum da região CA1 e alterar as respostas comportamentais a tarefa de reconhecimento de objetos. Após oito semanas de EA iniciado logo após o desmame, camundongos CF-1 albinos não apresentam diferenças significativas no número de astrócitos GFAP-ir e na densidade óptica para GFAP no Stratum Radiatum. Entretanto ocorreu um aumento no número de processos originários do soma, aumento no tamanho destes processos no eixo lateral, paralelo as colaterais de Schaffer e no número de intersecções aos círculos concêntricos de Scholl na mesma região. Os astrócitos adquirem um formato estrelado, este achado pode estar relacionado ao aumento da densidade sináptica nesta região e corroboram com a idéia de que modificações astrocitárias são parte ativa dos processos plásticos que ocorrem no encéfalo. Nossos resultados mostraram também uma mudança comportamental na resposta a tarefa de reconhecimento de objetos. Os animais expostos ao EA despendem menos tempo explorando os objetos, tanto familiar como não familiar e apresentam igual capacidade de discriminar os objetos. Estes resultados demonstram um comportamento mais propicio a sobrevivência da espécie em animais expostos ao EA, o que inclui uma rápida exploração e um possível aumento na capacidade de aprender sobre o ambiente. / Environmental enrichment (EE) induces plastic changes in the brain, including morphological changes in hippocampal neurons, with increases in synaptic and spine densities. In recent years, the evidence for a role of astrocytes in regulating synaptic transmission and plasticity has increased, and it is likely that morphological and functional changes in astrocytes play an important role in brain plasticity. In others hand EE is used to investigate behavioral modifications associated with gene-environmental interaction. Our study was designed to evaluate changes in astrocytes induced by EE in the hippocampus, focusing on astrocytic density and on morphological changes in astrocytic processes and the performance in object recognition task (ORT) for evaluate animals ability to learn about their environment. After 8 weeks of EE starting at weaning, CF-1 mice presented no significant changes in astrocyte number or in the density of glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity (GFAP-ir) in the Stratum Radiatum. However, in the same region occur significant increase in the ramification of astrocytic processes, as well as by an increase in the number and length of primary processes extending in a parallel orientation to CA1 nerve fibers. This led astrocytes to acquire a more stellate morphology, a fact which could be related to the increase in hippocampal synaptic density observed in previous studies. These findings corroborate the idea that structural changes in astrocytic networks are an integral part of plasticity processes occurring in the brain. In other hand, our results indicate that EE decreased the time the animals spent exploring familiar and unfamiliar objects and total time spent exploring both objects, without affecting the capacity of discrimination of objects. These findings indicate a more propitious behavior for species survival in animals subjected to EE, including rapid exploration and learning about the environment.

O termo neuroplasticidade se refere às mudanças funcionais ou anatômicas que ocorrem no sistema nervoso decorrentes de experiências. O enriquecimento ambiental (EA) é um dos modelos experimentais utilizados para estudar eventos relacionados à neuroplasticidade, pois aumenta a neurogênese, os níveis de neurotrofinas, a sobrevivência neuronal, a sinaptogênese, além de induzir cascatas de sinalização e uma mudança na arborização dendritica dos neurônios de diversas regiões encefálicas. Nos últimos anos a importância dos astrócitos tem ganho destaque, principalmente no que tange a sua capacidade de modular sinapses e na participação ativa em eventos plásticos no encéfalo, essas mudanças estão relacionadas a alterações funcionais e morfológicas. O EA é um modelo interessante para avaliar performances comportamentais pois é um modelo que ocasiona mudanças na capacidade de armazenar e acessar novas informações. Sendo assim, acreditamos que o EA é capaz de gerar efeitos plásticos nos astrócitos do Stratum Radiatum da região CA1 e alterar as respostas comportamentais a tarefa de reconhecimento de objetos. Após oito semanas de EA iniciado logo após o desmame, camundongos CF-1 albinos não apresentam diferenças significativas no número de astrócitos GFAP-ir e na densidade óptica para GFAP no Stratum Radiatum. Entretanto ocorreu um aumento no número de processos originários do soma, aumento no tamanho destes processos no eixo lateral, paralelo as colaterais de Schaffer e no número de intersecções aos círculos concêntricos de Scholl na mesma região. Os astrócitos adquirem um formato