| Records |
| Author |
Houpt, K.A. |
| Title |
Animal behavior and animal welfare |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
1991 |
Publication |
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Am Vet Med Assoc |
| Volume |
198 |
Issue |
8 |
Pages |
1355-1360 |
| Keywords |
*Animal Welfare; Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Cats/*psychology; Hoof and Claw/surgery; Horses/*psychology; Housing, Animal |
| Abstract |
The value of behavioral techniques in assessing animal welfare, and in particular assessing the psychological well being of animals, is reviewed. Using cats and horses as examples, 3 behavioral methods are presented: (1) comparison of behavior patterns and time budgets; (2) choice tests; and (3) operant conditioning. The behaviors of intact and declawed cats were compared in order to determine if declawing led to behavioral problems or to a change in personality. Apparently it did not. The behavior of free ranging horses was compared with that of stabled horses. Using two-choice preference tests, the preference of horses for visual contact with other horses and the preference for bedding were determined. Horses show no significant preference for locations from which they can make visual contact with other horses, but they do prefer bedding, especially when lying down. Horses will perform an operant response in order to obtain light in a darkened barn or heat in an outside shed. These same techniques can be used to answer a variety of questions about an animal's motivation for a particular attribute of its environment. |
| Address |
New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca 14853 |
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English |
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Edition  |
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| ISSN |
0003-1488 |
ISBN |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:2061151 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
40 |
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| Author |
Nicol, C.J.; Brown, S.N.; Glen, E.; Pope, S.J.; Short, F.J.; Warriss, P.D.; Zimmerman, P.H.; Wilkins, L.J. |
| Title |
Effects of stocking density, flock size and management on the welfare of laying hens in single-tier aviaries |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2006 |
Publication |
British poultry science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Br Poult Sci |
| Volume |
47 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
135-146 |
| Keywords |
Animal Husbandry/*methods; *Animal Welfare; Animals; Body Constitution/*physiology; Chickens/*physiology; Crowding; Feathers; Female; *Housing, Animal/standards; Mortality; Organ Size; Oviposition/physiology; Population Density; Population Dynamics; Random Allocation |
| Abstract |
Management practices, stocking rate and flock size may affect laying hen welfare but there have been few replicated studies in commercial non-cage systems that investigate this. This study used a broad range of physical and physiological indicators to assess the welfare of hens in 36 commercial flocks. Six laying period treatments were examined with each treatment replicated 6 times. It was not possible to randomly allocate treatments to houses, so treatment and house were largely confounded. Three stocking rates were compared: 7 birds/m(2) (n = 2450), 9 birds/m(2) (n = 3150) and 12 birds/m(2) in either small (n = 2450) or large (n = 4200) flocks. In addition, at 12 birds/m(2), in both small and large flocks, birds were subjected to either standard (SM) or modified (MM) management. MM flocks had nipple drinkers and no nest-box lights. Bone strength, fracture incidence, heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L) ratio, live weight, organ weights, serum creatine, serum osmolality, muscle pH and faecal corticosterone were measured on samples of birds at the end of the rearing period and at the end of lay. During the laying period, mortality, production and integument condition were recorded at regular intervals. Birds housed at 9 birds/m(2) had higher mortality than birds housed at 12 birds/m(2) by the end of lay, but not higher than birds housed at 7 birds/m(2). Birds housed at 7 and 9 birds/m(2) had lower percent liver weight, and worse plumage condition than most of the 12 bird/m(2) treatments. Modified management tended to improve plumage condition. There were no clear effects of flock size on the welfare indicators recorded. At the end of the rearing period fracture incidence was almost negligible and H:L ratio was within a normal range. By the end of lay fracture incidence was 60% and H:L ratio was high, with no treatment effect for either measure. This, together with information on faecal corticosterone, feather loss and mortality, suggests that the welfare of birds in all treatments was relatively poor by the end of lay. |
| Address |
School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford BS40 5DU and ADAS Gleadthorpe, Meden Vale, Mansfield, Notts NG20 9PF, England. c.j.nicol@bristol.ac.uk |
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English |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0007-1668 |
ISBN |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:16641024 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
65 |
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| Author |
Haslam, S.M.; Brown, S.N.; Wilkins, L.J.; Kestin, S.C.; Warriss, P.D.; Nicol, C.J. |
| Title |
Preliminary study to examine the utility of using foot burn or hock burn to assess aspects of housing conditions for broiler chicken |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2006 |
Publication |
British poultry science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Br Poult Sci |
| Volume |
47 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
