Biotelemetry in physiologic research of farm animals.

Biotelemetry allows the chronical recording of cardiovascular parameters without manipulating the animals which can be housed collectively during the test. This experiment investigates the importance and the physiological aspects of social stress situations using cardiovascular parameters (heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature: Data Sciences Int.) as indicators of physiological responses, arousal and emotional state and includes ethological criteria of adaptation during confrontations. Tile goal of our research is to inspect tile interactions of organism and environment in the field of ethophysiological mechanisms of adaptation. Results indicate that ethophysiological adaptation of pigs with different rank during social stress situations (confrontation test) does not only depends on the dominance type. Stress reactions may also influenced by tile situation, succes, experiences and individual coping pattern.