estrelado, este achado pode estar relacionado ao aumento da densidade sináptica nesta região e corroboram com a idéia de que modificações astrocitárias são parte ativa dos processos plásticos que ocorrem no encéfalo. Nossos resultados mostraram também uma mudança comportamental na resposta a tarefa de reconhecimento de objetos. Os animais expostos ao EA despendem menos tempo explorando os objetos, tanto familiar como não familiar e apresentam igual capacidade de discriminar os objetos. Estes resultados demonstram um comportamento mais propicio a sobrevivência da espécie em animais expostos ao EA, o que inclui uma rápida exploração e um possível aumento na capacidade de aprender sobre o ambiente. / Environmental enrichment (EE) induces plastic changes in the brain, including morphological changes in hippocampal neurons, with increases in synaptic and spine densities. In recent years, the evidence for a role of astrocytes in regulating synaptic transmission and plasticity has increased, and it is likely that morphological and functional changes in astrocytes play an important role in brain plasticity. In others hand EE is used to investigate behavioral modifications associated with gene-environmental interaction. Our study was designed to evaluate changes in astrocytes induced by EE in the hippocampus, focusing on astrocytic density and on morphological changes in astrocytic processes and the performance in object recognition task (ORT) for evaluate animals ability to learn about their environment. After 8 weeks of EE starting at weaning, CF-1 mice presented no significant changes in astrocyte number or in the density of glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity (GFAP-ir) in the Stratum Radiatum. However, in the same region occur significant increase in the ramification of astrocytic processes, as well as by an increase in the number and length of primary processes extending in a parallel orientation to CA1 nerve fibers. This led astrocytes to acquire a more stellate morphology, a fact which could be related to the increase in hippocampal synaptic density observed in previous studies. These findings corroborate the idea that structural changes in astrocytic networks are an integral part of plasticity processes occurring in the brain. In other hand, our results indicate that EE decreased the time the animals spent exploring familiar and unfamiliar objects and total time spent exploring both objects, without affecting the capacity of discrimination of objects. These findings indicate a more propitious behavior for species survival in animals subjected to EE, including rapid exploration and learning about the environment.

Este trabalho buscou avaliar o comportamento e o desempenho sexual de suínos machos de linhas puras e cruzadas, criados com e sem a utilização de enriquecimento ambiental, na fase de crescimento. A pesquisa foi dividida em duas etapas, que compreenderam a fase de crescimento dos animais e o treinamento para coleta de sêmen. Na fase de crescimento, 128 machos foram alojados em ambientes enriquecidos ou estéreis. Utilizou-se como enriquecimento ambiental correntes suspensas, galão de cinco litros suspenso e um galão de 50 litros solto no piso. Esses objetos foram oferecidos de forma alternada e cada um ficou disponível na baia por um período de 30 dias. Na primeira etapa foram registrados o comportamento dos animais, os escores de lesão e a massa corporal. Após a fase de crescimento, foram escolhidos aleatoriamente 32 animais aprovados na seleção genética para serem avaliados durante o treinamento para coleta de sêmen. O treinamento ocorreu durante seis dias consecutivos e cada animal foi treinado por três vezes em dias alternados. Durante o treinamento para a coleta de sêmen, o comportamento animal, as relações humano-animal, o volume do ejaculado e os níveis de testosterona e cortisol foram registrados. Como respostas na fase de crescimento, verificou-se que, mesmo utilizando uma combinação de objetos, os suínos se habituaram rapidamente a eles e a frequência de manipulação diminuiu após o primeiro período para todos os objetos. Observamos que o ambiente enriquecido foi eficaz na redução dos comportamentos agonísticos e mordedura de cauda e orelha para os animais puros e cruzados, e isso consequentemente reduziu a quantidade e severidade de lesões de pele. Na fase de treinamento para coleta de sêmen, os resultados demonstraram que o comportamento sexual dos animais foi influenciado pelas linhas genéticas, sendo assim, observou-se que os machos de linha cruzada tiveram maior facilidade durante o treinamento para coleta de sêmen e apresentaram maior média do escore de libido, diferindo das linhas puras (P<0,001). Verificou-se que não houve diferença na média do escore de libido entre os tratamentos com e sem enriquecimento ambiental (P=0,276), porém, os tratamentos com enriquecimento tiveram o menor número de animais treinados. Dessa forma, os resultados indicam que o ambiente enriquecido com uma combinação de enriquecimentos pontuais (objetos) é uma estratégia eficaz para aumentar o comportamento exploratório e reduzir os comportamentos agonísticos e anormais na fase de crescimento. Mas, por outro lado, os animais criados em ambientes enriquecidos tiveram um pior desempenho sexual durante o treinamento para coleta de sêmen. / This study aimed to evaluate behavior and sexual performance of male pigs from purebred and crossbred, raised with and without the use of environmental enrichment during the growth phase. The study was divided into two steps comprising the animals\' growth phase and training for semen collection. In the growth phase 128 males were housed in an enriched or in a sterile environment. As environmental enrichment, hanging chains, a hanging five-liter gallon and a fifty-liter gallon released on the floor were used. These objects were alternately offered and each one was available in the pen for a period of 30 days. In the first step, animal behavior, injury score and body weight were recorded. After the growth phase, 32 animals approved in genetic screening were randomized to be evaluated during training for semen collection. The training took place for six consecutive days and each animal was trained three times on alternate days. During the training for semen collection, animal behavior, human-animal relationship, ejaculated semen volume, testosterone and cortisol levels were registered. As a response during the growth phase, even using a combination of enrichments, pigs quickly got used to them and manipulation frequency decreased after the first period for all objects. We observed that the enriched environment was effective in reducing agonistic behavior and biting of tail and ear in animals of pure and mixed lines, and therefore the number and severity of skin lesions were reduced. During the training for semen collection, results showed that sexual behavior of animals was influenced by genetic lines, therefore we observed that males of mixed lines had greater ease during training for semen collection and had a higher libido score average, differing from the pure lines (P<0,001). There was no difference in the libido score average between treatments with and without environmental enrichment (P=0,276), however the treatment with environmental enrichment had fewer trained animals. Thus, results indicate that enriched environment with a combination of enrichment objects is an effective strategy to increase exploratory behavior and to reduce agonistic and abnormal behaviors during the growth phase. However, animals raised in enriched environments had a worse sexual performance during the training for semen collection.

O termo neuroplasticidade se refere às mudanças funcionais ou anatômicas que ocorrem no sistema nervoso decorrentes de experiências. O enriquecimento ambiental (EA) é um dos modelos experimentais utilizados para estudar eventos relacionados à neuroplasticidade, pois aumenta a neurogênese, os níveis de neurotrofinas, a sobrevivência neuronal, a sinaptogênese, além de induzir cascatas de sinalização e uma mudança na arborização dendritica dos neurônios de diversas regiões encefálicas. Nos últimos anos a importância dos astrócitos tem ganho destaque, principalmente no que tange a sua capacidade de modular sinapses e na participação ativa em eventos plásticos no encéfalo, essas mudanças estão relacionadas a alterações funcionais e morfológicas. O EA é um modelo interessante para avaliar performances comportamentais pois é um modelo que ocasiona mudanças na capacidade de armazenar e acessar novas informações. Sendo assim, acreditamos que o EA é capaz de gerar efeitos plásticos nos astrócitos do Stratum Radiatum da região CA1 e alterar as respostas comportamentais a tarefa de reconhecimento de objetos. Após oito semanas de EA iniciado logo após o desmame, camundongos CF-1 albinos não apresentam diferenças significativas no número de astrócitos GFAP-ir e na densidade óptica para GFAP no Stratum Radiatum. Entretanto ocorreu um aumento no número de processos originários do soma, aumento no tamanho destes processos no eixo lateral, paralelo as colaterais de Schaffer e no número de intersecções aos círculos concêntricos de Scholl na mesma região. Os astrócitos adquirem um formato estrelado, este achado pode estar relacionado ao aumento da densidade sináptica nesta região e corroboram com a idéia de que modificações astrocitárias são parte ativa dos processos plásticos que ocorrem no encéfalo. Nossos resultados mostraram também uma mudança comportamental na resposta a tarefa de reconhecimento de objetos. Os animais expostos ao EA despendem menos tempo explorando os objetos, tanto