Printed in International Animal Health Journal (volume 3, issue 9), published in 2022.

In swine production, one of the stages where there is a higher percentage of mortality is between the birth and the weaning of piglets. The mortality of piglets is associated in part with the stress of the sows, due to the restriction of high motivation behaviours such as to root and due to the establishment of social hierarchy in piglets.

One strategy that has been used in various species to reduce stress is the use of classical music. However, in a previous study carried out by the authors, it was found that the sow's response stimulated stress-type behaviours with classical music instead of relaxation. In this study, the use of frequency-modified music by composer and sound behaviourist, Janet Marlow, was proposed and adjusted to the auditory comfort range of the swine hearing range, as environmental enrichment. Frequency-modified music has been clinically tested in horses with results that positively influenced their performance in races (Stachurska et al., 2015). It is hypothesized that music that is frequency-modified based on hearing range, produces a relaxing effect in piglets that stimulates affirmative social behaviour, improves weight gain and reduces mortality.

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Purpose of Modifying Stress Behaviours in Piglets

1. Piglets show aggression to other piglets within the first week of life while forming a teat order.

2. Introducing new pigs into a group may lead to aggression as the pigs establish social ranks. Pigs may spend 1–2 minutes nosing each other, vocalising, and then biting until one of the pigs retreats.

3. During estrous cycles, sows may show severe aggression toward newly added sows.

4. During breeding, boars may fight and become very vocal.

5. Using tranquilizers such as azaperone (2.2 mg/kg) or amperozide (1 mg/kg) can help reduce aggression but may not be economical.

6. Tail biting is seen mostly in confined pigs.

7. Overcrowding and boredom seem to be the main causes of aggression. Slatted floors without bedding, low-salt diets, and low-iron soil seem to predispose pigs to tail biting.

8. When the sow is stressed, usually, the sow will bark to warn piglets walking by her head and then later attack them, biting them to death.

9. Regrouping or overcrowding increases stress levels as well. These two factors (confinement and crowding) lead to chronic stress, delayed puberty, and failure to reproduce. On the other hand, acute and mild stress such as transport and gentle handling accelerate estrous cycles.

Environmental enrichment in early stages is usually successful. Feeding smaller quantities more frequently and providing toys, bedding to root, corn on the cob, and clean tires can be enriching and mentally stimulating for pigs. The inclusion of species-specific swine music is an enhancement to their enrichment to diminish stress.

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Swine Hearing Range Data

The hearing of pigs range from 42 Hz to 40.5 kHz with a region of best sensitivity from 250kHz to 16kHz. Because these animals are unable to localise high-frequency tones, it seems unlikely that selective pressure to use the interaural spectral- difference cue for sound localisation is behind their high- frequency hearing. Instead, researchers suggest that these and other hoofed mammals evolved high-frequency hearing in order to use monaural locus cues which prevent front/back locus reversals.

Process for Composing Swine-Specific Music

Using the Logic Pro program, original music based on the swine hearing range sensitivity was originally composed and modified by frequency and decibel levels accordingly. The music was designed to be broadcast at a comfortable volume in an agriculture setting considering a modest amount of noise and squealing coming from multiple pigs. Speakers were provided which were pre-loaded with repeating, modified swine music placed near three large areas of the pigs interacting during less daily activity. The music permeated the environment with specific tones, volume and frequency content to elicit calm behaviour. Proposing that the music will trigger an ear/behaviour response to the piglet's listening comfort as opposed to the transmission of other pig sounds causing reactive stress behaviour.

Included in the compositions are sounds of nature such as water streams and songbird vocalising to add to the environment. The goal here is to help the pigs feel their natural life to ease stress in an unnatural setting.

Instrumentation

Flutes, Harp, Strings, Chorus-Voice, Nature Sounds, and Piano- Synthesizer. Most of the [Pet Acoustics] music has been modified within 10,000Hz to 12,000 Hz, within the comfort zone of swine hearing.

Sound Behaviorist and Founder of Pet Acoustics, Janet Marlow, in her music studio.

