THE RELATIONSHIP OF DOMINANCE, FORCED AND VOLUNTARY LEADERSHIP AND GROWTH-RATE IN WEANED PIGS

Food competition dominance order was determined for 31 groups of weane d pigs (nine to 13 pigs per group, 12-14 weeks old). Voluntary leaders hip order was determined by allowing the pigs free access to a passage (41.5 m long x 1.35 m wide) and forced leadership order was recorded by forcing the pigs along the passage, by a handler using a solid pig board. Correlation and multiple regression analyses showed that domina nce order was correlated at a fairly low level (r = 0.140; P < 0.01) w ith voluntary leadership order, but was not correlated with forced lea dership order, initial body weight, final body weight or relative grow th rate. The sequence of testing the groups was a significant variable only in the regression for final body weight. Initial body weight and group sequence were predictors of final body weight (R2 = 0.574) and initial body weight was moderately correlated (r = 0.563) with relativ e growth rate.