| Records |
| Author |
Ahrendt, L.P.; Labouriau, R.; Malmkvist, J.; Nicol, C.J.; Christensen, J.W. |
| Title |
Development of a standard test to assess negative reinforcement learning in horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2015 |
Publication |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
| Volume |
169 |
Issue |
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Pages |
38-42 |
| Keywords |
Algometry; Horse behaviour; Learning performance; Operant conditioning; Pressure-release; Horse training |
| Abstract |
Most horses are trained by negative reinforcement. Currently, however, no standardised test for evaluating horses' negative reinforcement learning ability is available. The aim of this study was to develop an objective test to investigate negative reinforcement learning in horses. Twenty-four Icelandic horses (3 years old) were included in this study. The horses were tested in a pressure-release task on three separate days with 10, 7 and 5 trials on each side, respectively. Each trial consisted of pressure being applied on the hindquarter with an algometer. The force of the pressure was increased until the horse moved laterally away from the point of pressure. There was a significant decrease in required force over trials on the first test day (P<0.001), but not the second and third day. The intercepts on days 2 and 3 differed significantly from day 1 (P<0.001), but not each other. Significantly stronger force was required on the right side compared to the left (P<0.001), but there was no difference between first and second side tested (P=0.56). Individual performance was evaluated by median-force and the change in force over trials on the first test day. These two measures may explain different characteristics of negative reinforcement learning. In conclusion, this study presents a novel, standardised test for evaluating negative reinforcement learning ability in horses. |
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0168-1591 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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6650 |
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Abeyesinghe, S.M.; Nicol, C.J.; Wathes. C.M.; Randall, J.M. |
| Title |
Development of a raceway method to assess aversion of domestic fowl to concurrent stressors |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2001 |
Publication |
Behavioural Processes |
Abbreviated Journal |
Behav. Process. |
| Volume |
56 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
175-194 |
| Keywords |
previous termConcurrent stressors; Aversion; Domestic fowlnext term; Transport; Vibration; Hyperthermia |
| Abstract |
The requirement for assessing the effects of stressor combinations in improving the welfare of animals has not been widely recognised. Knowledge of the effects of concurrent stressors is needed to improve environments such as transport, where animals are presented with many simultaneous challenges. However, no method for measuring the effects of different stressors with a common unit is currently available. A locomotor passive avoidance method was developed as a common currency measure of the aversion of domestic fowl to concurrent stressors, using vibrational and thermal stressors as an exemplar. Juvenile fowl, fasted overnight, were trained to run a raceway into a goal-box for small food rewards (FR1). When running consistently, the reinforcement schedule was superimposed with a FR5 treatment schedule (60 min confinement in the goal-box with either a control of no other stressors [N] or concurrent vibration and thermal stressors [VT]). Subsequent latency to return to the goal-box was recorded as a measure of aversion. The factors affecting bird response were addressed in a series of experiments to optimise the method and clarify interpretation of results. Pre-feeding (20% ration 2 h prior to testing) did not affect response, but increasing the number of treatment presentations facilitated learning and increased method sensitivity. Treatment responses were consistent across experiments; overall VT was avoided (P<0.001), but N was not. However, there was large individual variation in response to VT. A final experiment indicated that, given a visual discriminatory cue, birds were capable of learning the required association between entering the goal-box and receiving the treatment, suggesting that the delay responses were due to aversion rather than the immediate impact of treatment on ability to respond. Further work is required to test the singular stressors, but the method retains common currency potential for assessing aversion to multiple stressors. |
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Bio-Engineering Division, Silsoe Research Institute, Wrest Park, Silsoe, MK45 4HS, Bedford, UK |
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| ISSN |
0376-6357 |
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| Notes |
PMID:11738510 |
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no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
85 |
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| Author |
Albentosa, M.J.; Kjaer, J.B.; Nicol, C.J. |
| Title |
Strain and age differences in behaviour, fear response and pecking tendency in laying hens |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2003 |
Publication |
British poultry science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Br Poult Sci |
| Volume |
44 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
