Nicolas Devillers

Research Scientist in pig behaviour and welfare

2000 College Street Sherbrooke, QC

Current research and/or projects

I'm a research scientist specialised in pig behaviour and welfare. In the last years, my research has mainly focused on the impact of housing and management, including human-animal relationship, on maternal behaviour of lactating sows and social and cognitive development of piglets. I've also worked on the developement of methods for the assessement of welfare of sows and piglets. More recently, I started a research program on alternative production systems, such as pasture-based systems.

Research and/or project statements

Development of an experimental platform on agroecological mixed crop-poly-livestock production systems:

Documenting the transition process from a conventional livestock production system to an agroecological mixed crop-poly-livestock production system, and the impacts of this transformation on biodiversity, soil health and the agronomic and environmental performance of plants and animals.
To develop a mixed agro-ecological crop-livestock production system in which the primary purpose of the crops is to feed humans and the animals are fed on resources that cannot be used for human consumption.
To determine the place and role of animals in this type of system, while promoting animal health and welfare.
To develop a research platform on agroecological mixed cropping-poly-livestock production systems, enabling the linking of in-situ experiments on biodiversity, water management, agroforestry, crop management and animal management (pigs, ruminants) on pasture.

Analysis of alternative integrated crop/livestock production systems using life cycle assessment

Model integrated agro-ecological crop/livestock production systems to determine their environmental efficiency, as well as potential levers for improvement, using a life cycle analysis from farm to fork.
Evaluate the efficiency of these alternative production systems and networks by socio-economic analysis at the farm level, but also downstream by considering the processing, transport, storage and distribution of food products.

Potential of outdoor systems as an alternative to pork conventional production:

Survey of economic and technical characteristics of alternative swine production systems
Gestating sow preferences for fresh and dry forages
Value of fresh or dry forage in the feeding of outdoor gestating sows
Sow preference based on forage conservation mode
Impact of different types of farrowing huts on the behaviour and performance of sows and their piglets at pasture
Strategies for managing high temperature at pasture

Impact of early experience with humans on the human-animal relationship in piglets

Development of behavioural tests to assess human reactivity of piglets and a conditioning protocol to associate humans with positive or negative stimuli
Process of human recognition and generalization in piglets following positive and/or negative conditioning
Emotions and cognitive bias in weaned piglets as a result of human experience

Professional activities / interests

Ethology / Animal behaviour
Swine
Alternative production systems
Animal welfare
Maternal behaviour
Agroecology
Agroecological mixed crop-livestock production systems

Key publications

Aubé, L., Guay, F., Bergeron, R., Bélanger, G., Tremblay, G.F., Devillers, N. (2019). Sows prefer forages conserved as haylage over hay and fresh forage. Livestock Science, [online] 228 93-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2019.08.007
2019 - View publication details
Rocha, L.M., Devillers, N., Maldague, X., Kabemba, F.Z., Fleuret, J., Guay, F., Faucitano, L. (2019). Validation of anatomical sites for the measurement of infrared body surface temperature variation in response to handling and transport. Animals, [online] 9(7), http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani9070425
2019 - View publication details
Devillers, N., Janvier, E., Delijani, F., Méthot, S., Dick, K.J., Zhang, Q., Connor, L. (2019). Effect of slat and gap width of slatted concrete flooring on sow gait using kinematics analysis. Animals, [online] 9(5), http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani9050206
2019 - View publication details
Beaudoin, J.M., Bergeron, R., Devillers, N., Laforest, J.P. (2019). Growing pigs’ interest in enrichment objects with different characteristics and cleanliness. Animals, [online] 9(3), http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani9030085
2019 - View publication details
Pereira, T.L., Titto, E.A.L., Conte, S., Devillers, N., Sommavilla, R., Diesel, T., Dalla Costa, F.A., Guay, F., Friendship, R., Crowe, T., Faucitano, L. (2018). Application of a ventilation fan-misting bank on pigs kept in a stationary trailer before unloading: Effects on trailer microclimate, and pig behaviour and physiological response. Livestock Science, [online] 216 67-74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2018.07.013
2018 - View publication details
Nutritional value of pasture and dry-forage, and foraging behaviour in outdoor gestating sow

