Application of the use of a licking block enriched with metals, trace elements and herbal ingredients, to combat stress and reduce aggressive behaviour in pigs, as a means of improving pig welfare under intensive farming conditions

AntiStressWelfarePigBlock evaluates metal-enriched plaque, trace elements and plant extracts as a dual-action intervention in pig farming: (a) environmental enrichment that alleviates oral/research behavior and reduces aggression, stereotypes, and (b) targeted delivery of bioactive compounds with antioxidant/anti-inflammatory action to reduce oxidative stress and enhance health. The study is applied to three production stages (piglet breeders, weaned piglets, fattening pigs) with comparative design (control/intervention) and seasonal repetitions (summer–winter). The final endpoints include: experimental protocols (aggressiveness, contact time/frequency with the plaque, stereotypes), scoring of tail/skin lesions, hair cortisol and biomarkers of oxidative stress (e.g., TAC, TBARS), as well as production indicators (ADG, ADFI, FCR). In the fattening farms, the quality of meat is additionally evaluated (pH, color, texture, fatty acid profile, antioxidant capacity). Climate sensors (temperature, humidity, NH₃, CO₂) are integrated and a 3D body weight estimation is incorporated to realistically represent the field. In parallel, a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) will be performed to quantify the environmental footprint and separate the impact of intervention from the improvement in performance. The innovative intervention is expected to improve pig behavior and welfare (less aggressive episodes/tail biting/strains, lower cortisol), improve efficiency (FCR/ADG), enhance meat quality, and reduce environmental impacts, while complying with strict European welfare standards. The ATEH-SIN HELLAS partnership ensures scientific validity, pilot implementation in units in Thessaly, and the rapid industrialization of the results.

Research and Innovation
03-AGR: Agri-food Chain

AUTHORITIES

AFOI D ANASTASIADI KAI SIA IKE
ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY OF THESSALONIKI

PROJECT MIS CODE

6061855

BUDGET

299.884,00€

START/END DATE

25/05/2026 -
24/05/2028
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