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Materials and Methods

The study was carried out in a commercial swine farm in the central zone of Chile. A total of 14 litters were used in two rooms, 7 per room was one of the rooms where the music played in (Grupo Música, GM), while in the other room it was kept in normal conditions (Group Control, GC). The music was played between 8:00 and 4:30 p.m., from one day before delivery until weaning, by means of a music system with 2-audio system speakers, Sony model Mhc-rg590s.

For the study, the animals that were closest to the speakers were selected. The speaker’s volume did not exceed 75 dB, a parameter that was evaluated with a sound level meter (model MS-6708). The music used in the study for the selected pigs consisted of ten compositions of designed music, with sustaining instruments and sounds of nature. The frequency levels were placed in the hearing comfort zone between 10,000 Hz and 12,000Hz, with the auditory spectrum of the pigs being between 40.5 Hz and 40 kHz (Heffiner and Heffiner, 1990).

Productive parameters such as mortality, were measured by birth weight / weaning weight and face injuries. The behaviour was recorded and recorded by CCTV cameras. By sampling the litter and discontinuous recording with intervals of 1 minute, measurements were made of the proportion of times that the piglets performed play, rest, and aggression behaviour. Breastfeeding on day 0, 7, 14 and 21 of lactation.

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Results and Discussion

Studies on the use and effect of music in pigs are scarce (eg de Jonge et al., 2008), so this is a line of research that has an interesting projection. In the present study, the parameters such as mortality, birth and weight weaning of the piglets did not show significant differences with the music (p> 0.05). Thus, music did not improve productive performance, as occurred in racehorses (Stachurska et al., 2015).

However, this result may be related to the time of exposure to music, because in the study, the aforementioned differences were found in the performance of the careers after three months of exposure to music that was frequency-modified and in the present study the piglets were exposed to music from one day the birth to the weaning, that is no more than 22 days. As for the behaviour, on day 0 a smaller proportion of time spent in the GM attacks than in CG (p = 0.001). When comparing both groups throughout breastfeeding, it was found that the music stimulated more rest (p = 0.004) and reduced the rate of aggression (p <0.001).

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Conclusions

This is the first study using music that is specifically designed for swine hearing. The process of species specific music to calm behaviour has been proven in other biometric studies modifying pulse rates, HRV and activity levels in dogs, cats and horses. It is concluded that the swine-specific music had a positive effect on the behaviour of the piglets, so it can be attributed to the calming effect, thus increasing their animal welfare in an agricultural production system.

Authors

Jimenez, MV 1., Plaza, A. 1, Sepulveda, D. 1, Acosta, J. 2 and Atlagich, M. 2 Zapata, B 1 *,1. Universidad Mayor, Campus Huechuraba, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Santiago Chile. 2. Agrosuper, Camino La Estrella 407, Rancagua, Chile.

References

Jonge, FH et al. 2008. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.,115 (3), 138-148; Heffner, RS., Heffner, HE. Hearing Domestic Pigs 1990, 48 (3): 231- 40; Stachurska, A. et al. 2015. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 35 (5), 650-656; Marlow, J. et al. 2022, Equine Music Study, International Animal Health Journal, Volume 8, Issue 4, (4) 24-27; Marlow, J. et al. 2021, Feline Music Study, International Animal Health Journal Vol. 8 Issue 2, (3) 20-23; Marlow, J. et al. 2021, Canine Music Study, International Animal Health Journal Vol. 9 Issue 2, (6) 36-41

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Contributors

Janet Marlow

Founder and Sound Behaviorist, Pet Acoustics

Olga Beatriz Zapata Salfate

Coordinator of Ethology and Animal Welfare, Escula de Medicina Veterinaria en Universidad Mayor

Melissa Neumann www.catmumma.com “I have a strong belief in the importance of science to prove theories and jumped at the chance to be involved in an experiment to prove that a product called Pet Tunes created by Janet Marlow of Pet Acoustics actually works. Ron Pia is the Australian representative for Pet Tunes and contacted me to see if I would be interested in taking part and of course I immediately said yes! Judith Jordan, a huge fan of the product introduced Pet Tunes to the South Australian cat world and was also involved in the study. The fact that we could clearly see data that supports our thoughts that this product works was remarkable and confirmed our beliefs. Janet has been investigating how different animals hear and developing music for them for many years. It was a great privilege to work with her in this experiment. It was amazing that she could monitor our cats from the other side of the world in real time during a pandemic.”

