{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,9]],"date-time":"2026-02-09T01:24:10Z","timestamp":1770600250819,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,2]],"date-time":"2020-03-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1583107200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Pig cryptorchidism is a congenital anomaly, which requires surgical intervention. Pain assessment in pig farming has some limitations and consumers are increasingly concerned about suffering linked to on-farm procedures. The PGS seems to be a promising tool for pain assessment in piglets, although it has not been investigated whether this tool is applicable to growing pigs. This study was designed to determine whether the PGS could be useful to assess pain in growing pigs undergoing on-farm cryptorchidectomy. Ten mixed-breed cryptorchid pigs were pre-medicated with azaperone and ketamine. Anesthesia was induced and maintained using IV sodium based. Pigs were filmed pre- and 6 h post-surgery to evaluate their behavior (scan sampling every minute). Besides, 36 pictures of the face expressions (18 pre- and 18 6 h post-surgery) were scored with the PGS by three treatment-blind observers. The pre-surgery pig\u2019s activity ratio was 59%, while it was 2% 6 h post-surgery. While the PGS inter-observer reliability was excellent (Interclass Correlation Coefficient value of 0.87), the PGS score increased significantly in pigs 6 h post-surgery (Paired sample t-test, p = 0.02). The PGS proved to be a potentially effective method to assess pain associated with cryptorchidectomy. However, further validation studies are required to validate this tool for other potentially painful procedures.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani10030412","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,2]],"date-time":"2020-03-02T07:50:53Z","timestamp":1583135453000},"page":"412","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":30,"title":["Is the Piglet Grimace Scale (PGS) a Useful Welfare Indicator to Assess Pain after Cryptorchidectomy in Growing Pigs?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1643-4677","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cecilia","family":"Vullo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di ChiBioFarAm, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3628-2129","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sara","family":"Barbieri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Catone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1974-8356","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jean-Marie","family":"Gra\u00efc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Padova, 35020 Padova, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Magaletti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Service de la Consommation et des affaires V\u00e9t\u00e9rinaires de l\u2019Etat de Gen\u00e8ve (SCAV), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6169-733X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ambra","family":"Di Rosa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ambra","family":"Motta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Carlo","family":"Tremolada","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elisabetta","family":"Canali","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5037-3759","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emanuela","family":"Dalla Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.103592","article-title":"Paper Pig surgery: Cryptorchidectomy using an inguinal approach","volume":"178","author":"Scollo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1016\/S0301-6226(12)80012-1","article-title":"Contributions of fat androstenone and skatole to boar taint: I. Sensory attributes of fat and pork meat","volume":"32","author":"Bonneau","year":"1992","journal-title":"Livest. Prod. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"214","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applanim.2011.10.017","article-title":"Castration induced pain in pigs and other livestock","volume":"135","author":"Rault","year":"2011","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2071","DOI":"10.1017\/S1751731110001291","article-title":"Physiology and behavior of pigs before and after castration: Effects of two topical anesthetics","volume":"4","author":"Sutherland","year":"2010","journal-title":"Animal"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.2527\/1995.732381x","article-title":"Vocalization and physiological response of pigs during castration with or without a local anesthetic","volume":"73","author":"White","year":"1995","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2211","DOI":"10.2527\/jas.2011-4260","article-title":"The physiological and behavioral response of pigs castrated with and without anesthesia or analgesia1","volume":"90","author":"Sutherland","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"622","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2014.10.003","article-title":"Attitudes of farmers and veterinarians towards pain and the use of pain relief in pigs","volume":"202","author":"Ison","year":"2014","journal-title":"Vet. J. (Lond. Engl. 1997)"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2016.00108","article-title":"A Review of Pain Assessment in Pigs","volume":"3","author":"Ison","year":"2016","journal-title":"Front. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","first-page":"100","article-title":"The Assessment of Facial Expressions in Piglets Undergoing Tail Docking and Castration: Toward the Development of the Piglet Grimace Scale","volume":"3","author":"Brierley","year":"2016","journal-title":"Front. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applanim.2019.06.001","article-title":"Conceptual and Methodological Issues Relating to Pain Assessment in Mammals: The Development and Utilisation of Pain Facial Expression Scales","volume":"217","author":"McLennan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Viscardi, A.V., and Turner, P.V. (2018). Efficacy of buprenorphine for management of surgical castration pain in piglets. BMC Vet. Res., 14.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12917-018-1643-5"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2017.00051","article-title":"Development of a Piglet Grimace Scale to Evaluate Piglet Pain Using Facial Expressions Following Castration and Tail Docking: A Pilot Study","volume":"4","author":"Viscardi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"187","DOI":"10.2754\/avb201988020187","article-title":"Effects of intramuscular alfaxalone-midazolam combination in pigs","volume":"88","author":"Vullo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Acta Vet. Brno"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Martin, P., and Bateson, P. (2007). Measuring Behaviour: An Introductory Guide, Cambridge University Press. [3rd ed.].","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9780511810893"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1163\/156853974X00534","article-title":"Observational study of behavior: Sampling","volume":"49","author":"Altmann","year":"1974","journal-title":"Behaviour"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"284","DOI":"10.1037\/1040-3590.6.4.284","article-title":"Guidelines, criteria, and rules of thumb for evaluating normed and standardized assessment instruments in psychology","volume":"6","author":"Cicchetti","year":"1994","journal-title":"Psychol. Assess."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"299","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2018.00299","article-title":"Use of Meloxicam or Ketoprofen for piglet pain control following surgical castration","volume":"5","author":"Viscardi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"151","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-2995.2008.00443.x","article-title":"Comparison of azaperone\u2013detomidine\u2013butorphanol\u2013ketamine and azaperone\u2013tiletamine\u2013zolazepam for anaesthesia in piglets","volume":"36","author":"Heinonen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Vet. Anaesth. Analg."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Grimm, K.A., Lamont, L.A., Tranquilli, W.J., Greene, S.A., and Robertson, S.A. (2017). Swine. Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, Wiley."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"401","DOI":"10.1186\/BF03547655","article-title":"Anaesthetics for general anaesthesia in growing pigs","volume":"36","author":"Henrikson","year":"1995","journal-title":"Acta Vet. Scand."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"487","DOI":"10.7120\/09627286.28.4.487","article-title":"Use of meloxicam, buprenorphine, and Maxilene \u00ae to assess a multimodal approach for piglet pain management, part 1: Surgical castration","volume":"28","author":"Viscardi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Anim. Welf."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1441","DOI":"10.2527\/1993.7161441x","article-title":"The development of pain in young pigs associated with castration and attempts to prevent castration-induced behavioral changes","volume":"71","author":"McGlone","year":"1993","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"150","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1439-0442.2004.00617.x","article-title":"Inhalation anaesthesia for castration of newborn piglets: Experiences with isoflurane and isoflurane\/N2O","volume":"51","author":"Walker","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Vet. Med. Ser. A Physiol. Pathol. Clin. Med."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-2995.2006.00309.x","article-title":"Comparison of isoflurane and sevoflurane for short-term anesthesia in piglets","volume":"34","author":"Hodgson","year":"2007","journal-title":"Vet. Anaesth. Analg."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"395","DOI":"10.1024\/0036-7281.149.9.395","article-title":"Anaesthesia for castration of piglets: Comparison between intranasal and intramuscular application of ketamine, climazolam and azaperone","volume":"149","author":"Axiak","year":"2007","journal-title":"Schweiz. Arch. Fur Tierheilkd."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"447","DOI":"10.1038\/nmeth.1455","article-title":"Coding of facial expressions of pain in the laboratory mouse","volume":"7","author":"Langford","year":"2010","journal-title":"Nat. Methods"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dalla Costa, E., Pascuzzo, R., Leach, M.C., Dai, F., Lebelt, D., Vantini, S., and Minero, M. (2018). Can grimace scales estimate the pain status in horses and mice? A statistical approach to identify a classifier. PLoS ONE, 13.