Temporal characteristics of feeding behavior in the Munich miniature pig

Correlations between meal size and inter-meal intervals as a characteristic of ingestive behavior are generally calculated utilizing Pearson's correlation coefficient. However, this commonly used method may exhibit disadvantages and methodological problems when dealing with dependent time series. Alternatively, a modified version of Pearson's r (rdiff) or a nonparametric procedure, Pfanzagl's T combined with an expanded sampling theorem offer a statistical alternative for correlational analysis, robust to stochastic interdependencies between time series. In two studies, porcine self-initiated feeding behavior was observed in a closed economy setup, and a comparison of all three correlation coefficients was performed.Study 1Twelve Munich mini-pigs were observed for 2 weeks. The rate of food ingestion was a stable characteristic of each individual pig, feeding and defecation behavior were temporally associated and light/dark cycle differences were seen for feeding.Study 2Eight Munich mini-pigs were studied for 4 weeks. Kendall's Tau was utilized to test the stability of feeding behavior across weeks. Stability increased over time and feeding was more stable during the light period. Both correlation measures revealed a strong association between meal size and inter-meal intervals.ConclusionMunich-miniature pigs exhibited a stable pattern of self-initiated ingestive and excretory behaviors. In both studies, Pfanzagl's T-values as well as rdiff-values revealed a corresponding and consistent association between meal size and inter-meal intervals. In combination with the conventional Pearson's r, all three coefficients characterize different aspects of feeding behavior.