Full Interview on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y69KkglwL7I or click on image.

The interview with Janet Marlow, Sound Behaviorist and Founder of Pet Acoustics spotlights the results of a recent clinical study with nine cats, proving the benefits of feline-specific music through biometric data using the Petpace Smart collar. The data showed, while listening to Pet Tunes Feline music that the pulse and activity levels were lower. We were also able to determine the HRV data which was higher with the cats experiencing the music. All the findings support the hypothesis of a calming effect from Pet Tunes Feline.

https://thepetcalmer.com/​ to purchase in Australia and New Zealand

Pet Acoustic music proves to calm during a 90-day study (2014) with The Good Dog Foundation.

Image courtesy The Good Dog Foundation.

Study

Canine Companions and Music: A Study on the impact of music and music speaker design on dogs and their owners (June 19, 2010). Observe the effect of Pet Acoustics music on both pets and owners during training classes, facilitated by Heather White, author and Westchester Executive Trainer and Program Coordinator at The Good Dog Foundation.

Results

80% of participants reported that they felt that the music calmed their dogs as well as themselves.
90% of canines displayed positive reactions as evidenced by their ability to focus on a task at hand with their owner.
86% of canines showed decreased frequency of stress signals and showed neutral to positive body language towards their owners.

The Good Dog Foundation collaborates with researchers, healthcare professionals, and other organizations to promote research studies that document the effects of the human-animal bond on human healing and wellness. While there is much anecdotal evidence supporting the monumental benefits of animal assisted therapy, there is much to be done in the world of scientific research and documentation to help open doors for animal assisted therapy to the healthcare community and beyond.

Mixed dogs with their owners in a Pet Acoustics clinical trial.

Study Utilizing Pet Acoustics with Dogs and Owners​

The study was implemented over a three month period, collecting data via questionnaire and observation from 50 participants and their dogs who participated in obedience classes and therapy dog skills classes through The Good Dog Foundation. Participants were asked to be aware of their dogs at all times throughout each class and asked to report any findings they experienced with their dogs when the dogs were in the presence of Pet Acoustics music and speaker. Dogs and owners were also observed by the class instructor and class assistant for body language and stress signal changes that may occur. The human participants ranged in age from 12 years old to 60 years old with an average of 7 dogs in each class session. The canine participants were comprised of several different breeds of dogs as well as mixed breeds, from all different backgrounds, including dogs from reputable breeders, pet stores, animal shelters and humane societies, and rescue groups. The canine participants ranged in age from 7 months old to 10 years old. The mean and median age of the canine participants was 3 years old.

Summary of Finding

The findings of the above study support the hypothesis that calming music played through the Pet Acoustics music and speaker is beneficial not only to the canine participants, but the owners as well. The majority (75%) of human participants reported that the soundtracks of the Pet Acoustics music playing through the Speaker relaxed them, while the remaining 25% of participants reported that the music was playing and was enjoyable during the class session. 80% of participants reported that they felt that the music playing calmed their dogs as well as themselves, stating, “I think the Pet Speaker is a great tool for promoting calmness”, “I didn’t even realize there was music playing until the very end of class!”, and “The music helped to ground me”. 97% of participants felt that having the Pet Acoustics music speaker present in the room was a beneficial addition to the class atmosphere.

The majority of the canine participants (96%) displayed neutral to positive reactions to the Pet Acoustics music speaker as evidenced by their ability to focus on a task at hand with their owner. The canine participants displayed neutral body language and 86% of the dogs in the classes shown decreased frequency of stress signals and showed neutral to positive body language towards their owners. 4% of canine participants showed elevated stress levels which were not compatible with the therapy dog program and did not continue in class.

Conclusions and Implications

What was most beneficial about the Pet Acoustics Speaker was the aspect of the speaker that takes out the extreme high and low notes in playing music and allows only middle tones to play which seemed to truly and visibly soothe both dogs and their humans during the classes.

It is recommended by this author that the Pet Acoustics music and speakers would be beneficial to dogs in boarding and kennel facilities as well as training classes and also at home. The Pet Acoustics Speaker is a wonderful tool for any dog owner who would like to further foster the bond between themselves and their canine companions.