13-18 |
| Keywords |
Animal Husbandry; *Animal Welfare; Animals; Chickens; Dermatitis, Contact/diagnosis/pathology/*veterinary; Feathers; Female; Foot Diseases/diagnosis/pathology/*veterinary; *Housing, Animal; Male; Poultry Diseases/diagnosis/*pathology; Skin/pathology |
| Abstract |
1. Eleven broiler chicken farms, representing 4 production system types, were visited during the last 5 d of the flock cycle: bird and flock details were recorded. Litter friability was assessed at 9 sites within the house, atmospheric ammonia was measured at three sites and bird cleanliness was assessed on a numerical rating scale. 2. For these flocks, hock burn, foot burn and breast burn were measured at the processing plant by standardised assessors. 3. Significant correlations were identified between the percentage of birds with foot burn and average litter score, average house ammonia concentrations and feather score. 4. No correlation was found between the percentage of birds with hock burn or breast burn and average litter scores, average ammonia concentrations or feather score. 5. No correlation was found between stocking density and foot burn, hock burn or breast burn.6. If confirmed, these findings may have implications for the draft EU Broiler Directive, for which it is proposed that permitted stocking density on farm may be determined by the incidence and severity of contact dermatitis measured on plant. |
| Address |
Division of Farm Animal Science, School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, England. sue.haslam@bris.ac.uk |
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English |
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Edition |
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0007-1668 |
ISBN |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:16546791 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
66 |
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| Author |
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. |
| Address |
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS40 5DU |
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English |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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| ISSN |
0042-4900 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:15559420 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
70 |
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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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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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0007-1668 |
ISBN |
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Medium |
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Expedition |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:12737221 |
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
82 |
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| Author |
Waters, A.J.; Nicol, C.J.; French, N.P. |
| Title |
Factors influencing the development of stereotypic and redirected behaviours in young horses: findings of a four year prospective epidemiological study |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Equine veterinary journal |
Abbreviated Journal |
Equine Vet J |
| Volume |
34 |
Issue |
6 |
Pages |
572-579 |
| Keywords |
Age Factors; Animal Husbandry/*methods; Animal Welfare; Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Female; Horse Diseases/epidemiology/prevention & control/*psychology; Horses; Housing, Animal; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; *Stereotyped Behavior; Weaning |
| Abstract |
Stereotypies are invariant and repetitive behaviour patterns that seemingly have no function, which tend to develop in captive animals faced with insoluble problems and may be indicative of reduced welfare. A 4 year prospective study of the factors influencing the development of stereotypic and redirected behaviours (abnormal behaviour) in a population of 225 young Thoroughbred and part-Thoroughbred horses was conducted between 1995 and 1999. Abnormal behaviour affected 34.7% of the population. Multivariable analysis showed that foals of low- or middle-ranking mares were less likely to develop abnormal behaviour than foals of dominant mares (rate ratio (RR) 0.23, P<0.01; RR 0.48, P<0.01, respectively). Weaning by confinement in a stable or barn was associated with an increased rate of development of abnormal behaviour, compared with paddock-weaning (RR 2.19, P<0.05), and housing in barns, rather than at grass after weaning, was associated with a further increase (RR 2.54, P<0.01). Specific stereotypic and redirected behaviours were then considered as separate outcomes. Crib-biting was initiated by 10.5% of horses at median age 20 weeks, weaving by 4.6% of horses at median age 60 weeks, box-walking by 2.3% of horses at median age 64 weeks and wood-chewing by 30.3% of horses at median age 30 weeks. Wood-chewing developed at a lower rate in horses born to subordinate or mid-ranking mares than in horses born to dominant mares (RR 0.29, P<0.01; RR 0.41, P<0.01, respectively), and at a higher rate in horses kept in barns or stables rather than at grass after weaning (RR 4.49, P<0.001; RR 1A6, P<0.001, respectively). Feeding concentrates after weaning was associated with a 4-fold increase in the rate of development of crib-biting (RR 4.12, P = 0.02). The results of this study support the idea that simple changes in feeding, housing and weaning practices could substantially lower the incidence of abnormal behaviour in young horses. |
| Address |
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford, Bristol, UK |
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English |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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0425-1644 |
