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Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021 Apr 11;237. Epub 2021 Mar 11.

Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, USA.

Migration patterns of wild rhesus macaque males are often mimicked in captivity by introducing unfamiliar males to female groups every few years. This strategy prevents inbreeding and has been shown to encourage group stability once males are fully integrated. The current study focused on female coalitionary aggressive behavior directed toward males during introductions to describe factors that predict its frequency and any relationship with introduction success. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021 Nov;244:105488

Animal Behaviour & Welfare, Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Rd, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK.

Aggression between unfamiliar commercial pigs is common and likely invokes strong emotions in contestants. Furthermore, contest outcomes affect subsequent aggressive behaviour, suggesting a potential lasting influence on affective state. Here we used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the emotional expression of pigs in agonistic encounters. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021 Oct 25;243:105462. Epub 2021 Sep 25.

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.

The recent SARS-CoV-2 epidemic has highlighted the need to prevent emerging and re-emerging diseases, which means that we must approach the study of diseases from a One Health perspective. The study of pathogen transmission in wildlife is challenging, but it is unquestionably key to understand how epidemiological interactions occur at the wildlife-domestic-human interface. In this context, studying parasite avoidance behaviours may provide essential insights on parasite transmission, host-parasite coevolution, and energy flow through food-webs. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021 Sep 12;242:105423. Epub 2021 Aug 12.

Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, NSW, Australia.

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021 Aug 29;241. Epub 2021 Jun 29.

Department of Psychology, University of California Davis, CA 95616.

Domesticated mice and rats have shown to be powerful model systems for biomedical research, but there are cases in which the biology of species is a poor match for the hypotheses under study. The California mouse () has unique traits that make it an ideal model for studying biological mechanisms underlying human-relevant behaviors such as intra-female aggression, biparental care, and monogamy. Indeed, peer-reviewed scientific publications using California mouse as a model for behavioral research have more than doubled in the past decade. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021 Mar 23;236. Epub 2021 Feb 23.

Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199.

Precocial avian species exhibit a high degree of lateralization of perceptual and motor abilities, including preferential eye use for tasks such as social recognition and predator detection. Such lateralization has been related, in part, to differential experience prior to hatch. That is, due to spatial and resulting postural constraints late in incubation, one eye and hemisphere-generally the right eye / left hemisphere-receive greater amounts of stimulation than the contralateral eye / hemisphere. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021 Mar 16;236:105262. Epub 2021 Feb 16.

One Welfare C.I.C, Kemp House, Kemp House 160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, United Kingdom.

One Welfare describes the interconnection between animal welfare, human wellbeing and their physical and social environment. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the cause of COVID-19 and emerged as a human pathogen in 2019 although is thought to have a zoonotic source. The original wildlife reservoir and any potential intermediate hosts have not yet been identified. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021 Mar 9;236:105255. Epub 2021 Feb 9.

Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3RG, United Kingdom.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many changes in the way research is conducted. Some specific groups (e.g. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020 Nov 28;232. Epub 2020 Sep 28.

Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, CA, 95616 USA.

It is unknown how premature maternal separation affects the responses of kittens to potentially stressful events. In the United States, thousands of kittens are orphaned each year due to death of the queen, neglect, or accidental separation by humans. Neonatal mammals emit distress calls and increase locomotion when socially isolated, suggesting that being separated from the nest is a stressful event. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020 Sep 17;230. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616 USA.

Cross-sucking, or non-nutritive sucking on the bodies of littermates, is commonly observed in early-weaned animals. This behavior has been well-documented in production animals, which are often separated from their mothers before weaning. The behavior is less well-understood in other domestic species, such as cats (), that can be orphaned due to neglect, maternal death, or accidental separation. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019 Apr 13;213:1-13. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, University of Bristol, Langford, United Kingdom.

Hundreds of thousands of dogs are housed in kennels worldwide, yet there are no standard protocols for assessing the welfare of dogs in these environments. Animal science is focusing increasingly on the importance of animal-based measures for determining welfare states, and those measures that have been used with kennelled dogs are reviewed in this paper with particular focus on their validity and practicality. From a physiological standpoint, studies using cortisol, heart rate and heart rate variability, temperature changes, and immune function are discussed. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020 Jan;222:104882

Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.

