Study on Effects of Music on Behavior of Pigs Underway

Belgian researchers are looking into a farmer's claim that his pigs' behavior is influenced by the music he listens to.

Piet Paesmans first became aware of the occurrence when his son began singing in the barn during a laborious insemination procedure and the sows began to act excited and wag their tails.

Paesmans decided they should try that with the other pigs as well from his farm, which is situated halfway between the Dutch border and Brussels.

Since then, he has made a playlist for each hour of the day, playing upbeat music to get the pigs moving and lullabies to get them to sleep.

The most popular songs, according to Paesmans, are upbeat dance songs.

When the music is particularly lively, the pigs even start dancing and frolicking as they start to wag their tails.

Apparently, the pigs dislike rock music because it is too intense.

The farmer alerted a group of researchers who have gotten funding for their investigation of the claims in the amount of 75,000 euros (about $76,770), from an EU fund and the Flanders region of Belgium.

Little is known about how pigs respond to music, but Paesmans' experience fits with what is already known about how sounds affect animals in general, claimed project coordinator Sander Palmans.

He asserted that there is no question that certain noises have an impact on animals.

It is, therefore, entirely possible for music to have the same result, and it may even help to alleviate boredom, which has been associated with stress.

According to Paesmans, the stress in animals has an impact on meat quality, so the findings may have applications for the industry.

He clarified that a top athlete needs to be in top physical and mental shape and that pigs experience the same thing, too. When they are slaughtered, it is evident that they have experienced too much stress. The meat's quality depends greatly on it.

It is anticipated that the study's findings will be available by year's end, Reuters reported.

Other Studies on Music and Animal Behavior

Numerous studies have examined the impact of music on animal behavior.

According to one study, cows that are exposed to classical music yield more milk than those that are not.

Meanwhile, based on a different study, giving music to chickens makes them lay more eggs.

Animals outside of human control can also react to music.

For example, according to a study on deer, they respond differently to various musical genres.

While deer exposed to pop and rock music displayed a decrease in heart rate and activity, those exposed to baroque and classical music displayed an increase in both.

These studies imply that how we listen to music can affect how animals behave, Animal Behavior Corner noted.

Music for Animal Welfare

Human health and happiness can also be significantly impacted by music.

This theory became the pivot point of a study with findings that have sparked a growing body of research on the potential impact of music on animal welfare, with the majority of these studies focusing on whether music can improve general well-being.

This single-minded pursuit of understanding how music affects animals, however, is insufficient for advancing knowledge of how music might be used as an enrichment tool on a scientific and practical level, and can also cause issues with experimental planning and interpretation.