333-344 |
| Keywords |
Age Factors; Aggression/*physiology; Animal Husbandry; Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Breeding; Chickens/genetics/*physiology; Fear/*physiology; Feathers/*injuries; Female; Housing, Animal; Population Density; Social Behavior |
| Abstract |
1. Behaviours associated with a high or low tendency to feather peck could be used as predictors of feather pecking behaviour in selective breeding programmes. This study investigated how strain and age at testing influenced responses in behavioural tests. 2. Four layer-type strains (ISA Brown, Columbian Blacktail, Ixworth and a high feather pecking (HP) and a low feather pecking (LP) line of White Leghorn) were reared in 6 same-strain/line pens of 8 birds from one day old. Birds in half the pens were given an open field test, a novel object test and a test with loose feather bundles between 4 and 12 weeks of age and a tonic immobility (TI) test at 13 weeks of age. All pens were tested with fixed feather bundles at 26 weeks, and undisturbed behaviour in the home pens was videoed at 1 and 27 weeks of age. Daily records of plumage damage were used as an indicator of feather pecking activity in the home pens. 3. Strain did not influence novel object test, open field test or loose feather test behaviour, although age effects in all three tests indicated a reduction in fearfulness and/or an increase in exploratory behaviour with increasing age. 4. White Leghorns showed longer TI durations than the other strains but less pecking at fixed feather bundles than ISA Browns and Columbian Blacktails. 5. There were few associations between behaviour in the 5 different tests, indicating that birds did not have overall behavioural traits that were consistent across different contexts. This suggests hens cannot easily be categorised into different behavioural 'types', based on their test responses and casts doubt on the usefulness of tests as predictors of feather pecking. |
| Address |
Centre for Behavioural Biology, Division of Farm Animal Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, England. MAlbentosa@lincoln.ac.uk |
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English |
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0007-1668 |
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| Notes |
PMID:13677322 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
80 |
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| Author |
McGreevy, P.D.; Cripps, P.J.; French, N.P.; Green, L.E.; Nicol, C.J. |
| Title |
Management factors associated with stereotypic and redirected behaviour in the thoroughbred horse |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
1995 |
Publication |
Equine veterinary journal |
Abbreviated Journal |
Equine Vet J |
| Volume |
27 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
86-91 |
| Keywords |
Animal Husbandry/*methods; Animals; Horse Diseases/psychology/*therapy; Horses; Risk Factors; *Stereotyped Behavior; Time Factors |
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A greater knowledge of the effect of management factors is required to investigate the ontogeny of abnormal behaviour in the stabled horse. A postal survey of racehorse (flat) trainers yielded information about 22 yard and management factors. The relationship of the factors to the prevalence of abnormal behaviour was analysed by logistic regression. Management factors related to the time spent in the stable showed the strongest associations with stereotypic behaviour. The risk of horses performing abnormal behaviour increased: 1) as the amount of forage fell below 6.8 kg/day, 2) when bedding types other than straw were used, 3) when the total number of horses on the yard was fewer than 75, 4) in association with box designs that minimised contact between neighbouring horses, 5) when hay, rather than other types of forage, was used. |
| Address |
Department of Animal Health and Husbandry, School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, UK |
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English |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0425-1644 |
ISBN |
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| Notes |
PMID:7607155 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
91 |
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Wilkins, L.J.; Brown, S.N.; Zimmerman, P.H.; Leeb, C.; Nicol, C.J. |
| Title |
Investigation of palpation as a method for determining the prevalence of keel and furculum damage in laying hens |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
The Veterinary record |
Abbreviated Journal |
Vet. Rec. |
| Volume |
155 |
Issue |
18 |
Pages |
547-549 |
| Keywords |
Animal Husbandry/methods; Animal Welfare; Animals; Bone and Bones/*injuries; Chickens/*injuries; Female; Fractures, Bone/diagnosis/epidemiology/*veterinary; Great Britain/epidemiology; Housing, Animal/standards; Oviposition; Palpation/methods/*veterinary; Poultry Diseases/*diagnosis/epidemiology; Prevalence; Sensitivity and Specificity |
| Abstract |
Old breaks of the keel and furculum were identified by palpation in 500 end-of-lay hens from 10 flocks housed in free-range and barn systems, and the results were compared with the results obtained by a full dissection and inspection. The method was considered to be sufficiently precise to be used as a diagnostic tool although people using it would need to be trained. The results obtained by dissection indicated that 50 to 78 per cent of the birds in the flocks had breaks of the furculum and keel, but no other breaks of bones were detected. |