About The Good Dog Foundation

Since its inception in 1998, The Good Dog Foundation has had a singular mission – using Animal Assisted Intervention to help children and adults heal from the trauma of disease, disability, and disaster.

Music conducted by Janet Marlow, Sound Behaviorist, Founder of Pet Acoustics Inc.

Pet Acoustics continuing 8-month study with Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation.

Lori McClain-Russak, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation- Pet Acoustics clincial music program to calm dogs used throughout the facility to help German Shepherds in training to become guide dogs for the visually impaired.

Goal

To test the length of time it takes to bring the behavior of each dog into a state of calm and rest while listening to Pet Acoustics frequency modified canine music. Data was collected by a PetPace Collar.

Study

Observe (6) German Shepherds individually, in a high stress behavioral state before and after the music experience. The Pet Tunes music and Ultra Calmer were used alternately. Each dog experience lasted up to 20 minutes to collect the data. The study took place on Sept. 6 and Nov. 15, 2015. at the campus of The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation in Bloomfield, CT.

Results

90% of the dogs released their states of stress within (5) minutes of listening to the music remaining in a state of calm and rest. One dog took up to 20 minutes to release the stress behavior.

The study showed that Pet Acoustics music used on a daily basis in the kennel is used as an integral part of the service dog training diminishing high stress behaviors during the program resulting in a calmer dog for service.

The chart above show alert position of each dog relaxing into a laying down position into calm and rest after listening to the music through the speaker and through the Ultra Calmer collar device.

About Fidelco

Charlie and Robbie Kaman's intuitive knowledge of how German Shepherd dogs could help people who are legally blind live more normal lives was the genesis of the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation.
Beginning in 1960, the work done by this innovative couple and ever-growing group of dedicated and tireless staff, volunteers and supporters has reached out and touched thousands of clients' and family members' lives.

Today, Fidelco is an internationally-recognized leader in the guide dog industry. And the legacy of dedication and quality given to the organization by the Kaman’s will guide Fidelco for generations to come. Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation 103 Vision Way Bloomfield, CT 06002 Fidelco.Org

The Fidelco German Shepherd Dog, we describe them as "a breed within a breed." The Fidelco German Shepherd was created from Bavarian stock. It is an outstanding and exclusive product of selective breeding from strong working lines and has evolved to be truly a breed within a breed. Our dogs possess the characteristics of the ideal working guide; intelligence, temperament, stamina and stability. They are responsible for our clients’ safety at all times. This formidable task requires us to have an uncompromising focus on the quality of the breed, which is a hallmark of the Fidelco shepherd.

Conducted by Janet Marlow, Sound Behaviorist.

Pet Acoustics music proves calming during an 8-month study with Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation.

Janet Marlow, composer and researcher brought Pet Tunes Canine speaker to the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation in Bloomfield, CT. The Guide Dogs in training listened to the canine designed music and in 2 1/2 minutes consistently each dog laid down in a state of rest and comfort.

Study

Observe (12) German Shepherds individually in a high stress behavioral state, before and after the music experience. staffed by Lori McClain Russak, Manager and Tommy Mourad, Head Trainer. Fidelco Foundation Nine Month Study in collaboration with Pet Acoustics Inc. Janet Marlow, Sound Behaviorist March - Nov. 2015

Results

90% of the dogs released their states of stress within (5) minutes of listening to the music, remaining in a state of calm and rest.

Details

Starting in March, 2015 Janet Marlow and the Pet Acoustics team set up Pet Tunes canine music and multiple speakers in three large kennel areas at the Fidelco Guide Dog Campus, encompassing over 70 German Shepherds. Each area had dogs in different stages of training.

The music was played at different times of the day during training and for rest time and after meals. Behavioral responses were observed over 9 months. The results concluded that the overall behaviors of the dogs were in a happier and calmer state. This is a desired behavioral state because of the important work becoming guide dogs being able to fit into family life with their companion. The study was coordinated by Lori McClain-Russak, Manager of Kennel Operations, Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc. and Tommy Mourad, Head Trainer.