Visual information is key to how many animals interact with their environment, and much research has investigated how animals respond to colour and brightness information in the natural world. Understanding the visibility of features in anthropogenic environments, and how animals respond to these, is also important, not least for the welfare and safety of animals and the humans they co-exist with, but has received comparatively less attention. One area where this is particularly pertinent is animal sports such as horseracing. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019 Mar 8;212:82-89. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, CA, 95616 USA.

Socially inflicted traumas are a major concern for the management of captive groups of rhesus macaques. Rhesus macaques are the most commonly used nonhuman primate in biomedical research, and social housing is optimal for promoting psychological well-being. However, trauma is frequent due to a strong reliance on aggression to establish and maintain hierarchical relationships. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019 May 8;214:102-109. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, 650 Cool Water Drive, Bastrop, TX, 78602.

Voluntary participation in behavioural studies offers several scientific, management, and welfare benefits to non-human primates (NHPs). Aside from the scientific benefit of increased understanding of NHP cognition, sociality, and behaviour derived from noninvasive behavioural studies, participation itself has the potential to provide functional simulations of natural behaviours, enrichment opportunities, and increased control over the captive environment, all of which enhance welfare. Despite a developing consensus that voluntary participation offers these welfare enhancements, little research has empirically investigated the ways that participation in behavioural studies may affect welfare. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018 Dec;209:55-64

Department of Animal Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK.

Qualities of the light environment are important for good welfare in a number of species. In chickens, UVA light is visible and may facilitate flock interactions. UVB wavelengths promote endogenous vitamin D synthesis, which could support the rapid skeletal development of broiler chickens. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018 Oct;207:39-48

Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU, UK.

When measuring animals' valenced behavioural responses to stimuli, the Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) test goes a step further than many approach-based and avoidance-based tests by establishing whether a learned preference for, or aversion to, the location in which the stimulus was encountered can be generated. We designed a novel, four-chambered CPP test to extend the capability of the usual CPP paradigm to provide information on four key features of animals' affective responses: valence, scale, persistence and generalization. Using this test, we investigated the affective responses of domestic chickens () to four potentially aversive stimuli: 1. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018 Aug;205:202-209

School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU, UK.

In recent years there has been a growing research interest in the field of animal emotion. But there is still little agreement about whether and how the word "emotion" should be defined for use in the context of non-human species. Here, we make a distinction between descriptive and prescriptive definitions. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018 Feb;199:17-23

School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford house, Langford, BS40 5DU, United Kingdom.

Automated monitoring of behaviour can offer a wealth of information in circumstances where observing behaviour is difficult or time consuming. However, this often requires attaching monitoring devices to the animal which can alter behaviour, potentially invalidating any data collected. Birds often show increased preening and energy expenditure when wearing devices and, especially in laying hens, there is a risk that individuals wearing devices will attract aggression from conspecifics. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018 Feb 20;199:52-58. Epub 2017 Oct 20.

Southwest National Primate Research Center, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, 7620 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, USA.

Abnormal behavior occurs in a number of captive nonhuman primate species and is often used as an indicator of welfare. However, reported levels of abnormal behavior often vary across species, making general welfare judgments difficult. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in levels of abnormal behavior and associated risk factors across three species of Old World monkeys in order to identify similarities and differences across species. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018 Jan;198:36-43

SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, United Kingdom.

Play behaviour in pre-weaned piglets has previously been shown to vary consistently between litters. This study aimed to determine if these pre-weaning litter differences in play behaviour were also consistent in the post-weaning period. Seven litters of commercially bred piglets were raised in a free farrowing system (PigSAFE) and weaned at 28 days post-farrowing (+/-2 days). Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017 Dec 6;197:62-67. Epub 2017 Sep 6.

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Tobin Hall, 135 Hicks Way, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA. 01003.

