Does frustration of exploratory behaviour lead to an outbreak of cannibalism? | La frustration du comportement exploratoire peut-elle déclencher du cannibalisme ?

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English. The objective of this study was to build a model of cannibalism based on the frustration of exploratory behaviour. The study was conducted on two experimental sites, INRA (trial 1) and IFIP (trial 2), using a similar protocol conducted on two batches of piglets. For each batch, piglets were submitted during the post weaning phase (PS) to two levels of enrichment. In trial 1, the animals were raised on slatted floors with a progressive supply of objects such as chain, plastic pipe or rope (E-), changed every 2 weeks or without objects (A). In trial 2, the animals were raised either on straw bedding (E+) or on slatted floor with the same progressive enrichment as E-. During the fattening phase in both trials, pigs had no access to enrichment materials (A) or had ropes and plastic pipes for four days (OBJ). Twelve pens of eight (trial 1) or 10 (trial 2) pigs were allocated per treatment. Tail and ear injuries were scored three times in PS and daily for the first two weeks in the fattening period. The behavioural activity was recorded three times by direct observation during the PS phase (scan sampling). During the fattening phase, investigative behaviour and social activity were continuously scored for a period of two hours, from video recording, at D4 (before removal of objects) and D7. The occurrence of tail and ear lesions was scarce in both trials in PS phase, and only three pens of fattening pigs were affected by cannibalism in trial 2. The cannibalism model was not validated in any trials but responses confirmed the role of novelty and attractiveness on investigative behaviour.