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. 2022 Nov 2;12(21):3008.
doi: 10.3390/ani12213008.

Stress Assessment of Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) in Corral-Style Traps Using Serum Cortisol Levels

Katharina M Westhoff  1 , André Fetzer  1 , Kathrin Büttner  2 , Gerhard Schuler  3 , Johannes Lang  1 , Michael Lierz  1
Affiliations

Stress Assessment of Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) in Corral-Style Traps Using Serum Cortisol Levels

Katharina M Westhoff et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

Capture of wild boar in corral-style traps with subsequent culling is increasingly used for population management. The method is debated due to animal welfare concerns making welfare studies in traps necessary. While previous studies focused on behaviour and injuries, this study dealt with the physiological aspect. Cortisol levels in wild boar caught in corral-style traps (50-90 qm2, n = 138) were compared with those killed during single (n = 37) and driven hunts (n = 90). Collected sera were purified by solid phase extraction (SPE) and analysed via radioimmunoassay. Cortisol levels in blood samples were stable under cooled (4-7 °C) conditions for a storage time of up to 87 h before centrifugation. Cortisol levels were significantly higher in wild boar killed in corral-style traps than during driven hunts and single hunts. Wild boar caught in groups of five or more showed lower cortisol levels than single animals or in smaller groups. Therefore, time span inside the trap and of culling should be reduced to a minimum, and capturing groups of animals should be preferred to reduce stress. For animal welfare assessment of wild boar live-trapping, additional data from behavioural analyses and pathological examinations must be integrated.

Keywords: African swine fever; RIA; SPE; animal welfare; glucocorticoids; hunting; trapping.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pictures of the used corral-style traps. (A) Krefelder (Krefelder Saufang Vario, Thomas Vennekel & Georg Achten GBR, Krefeld, Germany); (B) JagerPro Trap System (Jager Pro®, Inc. M.I.N.E.® Trapping System, Columbus, GA, USA); (C) Selfmade trap type.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Concentrations of cortisol levels of wild boar shot in single hunts, driven hunts, and trapping. Wild boar caught and shot in corral-style traps (n = 138) showed higher cortisol levels than wild boar shot during single hunts (n = 37) and driven hunts (n = 90). Different superscripts (a, b, c) indicate significant differences in pairwise comparisons (p < 0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Concentration of cortisol levels of wild boar trapped and shot in corral-style traps of various group sizes. Single wild boar caught and shot in corral-style traps (n = 7) showed higher cortisol levels than wild boar in groups of 2–4 (n = 26) and in groups greater than or equal to 5 (n = 105). Different superscripts (a, b) indicate significant differences in pairwise comparisons (p < 0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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