# Supplementation of a Homeopathic Complex in the Diet of Castrated Male and Female Nursery Piglets and Its Effects on Behavior

## TL;DR

This study found that adding a homeopathic complex to piglet feed did not affect their behavior, but female piglets were more inactive than males.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the behavioral effects of a homeopathic complex and sex differences in nursery piglets.

## Key findings

- The homeopathic complex had no significant effect on piglet behavior.
- Female piglets showed more inactivity and less vocalization than males.
- There was a sex × treatment interaction in escape attempts during the weighing test.

## Abstract

Homeopathy is often used alongside conventional treatments in both humans and animals. However, little is known about how it affects the behavior of farm animals. This study investigated whether adding a homeopathic complex to the feed of young piglets would change their behavior. To evaluate this, 105 piglets were divided into five treatment groups with increasing levels of the homeopathic complex, ranging from 0 to 9.0 kg per ton of feed. These animals underwent behavioral tests, and it was hypothesized that piglets receiving the homeopathic complex would show less fear and anxiety during the tests due to the physiological effects associated with the homeopathic compounds. At the end of the experiment, no significant effect of the homeopathic complex on piglet behavior was found. However, it was observed that the sex of the piglets plays an important role in how they respond to challenges, with females showing more inactivity than males. This knowledge can help farmers and researchers better understand and care for animals in production systems.

Homeopathy is widely used as a complementary therapy, but its effects on the behavior of production animals remain underexplored. This study evaluated the influence of a homeopathic complex on the behavior of castrated male and female piglets in the nursery phase. The experiment lasted 35 days and involved 105 animals. Piglets were allotted to five treatments in a completely randomized block design with seven replicates using three piglets per experimental unit. Tested treatments were: negative control—basal diet without additives; basal diets with 4.5, 6.0, 7.5, and 9.0 kg/ton of the homeopathic complex in the feed. Behavioral tests included open field (OF), novel object (NO), sociability, discriminative learning, judgment bias, and reactivity during weighing (RDW). Vocalizations were lower in females than males during the OF test (p = 0.016). In the RDW test, a trend was identified (p = 0.076): as the level of the homeopathic complex increased, escape attempts decreased in females and increased in males (sex × treatment interaction). Females also showed greater resistance to movement (p = 0.018). Our study suggests that the homeopathic complex does not impact the behavior of castrated male and female nursery piglets. The findings further illustrate that the sex of the animals affects their behavior, with females displaying higher levels of inactivity compared to castrated male piglets.