Behavioral Transition Path and Pivotal Nodes Regulating Attack in Initial Encounters between Unfamiliar Pigs

Abstract

This study leverages the inherent curiosity of pigs and their competitive nature among conspecifics to explore behavioral transition paths and critical nodes that govern aggression during initial encounters between unfamiliar individuals. Two consecutive experiments were designed to investigate these dynamics under controlled conditions. In Experiment 1, unfamiliar pigs engaged in one-on-one fights with quick retreats, displaying a simple behavioral sequence of looking followed by attacking. In Experiment 2, the addition of new pigs to resident groups resulted in a more complex and structured behavioral sequence. Resident pigs exhibited a ‘four-step’ exploratory behavior pattern: looking, sniffing, touching, and attacking. Further analysis revealed distinct exploratory pathways. In Experiment 1, only short behavioral paths were observed, while Experiment 2 revealed both long and short paths. Specifically, Experiment 2 uncovered seven types of behavioral transition paths, four of which were long and three short, highlighting different combinations of the basic behaviors. The transition paths involving aggression were more varied in Experiment 2 compared to Experiment 1. Overall, the 15 most frequent and obvious behavioral transition paths were identified across both experiments. Eight types of paths were categorized based on the transitions between the basic behaviors. These findings enhance our understanding of the behavioral dynamics in unfamiliar pig encounters, emphasizing the complexity of social interactions and the conditions under which aggression occurs.