TY - JOUR
T1 - Olfactory cues and pig agonistic behavior
T2 - Evidence for a submissive pheromone
AU - McGlone, John J.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation and by a University of Wyoming Biomedical Research grant. The author wishes to thank Mr. Tom Heald and Mrs. Kay Hams for technical help and Dr. Glenn Roehrkasse for statistical work and advice.
PY - 1985/2
Y1 - 1985/2
N2 - One hundred and two prepubertal pigs were used in two experiments to determine if adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)-induced increase in submissive behavior could be mediated by odorous signals. In experiment one, urine was collected from pigs treated with either 0, 1 or 10 IU/kg ACTH. Urine from pigs given 1.0 IU/kg ACTH caused a trend for a rise in submissive behavior. Level of plasma cortisol from donor pigs correlated well (r = 92) with duration of submissive behavior in the tested pigs. In experiment two, urine from ACTH-treated pigs increased submissive behavior when sprayed in the air during late fight. Thus, ACTH-induced submissiveness may be mediated by a pheromone. These results fit the hypothesis that, in addition to visual cues, an olfactory cue (perhaps adrenal in origin) is released towards the end of a fight to signal submission. Aerosolizing urine from ACTH-treated pigs may have interfered with this pheromonal signal.
AB - One hundred and two prepubertal pigs were used in two experiments to determine if adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)-induced increase in submissive behavior could be mediated by odorous signals. In experiment one, urine was collected from pigs treated with either 0, 1 or 10 IU/kg ACTH. Urine from pigs given 1.0 IU/kg ACTH caused a trend for a rise in submissive behavior. Level of plasma cortisol from donor pigs correlated well (r = 92) with duration of submissive behavior in the tested pigs. In experiment two, urine from ACTH-treated pigs increased submissive behavior when sprayed in the air during late fight. Thus, ACTH-induced submissiveness may be mediated by a pheromone. These results fit the hypothesis that, in addition to visual cues, an olfactory cue (perhaps adrenal in origin) is released towards the end of a fight to signal submission. Aerosolizing urine from ACTH-treated pigs may have interfered with this pheromonal signal.
KW - Aggressive
KW - Pheromone
KW - Submissive
KW - Swine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0022002673&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0031-9384(85)90105-2
DO - 10.1016/0031-9384(85)90105-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 2987988
AN - SCOPUS:0022002673
SN - 0031-9384
VL - 34
SP - 195
EP - 198
JO - Physiology and Behavior
JF - Physiology and Behavior
IS - 2
ER -