Preval LAP (Low stress, Aligned handling Platform) is a low cost behavioural device developed in Cuba using recycled materials. It enables pigs to voluntarily adopt a calm lateral recumbency posture during clinical procedures, allowing handlers to perform tasks such as auscultation, catheter maintenance, infusion, ultrasound, and blood sampling without physical restraint. The platform was designed to improve animal welfare, reduce stress related physiological responses, and increase the efficiency and safety of veterinary and research procedures.

How it works: 

The system combines rapid habituation with gentle tactile stimulation. During the first phase, pigs are exposed to differential food access through a basal opening that crosses the platform. Animals inside the device have full access to the feeder, while those outside can only reach a small portion. This creates motivation, social learning, and voluntary entry. Within 72 hours, pigs consistently enter the platform without force or coercion.

Once inside, the handler delivers gentle tactile stimulation (stroking) through the basal opening, accessing the abdomen, lower neck, and limbs. In response, the pig spontaneously transitions from standing or sternal recumbency to full lateral recumbency, extending its limbs through the opening. This posture is maintained only while tactile stimulation continues. When stroking stops, the animal changes posture according to environmental conditions but immediately returns to lateral recumbency when stimulation resumes. This behaviour has been replicated in multiple sessions and mirrors responses observed in traditional Cuban farming practices, where adult sows voluntarily lie in lateral recumbency when stroked by their caretakers.

Novelty: 

Unlike conventional low stress handling methods that require weeks of training, food deprivation, or specialized equipment, Preval LAP achieves voluntary cooperation within days using positive reinforcement and natural tactile responses. The innovation lies not only in the device but in the behavioural mechanism: the platform transforms both animal and human behaviour. The handler learns to regulate movement, timing, and emotional tone, reading subtle cues such as ear position, respiration, and tail posture. This creates a bidirectional trust loop that stabilizes the interaction.

The platform was iteratively refined based on field observations. The basal opening was adjusted as needed to prevent escape attempts, and the internal geometry was redesigned—narrower at the top and front, wider at the bottom and rear—to naturally guide the animal into lateral recumbency and improve visibility of the forelimbs for clinical access.

Production: 

Preval LAP is intentionally low tech and low cost. The structure can be built using metal bars, wood, or plastic crates depending on animal size, combined with basic hinges, screws, and a removable feeder. Any veterinary clinic, research facility, or farm with access to simple tools can construct a functional unit within hours. The design is open source, enabling rapid dissemination without specialized manufacturing.

Applications: 

The platform is suitable for veterinary clinics, biomedical research facilities, and farms where pigs undergo procedures requiring restraint. It also serves as a tool for studying positive welfare indicators—behavioural, physiological, and neurological—supporting research on emotional states in animals. Its affordability makes it accessible in resource limited environments, offering a practical refinement method aligned with global animal welfare standards.