familiar como não familiar e apresentam igual capacidade de discriminar os objetos. Estes resultados demonstram um comportamento mais propicio a sobrevivência da espécie em animais expostos ao EA, o que inclui uma rápida exploração e um possível aumento na capacidade de aprender sobre o ambiente. / Environmental enrichment (EE) induces plastic changes in the brain, including morphological changes in hippocampal neurons, with increases in synaptic and spine densities. In recent years, the evidence for a role of astrocytes in regulating synaptic transmission and plasticity has increased, and it is likely that morphological and functional changes in astrocytes play an important role in brain plasticity. In others hand EE is used to investigate behavioral modifications associated with gene-environmental interaction. Our study was designed to evaluate changes in astrocytes induced by EE in the hippocampus, focusing on astrocytic density and on morphological changes in astrocytic processes and the performance in object recognition task (ORT) for evaluate animals ability to learn about their environment. After 8 weeks of EE starting at weaning, CF-1 mice presented no significant changes in astrocyte number or in the density of glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity (GFAP-ir) in the Stratum Radiatum. However, in the same region occur significant increase in the ramification of astrocytic processes, as well as by an increase in the number and length of primary processes extending in a parallel orientation to CA1 nerve fibers. This led astrocytes to acquire a more stellate morphology, a fact which could be related to the increase in hippocampal synaptic density observed in previous studies. These findings corroborate the idea that structural changes in astrocytic networks are an integral part of plasticity processes occurring in the brain. In other hand, our results indicate that EE decreased the time the animals spent exploring familiar and unfamiliar objects and total time spent exploring both objects, without affecting the capacity of discrimination of objects. These findings indicate a more propitious behavior for species survival in animals subjected to EE, including rapid exploration and learning about the environment.

Proporcionar condições favoráveis para animais alojados em ambientes restritos exige o conhecimento sobre comportamentos típicos da espécie em questão. A literatura disponibiliza poucas informações sobre colônias de gatos domésticos (Felis silvestris catus), em confinamento, levando a um déficit na qualidade de vida e bem-estar destes animais, nessas condições. O presente estudo objetivou analisar, por meio da observação de comportamentos exploratórios, alimentares, diferenças individuais e contato com um humano conhecido, como uma colônia de 35 gatos de um abrigo se comporta durante a alimentação cotidiana (ração seca disposta no comedouro), e em relação à interação com um enriquecimento ambiental alimentar (carne bovina suspensa por um cabo de aço). Os resultados indicaram que os animais possuem uma organização tanto para a alimentação cotidiana como para a utilização do enriquecimento, evidenciando a existência de uma ordenação para a o acesso a um recurso. Os dados também revelaram que a presença do humano influenciou no consumo de ração pelos animais. Com base nas informações contidas neste trabalho enfatizamos que prover condições satisfatórias no alojamento, alimentação e enriquecimentos ambientais, para grupos de animais, exige conhecimento das necessidades da espécie, assim como, da dinâmica de utilização dos recursos. / Provide favorable conditions for animals housed in restricted environments requires knowledge of species-typical behaviors in question. The poor literature, it provides less information about colonies of domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus), in confinement, leading to a deficit in quality of life and welfare of these animals under these conditions. This study aimed to analyze, through observation of exploratory behavior, feeding, individual differences and human contact with a known as a colony of 35 cats from a shelter behaves during daily diet (dry food prepared at the feeder), and in relation interaction with an environmental enrichment food (beef suspended from a steel cable). The results showed that animals possess both an organization for the daily diet and to the use of the gain, showing the existence of an ordering for the use of a resource. The data also revealed the presence of human influenced by food intake in animals. Based on the information contained in this paper emphasize that providing satisfactory housing, food and environmental enrichments for groups of animals, requires knowledge of the needs of the species, in this conditions, as well as the dynamics of resource use.