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is a pathology observed in both humans and animals. In humans, SIB has been linked to various mental health conditions that are also associated with significant sleep disruption. In rhesus macaques, SIB consists of self-directed biting which can range from mild skin abrasions to wounds requiring veterinary care. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017 Dec;197:90-100

Centre for Research in Brain and Behaviour, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, L3 3AF, UK.

There has been increased recognition of the 3Rs in laboratory animal management over the last decade, including improvements in animal handling and housing. For example, positive reinforcement is now more widely used to encourage primates to cooperate with husbandry procedures, and improved enclosure design allows housing in social groups with opportunity to escape and avoid other primates and humans. Both practices have become gold standards in captive primate care resulting in improved health and behavioural outcomes. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017 Jan 21;186:22-28. Epub 2015 Sep 21.

University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, Department of Animal Science, Dept 3684, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071 USA.

Exposure to estrous ewe urine stimulates investigation and mounting activity in sexually active but not sexually inactive rams. It was hypothesized sexual indifference may result from an inability to detect olfactory cues or an interruption of the pathway from detection of the olfactory stimulus to the motor response. Sexually active (n=4) and inactive (n=3) rams were exposed to urine from estrous ewes. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016 07;180:78-86

Clever Dog Lab, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna and University of Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.

In order to assess dogs' personality changes during ontogeny, a cohort of 69 Border collies was followed up from six to 18-24 months. When the dogs were 6, 12, and 18-24 months old, their owners repeatedly filled in a dog personality questionnaire (DPQ), which yielded five personality factors divided into fifteen facets. All five DPQ factors were highly correlated between the three age classes, indicating that the dogs' personality remained consistent relative to other individuals. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016 Aug;181:160-165

School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Agriculture Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK.

Mice used in biomedical research should have pain reduced to an absolute minimum through refinement of procedures or by the provision of appropriate analgesia. Vasectomy is a common and potentially painful surgical procedure carried out on male mice to facilitate the production of genetically modified mice. The aim of our study was to determine if 0. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2015 Oct;171:184-191

Full body repetitive behaviors, known as motor stereotypic behaviors (MSBs), are one of the most commonly seen abnormal behaviors in captive non-human primates, and are frequently used as a behavioral measure of well-being. The main goal of this paper was to examine the role of environmental factors (i.e. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016 Feb;175:32-40

The University of Sydney, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Private Bag 4003 Narellan, New South Wales 2567, Australia.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder in children. Presently there is no effective treatment and the disorder is lethal. NCL occur in a variety of non-human species including sheep, which are recognised as valuable large animal models for NCL. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2015 Nov;172:58-62

School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Agriculture Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom.

Prevention or alleviation of pain in laboratory mice is a fundamental requirement of research. The mouse grimace scale (MGS) has the potential to be an effective and rapid means of assessing pain and analgesic efficacy in laboratory mice. Preliminary studies have demonstrated its potential utility for assessing pain in mouse models that involve potentially painful procedures. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2015 Nov;172:17-25

Division of Neurobiology, The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, United Kingdom; Animal & Veterinary Sciences, SRUC, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, United Kingdom.

The aim of this study was to analyse spontaneous play behaviour in litters of domestic pigs () for sources of variation at individual and litter levels and to relate variation in play to measures of pre and postnatal development. Seven litters of commercially bred piglets ( = 70) were born (farrowed) within a penning system (PigSAFE) that provided opportunities for the performance of spontaneous play behaviours. Individual behaviour was scored based on an established play ethogram for 2 days per week over the 3 week study period. Read More

Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016 Jan;174:128-136

Behaviour and Evolution Research Group and Scottish Primate Research Group, Psychology, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Early life environment, including temporary family separation, can have a major influence on affective state. Using a battery of tests, the current study compared the performance of adult common marmosets (), reared as infants under 3 different conditions: family-reared twins, family-reared animals from triplet litters where only 2 remain (2stays) and supplementary fed triplets. No significant differences were found in latency to approach and obtain food from a human or a novel object between rearing conditions, suggesting no effect on neophobia. Read More