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Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS40 5DU |
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English |
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0042-4900 |
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| Notes |
PMID:15559420 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
70 |
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| Author |
Nicol, C.J.; Potzsch, C.; Lewis, K.; Green, L.E. |
| Title |
Matched concurrent case-control study of risk factors for feather pecking in hens on free-range commercial farms in the UK |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2003 |
Publication |
British poultry science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Br Poult Sci |
| Volume |
44 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
515-523 |
| Keywords |
*Aggression; Analysis of Variance; Animal Husbandry/methods; Animals; Case-Control Studies; Chickens/*physiology; Feathers; Female; Multivariate Analysis; Odds Ratio; Regression Analysis; Species Specificity |
| Abstract |
1. The aim of the study was to compare the management and husbandry of free-range flocks in the UK where feather pecking was either present (case) or absent (control). 2. One hundred flocks were enrolled into a concurrent case-control study: 50 where birds had recently started feather pecking, and 50 matched control flocks where birds of the same age had not started feather pecking. 3. Information was obtained from a detailed interview with the flock manager, and by direct inspection of the flock, house and range. 4. Initial univariate analyses revealed that case flocks were more likely to comprise ISA Brown than Lohmann, were more likely to be restricted from litter areas to prevent floor eggs, and were less likely to use the outside range. 5. Cluster analysis indicated that feather pecking was not associated with any particular husbandry system. 6. The only influential risk factor significant in the multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis was use of the outdoor range. The risk of feather pecking was reduced 9-fold in flocks where more than 20% of birds used the range on sunny days (odds ratio = 0.12). Use of the range was positively associated with the presence of trees and/or hedges on the range. |
| Address |
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, England. c.j.nicol@bris.ac.uk |
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English |
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0007-1668 |
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| Notes |
PMID:14584840 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
79 |
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| Author |
McGreevy, P.D.; Webster, A.J.; Nicol, C.J. |
| Title |
Study of the behaviour, digestive efficiency and gut transit times of crib-biting horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2001 |
Publication |
The Veterinary record |
Abbreviated Journal |
Vet. Rec. |
| Volume |
148 |
Issue |
19 |
Pages |
592-596 |
| Keywords |
Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Case-Control Studies; *Digestion; *Gastrointestinal Motility/drug effects; Horse Diseases/*physiopathology; Horses/*physiology/psychology; Male; Stereotyped Behavior/*physiology; Sulfapyridine/blood; Sulfasalazine/diagnostic use/pharmacology |
| Abstract |
The spontaneous behaviour and the apparent digestibility of dry matter and fibre and transit times of digesta were compared in four normal horses and four crib-biters. A technique was developed for measuring total gut transit times (TGTT) by using single-stool analysis of the passage of radio-opaque polyethylene markers. Longer TGTT were recorded in the crib-biters than in the normal horses but the orocaecal transit times did not differ. The crib-biters rested less than the normal horses. |
| Address |
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford |
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English |
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0042-4900 |
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| Notes |
PMID:11386445 |
Approved |
no |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
86 |
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Nicol, C.J.; Davidson, H.P.D.; Harris, P.A.; Waters, A.J.; Wilson, A.D. |
| Title |
Study of crib-biting and gastric inflammation and ulceration in young horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2002 |
Publication |
The Veterinary record |
Abbreviated Journal |
Vet. Rec. |
| Volume |
151 |
Issue |
22 |
Pages |
658-662 |
| Keywords |
Animal Husbandry/methods; Animals; Antacids/therapeutic use; *Behavior, Animal; Diet/veterinary; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/veterinary; Feces/chemistry; Female; Gastritis/diet therapy/physiopathology/*veterinary; Horse Diseases/diet therapy/*physiopathology/psychology; Horses; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Male; Random Allocation; Stereotyped Behavior/*physiology; Stomach Ulcer/diet therapy/physiopathology/*veterinary; Treatment Outcome; Weaning |
| Abstract |