2018 - View publication details
Effect of design of outdoor farrowing hut on environment inside the hut, and sows and piglets performance and welfare

2018 - View publication details
Brajon, S., Ringgenberg, N., Torrey, S., Bergeron, R., Devillers, N. (2017). Impact of prenatal stress and environmental enrichment prior to weaning on activity and social behaviour of piglets (Sus scrofa). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, [online] 197 15-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.09.005
2017 - View publication details
Aubé L., Guay F., Bergeron R., Bélanger G., Tremblay G., Devillers N. 2018. Sows' preferences for different fresh and dry mixed forages. 13th North-American regional meeting of the International Society for Applied Ethology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 12-13 May 2017, p.37.
2017 - View publication details
Devillers, N., Delijani, F., Janvier, E., Méthot, S., Dick, K., Zhang, Q., and Connor, L. (2016). "Impact of slat and gap widths of concrete slatted floor on sow gait using kinematics.", Banff Pork Seminar 2016, Banff, AB, Canada, January 12-14, 2016.
2016 - View publication details
Brajon, S., Ringgenberg, N., Torrey, S., Bergeron, R., and Devillers, N. (2016). "Effects of prenatal stress and postnatal enrichment on exploration and social behaviour of suckling piglets.", 50th congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, Edinburgh, UK, 12-16 July, 2016, pp. 196. (Abstract)
2016 - View publication details
Dalla Costa, F.A., Devillers, N., Paranhos da Costa, M.J.R., Faucitano, L. (2016). Effects of applying preslaughter feed withdrawal at the abattoir on behaviour, blood parameters and meat quality in pigs. Meat Science, [online] 119 89-94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2016.03.033
2016 - View publication details
Brajon, S., Laforest, J.P., Schmitt, O., Devillers, N. (2016). A preliminary study of the effects of individual response to challenge tests and stress induced by humans on learning performance of weaned piglets (Sus scrofa). Behavioural Processes, [online] 129 27-36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2016.05.007
2016 - View publication details
Devillers, N., Giraud, D., Farmer, C. (2016). Neonatal piglets are able to differentiate more productive from less productive teats. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, [online] 174 24-31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2015.11.018
2016 - View publication details
Brajon, S., LaForest, J.-P., Schmitt, O., and Devillers, N. (2015). "Positive contact with humans can improve learning performance and emotional states of animals: a study in piglets.", International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) 2015 conference, Saratoga Springs, New York, USA, July 7- 9, 2015.
2015 - View publication details
Dalla Costa, F.A., Devillers, N., Paranhos da Costa, M.J.R., and Faucitano, L. (2015). "Influence of preslaughter feed withdrawal time applied at the farm or at abattoir on behaviour and meat quality in pigs.", 61st International Congress of Meat Science and Technology, Clermont-Ferrand, France, August 23-28, 2015.
2015 - View publication details
Brajon, S., Laforest, J.P., Bergeron, R., Tallet, C., Devillers, N. (2015). The perception of humans by piglets: recognition of familiar handlers and generalisation to unfamiliar humans. Animal Cognition, [online] 18(6), 1299-1316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10071-015-0900-2
2015 - View publication details
Conte, S., Bergeron, R., Gonyou, H., Brown, J., Rioja-Lang, F.C., Connor, M.L., Devillers, N. (2015). Use of an analgesic to identify pain-related indicators of lameness in sows. Livestock Science, [online] 180 203-208. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2015.08.009
2015 - View publication details
Brajon, S., Laforest, J.P., Schmitt, O., Devillers, N. (2015). The way humans behave modulates the emotional state of piglets. PLoS ONE, [online] 10(8), http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133408
2015 - View publication details
Gil, M., Faucitano, L., Talbot, G., Devillers, N., Guay, F., Saucier, L. (2015). Pre-slaughter strategies to improve pork carcass microbial quality. Meat Science, [online] 99 153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.07.006
2015 - View publication details