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0200339"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Keating, S.C.J., Thomas, A.A., Flecknell, P.A., and Leach, M.C. (2012). Evaluation of EMLA cream for preventing pain during tattooing of rabbits: Changes in physiological, behavioural and facial expression responses. PLoS ONE, 7.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0044437"},{"key":"ref_29","first-page":"55","article-title":"The Rat Grimace Scale: A partially automated method for quantifying pain in the laboratory rat via facial expressions","volume":"7","author":"Sotocinal","year":"2011","journal-title":"Mol. Pain"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e13347","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0013347","article-title":"Are we looking in the wrong place? Implications for behavioural-based pain assessment in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculi) and beyond?","volume":"6","author":"Leach","year":"2011","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"439","article-title":"Facial expression of pain: An evolutionary account","volume":"25","author":"Williams","year":"2002","journal-title":"Behav. Brain Sci."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31667","DOI":"10.1038\/srep31667","article-title":"Real-time application of the Rat Grimace Scale as a welfare refinement in laboratory rats","volume":"6","author":"Leung","year":"2016","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"160","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applanim.2016.05.020","article-title":"Using the mouse grimace scale and behaviour to assess pain in CBA mice following vasectomy","volume":"181","author":"Miller","year":"2016","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Miller, A.L., and Leach, M.C. (2015). The mouse grimace scale: A clinically useful tool?. PLoS ONE, 10.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0136000"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"340","DOI":"10.1016\/j.physbeh.2007.03.016","article-title":"A critical review of fear tests used on cattle, pigs, sheep, poultry and horses","volume":"92","author":"Forkman","year":"2007","journal-title":"Physiol. Behav."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applanim.2018.05.012","article-title":"Tail and ear movements as possible indicators of emotions in pigs","volume":"205","author":"Pageat","year":"2018","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1016\/j.physbeh.2012.11.002","article-title":"Indicators of positive and negative emotions and emotional contagion in pigs","volume":"109","author":"Reimert","year":"2013","journal-title":"Physiol. Behav."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1281","DOI":"10.2527\/jas1975.4151281x","article-title":"Microscopic structure of pig skin","volume":"41","author":"Mawafy","year":"1975","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2645","DOI":"10.2527\/1993.71102645x","article-title":"Effect of selection for lean tissue growth on body composition and physiological state of the pig at birth","volume":"71","author":"Herpin","year":"1993","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wilkinson, S., Lu, Z.H., Megens, H.J., Archibald, A.L., Haley, C., Jackson, I.J., Groenen, M.A.M., Crooijmans, R.P.M.A., Ogden, R., and Wiener, P. (2013). Signatures of Diversifying Selection in European Pig Breeds. PLoS Genet., 9.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgen.1003453"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3339","DOI":"10.2527\/1993.71123339x","article-title":"Muscle cellularity and postnatal growth in the pig","volume":"71","author":"Dwyer","year":"1993","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"582","DOI":"10.1111\/1523-1747.ep12505567","article-title":"Interspecies and interregional analysis of the comparative histologic thickness and laser Doppler blood flow measurements at five cutaneous sites in nine species","volume":"95","author":"Bristol","year":"1990","journal-title":"J. Investig. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mellor, D.J., Cook, C.J., and Stafford, K.J. (2000). Quantifying some responses to pain as a stressor. The Biology of Animal Stress: Basic Principles and Implications for Animal Welfare, CABI Publishing.","DOI":"10.1079\/9780851993591.0171"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.1016\/S0168-1591(03)00059-5","article-title":"Assessment of pain induced by castration in piglets: Behavioral and physiological responses over the subsequent 5 days","volume":"82","author":"Hay","year":"2003","journal-title":"Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref_45","unstructured":"Dekker, M. (2015). The Effect of Temperature and Activity Patterns on Lying Behaviour and Space Use in Conventional Housed Fattening Pigs. [Msc Thesis, Wageningen University]."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/10\/3\/412\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T09:03:17Z","timestamp":1760173397000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/10\/3\/412"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,2]]},"references-count":45,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,3]]}},"alternative-id":["ani10030412"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani10030412","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,2]]}}}