ISBN |
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Conference |
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| Notes |
PMID:12357996 |
Approved |
no |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
84 |
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| Author |
Baker, K.C.; Seres, E.; Aureli, F.; De Waal, F.B. |
| Title |
Injury risks among chimpanzees in three housing conditions |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2000 |
Publication |
American journal of primatology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Am. J. Primatol. |
| Volume |
51 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
161-175 |
| Keywords |
Aggression; *Animal Welfare; Animals; Female; *Housing, Animal; Male; *Pan troglodytes; Risk Assessment; Wounds and Injuries/*veterinary |
| Abstract |
Meeting the psychological needs of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) can be a challenge given their aggressiveness on the one hand and the complexity of their social lives on the other. It is unclear how to balance the need to provide opportunities for species-appropriate behavior against potential risks of injury chimpanzees may inflict on each other. This study evaluates the suggestion that simpler social environments protect chimpanzees from wounding. Over a two-year period all visible injuries to 46 adult males, 64 adult females, and 25 immature chimpanzees were recorded at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center. Approximately half of the subjects were mother-reared, and the rest were nursery-reared. Housing included compounds containing about 20 chimpanzees, interconnected indoor-outdoor runs for groups of up to 12 individuals, and smaller indoor-outdoor runs for pairs and trios. Annual wounding rates were calculated for serious wounds (extensive injuries and all those requiring veterinary intervention) as well as for minor wounds. Compound-housed chimpanzees incurred the highest level of minor wounding, but serious wounding levels were not affected by housing condition. Even with a period of dominance instability and elevated levels of wounding in one compound, compound chimpanzees were not injured more than those in smaller social groups over the long term. Nursery-reared females in moderate-sized groups were wounded more than mother-reared females. Also, nursery-reared males and females were wounded less often when paired with mother-reared companions. Overall, this study indicates that maintaining chimpanzees in pairs and trios would not be an effective means for reducing injuries. The management of wounding in chimpanzee colonies is influenced more by the sex and rearing composition of a colony. |
| Address |
Living Links Center, Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. kateb@rmy.emory.edu |
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English |
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Edition |
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0275-2565 |
ISBN |
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| Notes |
PMID:10902665 |
Approved |
no |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
188 |
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Ninomiya, S.; Sato, S.; Kusunose, R.; Mitumasu, T.; Obara, Y. |
| Title |
A note on a behavioural indicator of satisfaction in stabled horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
| Volume |
106 |
Issue |
1-3 |
Pages |
184-189 |
| Keywords |
Animal welfare; Satisfaction; Horses; Operant response; Stable |
| Abstract |
We observed the behaviour of six stabled horses (stallions n = 3; geldings n = 3) in an attempt to identify behavioural measures of eating satisfaction. The horses were required to perform an operant response (pressing a button with the muzzle) in order to access a food reward in an experimental box stall. After each horse had successfully learned the experimental situation, it participated in the experimental protocol on 4 days. Horses were brought to the experimental box stall for the operant response sessions (1 h duration per session), and upon completion, they were returned to their own (home) box stalls. The number of presses for the reward was a Fixed Ratio schedule of either 3 or 12 muzzle presses (FR3, FR12) and the FR procedure for each horse was as follows: FR3 FR12 FR12 FR3 or FR12 FR3 FR3 FR12. Number of rewards obtained during each session, and behaviour and heart rate after each session were recorded for each horse. A repeated measures ANOVA showed that the number of rewards obtained in FR3 was higher than in FR12 (P < 0.05). The horses spent more time in standing-rest, (with ears rotating laterally and exhibiting a low neck position) indicating sleep, in the home box stall, after FR3 compared to FR12 treatments (P < 0.05). Mean heart rate after standing-sleep was significantly lower than mean heart rate in the home box stall (P < 0.01). These results suggest that eating satisfaction induces sleep in stabled horses, and that episodes of standing-sleep behaviour may be a useful indicator of appropriate or enhanced welfare in the horse. |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
281 |
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| Author |
Thorne, J.B.; Goodwin, D.; Kennedy, M.J.; Davidson, H.P.B.; Harris, P. |
| Title |
Foraging enrichment for individually housed horses: Practicality and effects on behaviour |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
| Volume |
94 |
Issue |
1-2 |
Pages |
149-164 |
| Keywords |
Horse; Foraging behaviour; Eating; Feeding; Enrichment; Welfare |
| Abstract |