Nineteen young horses that had recently started to perform the stereotypy of crib-biting were compared with 16 non-stereotypic horses for 14 weeks. After initial observations of their behaviour and an endoscopic examination of the condition of their stomachs, the horses were randomly allocated to a control or an antacid diet At the start of the trial, the stomachs of the crib-biting foals were significantly more ulcerated and inflamed than the stomachs of the normal foals. In addition, the faecal pH of the crib-biting foals (6.05) was significantly lower than that of the normal foals (6.58). The antacid diet resulted in a significant improvement in the condition of the horses' stomachs. The crib-biting behaviour declined in most of the foals, regardless of their diet, but tended to decline to a greater extent in the foals on the antacid diet. |
| Address |
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Bristol BS40 5DU |
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English |
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0042-4900 |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:12498408 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
83 |
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| Author |
Nicol, C.J. |
| Title |
Development, direction, and damage limitation: social learning in domestic fowl |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Learning & behavior : a Psychonomic Society publication |
Abbreviated Journal |
Learn Behav |
| Volume |
32 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
72-81 |
| Keywords |
Adaptation, Psychological; Age Factors; Animals; Behavior, Animal; *Chickens; *Feeding Behavior; *Food Preferences; *Imitative Behavior; Imprinting (Psychology); *Learning; Maternal Behavior; Reinforcement (Psychology); *Social Environment; *Social Facilitation |
| Abstract |
This review highlights two areas of particular interest in the study of social learning in fowl. First, the role of social learning in the development of feeding and foraging behavior in young chicks and older birds is described. The role of the hen as a demonstrator and possible teacher is considered, and the subsequent social influence of brood mates and other companions on food avoidance and food preference learning is discussed. Second, the way in which work on domestic fowl has contributed to an understanding of the importance of directed social learning is examined. The well-characterized hierarchical social organization of small chicken flocks has been used to design studies which demonstrate that the probability of social transmission is strongly influenced by social relationships between birds. The practical implications of understanding the role of social learning in the spread of injurious behaviors in this economically important species are briefly considered. |
| Address |
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, England. c.j.nicol@bristol.ac.uk |
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English |
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Edition |
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1543-4494 |
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| Notes |
PMID:15161142 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
75 |
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| Author |
Freire, R.; Wilkins, L.J.; Short, F.; Nicol, C.J. |
| Title |
Behaviour and welfare of individual laying hens in a non-cage system |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2003 |
Publication |
British poultry science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Br Poult Sci |
| Volume |
44 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
22-29 |
| Keywords |
*Animal Welfare; Animals; *Behavior, Animal; *Chickens; Female; Housing, Animal/*standards; Oviposition |
| Abstract |
1. A leg band containing a transponder was fitted to 80 birds in a perchery containing 1,000 birds. 2. The transponder emitted a unique identification number when a bird walked on one of 8 flat antennae on the floor. The recording apparatus was used to measure the amount of time that each of the tagged birds spent on the slatted and littered areas in a 6-week period. 3. Some birds spent long periods of time on the slats, possibly as a means of avoiding repeated attacks. Duration on the slats was greatest in birds with the worst (as opposed to better) feather scores of the head, back and tail regions. 4. Birds that spent long periods on the slats were lighter than other birds at both 39 weeks of age and 72 weeks of age and had greater back, head and tail feather damage, consistent with these birds being victims of pecking. 5. Tagged birds received a social avoidance test outside the perchery at 39 weeks of age, which suggested that birds retreated to the slats in response to pecks rather than just to close proximity to other birds. 6. The failure to find that duration on the slats was related to anatomical indicators of stress (liver, spleen and bursa of Fabricius) suggests that retreating to the slats following pecking attenuates physiological stress responses. 7. We conclude that the provision of areas where birds in a large group can avoid pecking may improve the welfare of a minority of victimised birds. |
| Address |
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, England. rkfreire@hotmail.com |
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English |
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0007-1668 |
ISBN |
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| Notes |
PMID:12737221 |
Approved |
no |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
82 |
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