THE EFFECTS OF HEMPSEED CAKE ON SWINE BEHAVIOR

Abstract

In recent years, research using hemp has become more frequent due to the increasing number of states opting to legalize the production of this agricultural product. With increased production, comes an increase in the amount of Cannabis sativa L. byproduct generated. This leaves the industry looking for a sustainable solution to this novel feedstuff and outlet to distribute this material. Previous research efforts have evaluated the impact of this additive on the quality of the animal byproducts in the form of hempseed cake, however, a dearth of knowledge exists regarding how this additive impacts behavior and subsequent welfare. This study compared an experimental group of pigs fed a hemp diet to a control group fed a soybean diet. The behavior and signs of stress were recorded and compared between the two groups and used to determine if the experimental feed altered the behavior of animals that were reared in the same conditions as the control group. The goal of this study was to investigate how the inclusion of hempseed byproducts into the diet of finishing pigs impacted behavior and their responsivity to novelty. Overall, there were limited significant findings to determine that the inclusion of hempseed cake as a feed additive altered the pigs’ behavior. One notable finding was that during the human approach test the treatment group had reduced overall activity, which aligns with reported side effects of consuming hemp in various forms in other species. For the scale test, there was an observable trend of an increase in lower scores with each test performed, except for day 60 which deviated from this trend.