The stabled (UK) or stalled (USA) horse is commonly fed a restricted-forage diet in contrast to the varied ad libitum high-fibre diet it evolved to consume. A low-forage diet has been linked to the performance of stereotypical behaviour and health problems including gastric ulceration and impaction colic (in cases where horses are bedded on straw). Provision of a diet closer to that which the horse is adapted to and which enables more natural feeding behaviour warrants investigation. This trial aimed to establish whether the behavioural effects observed in short-term trials when stabled horses were provided with a multiple forage diet persist over longer periods. It also aimed to develop a practical methodology for maintaining stabled horses under forage-enriched conditions. Nine horses (aged 5-20 years, various breeds), acting as their own controls, participated in an 18-day, cross-over, Latin Square designed trial, in which they received comparable weights of two dietary treatments: a Single Forage (SF, hay) diet and a Multiple Forage (MF) diet (three long-chop and three short-chop commercially available forages). Following a 2-day acclimatisation, horses were maintained on the forage treatments for 7 days. Horses were observed on alternate days, morning and afternoon, during the 25 min following forage presentation. Horses then crossed over onto their second treatment and, following a further 2 days' acclimatisation, the same protocol was followed for a further 7 days. Observations from video were made using The Observer 3.0(R) and SPPS (version 11). Horses on the MF treatment performed foraging behaviour significantly more frequently and for significantly longer periods than horses on the SF treatment. On the MF treatment horses sampled all forages during observations. However, there were significant differences in the frequency and duration of foraging on individual forages, indicating that horses demonstrated individual preferences for particular forages. Stereotypic weaving behaviour only occurred on the SF treatment. The results indicate that the potentially beneficial behavioural effects of short-term multiple forage provision do persist when horses are managed on a MF diet for a 7-day period. They suggest that a MF diet provides a means of enriching the stabled horse's environment, by offering variety and enabling patch foraging behaviour. The methodology proved practical for maintaining horses under forage-enriched conditions and could easily be adopted by horse owners to facilitate foraging behaviour. |
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refbase @ user @ |
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333 |
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| Author |
Mendl, M. |
| Title |
Performing under pressure: stress and cognitive function |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
1999 |
Publication |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. |
| Volume |
65 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
221-244 |
| Keywords |
Stress; Cognition; Attention; Learning; Memory; Welfare |
| Abstract |
The way in which cognitive functioning is affected by stressors is an important area of research for applied ethologists because stress caused by captive conditions may disrupt cognitive processes and lead to welfare and husbandry problems. Such problems may be minimised through an understanding of the links between stress and cognition. The effects of stress on cognitive function have been studied in disciplines ranging from human perceptual psychology to animal neuroscience. The aim of this paper is to provide an introduction to this research, focusing on the effects of stressors on attention, memory formation and memory recall. Findings from such a diverse literature with little apparent inter-disciplinary communication are inevitably complex and often contradictory. Nevertheless, some generalities do emerge. The idea that an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between an individual's state of stress or arousal and its ability to perform a cognitive task effectively, the so-called Yerkes-Dodson law, is commonly encountered. The law has limited explanatory value because it is unlikely that different stressors act on cognitive function via the same intervening, non-specific state. Furthermore, the law only provides a very general description of the relationship between stress and cognitive function. Empirical research on attention and memory processes reveals more specific findings. Stressors appear to cause shifts, lapses and narrowing of attention, and can also influence decision speed. These processes may be viewed as serving an adaptive role helping the animal to search for and scrutinise a source of danger. There is conflicting evidence as to whether hormones involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress response play a part in these processes. These hormones and those involved in the sympathetic-adrenomedullary stress response do appear to play an important role in memory formation. Low or moderate concentrations of circulating glucocorticoids and catecholamines can enhance memory formation, while excessively high or prolonged elevations of these hormones can lead to memory disruption. The effects of stressors on memory recall are less clear. There is evidence for disruptive effects, and for facilitatory effects indicating state-dependent memory recall; events experienced under conditions of high arousal may be best recalled under similar conditions. Applied ethologists have the opportunity to extend work in this area, which often involves studies of single stressors/stress hormones acting in isolation and limited measures of cognitive function, by focusing on real-life husbandry stressors encountered by captive animals. This will yield fundamental information which also has direct relevance to animal welfare and management issues. |
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393 |
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