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Steybe L, Kress K, Schmucker S, Stefanski V. Impact of Housing Condition on Welfare and Behavior of Immunocastrated Fattening Pigs ( Sus scrofa domestica). Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030618. [PMID: 33652799 PMCID: PMC7996791 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This study aimed to analyze if the well-known positive effects of immunocastration on the behavior and welfare of pigs are robust to varying environments. One hundred forty-four male pigs were studied with regard to their sex category (EM: entire males, IC: immunocastrates, BA: barrows) and housing environment (ENR: enriched, STD: standard, MIX: repeated social mixing). The second (=effective) vaccination was administered to the immunocastrates 5 or 6 weeks before slaughter according to the standard protocol. Regardless of housing conditions, beneficial effects of immunocastration on a reduction in undesired agonistic and sexual behavior, including penis biting and penile injuries, were observed. Enriched housing showed a beneficial effect on play, whereas the social mixing environment reduced the number of social nosing events. The novel result is that the beneficial effects of immunocastration on behavioral and welfare aspects apply independent from the housing environments assessed in this study. Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate whether the well-known positive effects of immunocastration on the behavior and welfare of pigs persist under varying environments. One hundred forty-four male pigs were studied with regard to their sex category (EM: entire males, IC: immunocastrates, BA: barrows) and housing environment (ENR: enriched, STD: standard, MIX: repeated social mixing). The vaccination of immunocastrates included two injections at the age of 12 and 22 weeks. Regardless of the housing conditions, frequencies of sexual and fighting behavior expressed by immunocastrates shifted from boar-like to barrow-like behavior after the second immunocastration vaccination (Mixed model analysis, p < 0.05). Penis biting decreased in IC after the second vaccination (Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, p = 0.036) and penile injuries were lower in IC animals compared to EM (Mixed model analysis, p < 0.001). Housing-dependent effects on behavior could also be observed in the animals at a relatively young age. Enriched housing showed a beneficial effect on play behavior (Chi-square test, p < 0.001) and the social mixing environment reduced the number of social nosing events (Mixed model analysis, p < 0.05). The positive effects of immunocastration thus are robust to all housing conditions assessed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Steybe
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany or (K.K.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Kevin Kress
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany or (K.K.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
- German Genetic, Schweinezuchtverband Baden-Wuerttemberg e.V., Im Wolfer 10, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sonja Schmucker
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany or (K.K.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
| | - Volker Stefanski
- Department of Behavioral Physiology of Livestock, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany or (K.K.); (S.S.); (V.S.)
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102
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Owner attention facilitates social play in dog-dog dyads (Canis lupus familiaris): evidence for an interspecific audience effect. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:341-352. [PMID: 33523316 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01481-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Domestic dogs are a highly playful species that are evidently sensitive to the attentional state of conspecifics as well as humans. Given that an animal's social environment can influence play, audience effects may catalyze social play. While prior research has shown that intraspecific attention maintains social play in dog-dog dyads, it is unknown whether interspecific (specifically, human) attention maintains social play between dogs. Our objective in the present study was to examine whether a relationship exists between the availability of human attention and social play in domestic dogs. Familiar dog-dog dyads were exposed to three sessions each consisting of three experimental conditions that differed in the degree of availability of owner attention. Observed levels of social play were significantly higher during conditions in which an attentive owner was present than during conditions in which an owner was either inattentive or absent. Furthermore, this effect was maintained across repeated sessions. This is the first experimental evidence of an interspecific audience effect facilitating social play in domestic dogs. The availability of caretaker attention may be a proximate explanation for social play in canids that have ontogenetically rich histories with humans and also retain neotonized behavior as adults. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms contributing to the relationship between interspecific attention and social play in these populations and establish a more comprehensive understanding of play behavior in animals.
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Gajdoš Kmecová N, Pet'ková B, Kottferová J, Wannell RS, Mills DS. Potential Risk Factors for Aggression and Playfulness in Cats: Examination of a Pooling Fallacy Using Fe-BARQ as an Example. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:545326. [PMID: 33469553 PMCID: PMC7813754 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.545326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Using a popular method of behaviour evaluation which rates the intensity of behaviour in different contexts, we demonstrate how pooling item scores relating to a given construct can reveal different potential risk factors for the dependent variable depending on how the total score is constructed. We highlight how similar simple total scores can be constructed through very different combinations of constituent items. We argue for the importance of examining individual item score distributions, and the results from different intensity thresholds before deciding on the preferred method for calculating a meaningful dependent variable. We consider simply pooling individual item scores which conflate context with intensity to calculate an average score and assuming this represents a biologically meaningful measure of trait intensity is a fallacy. Specifically using four items that describe intercat aggression and eleven that describe playfulness in cats in Fe-BARQ, we found sex and neuter status, social play and fearfulness were consistently significant predictors for intercat aggression scores; and age, age when obtained, social play and fearfulness were significant predictors of playfulness scores. However, the significance of other factors such as scratching varied with the threshold used to calculate to the total score. We argue that some of these inconsistent variables may be biologically and clinically important and should not be considered random error. Instead they need to be evaluated in the context of other available evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noema Gajdoš Kmecová
- Department of Public Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare, Workplace of Applied Ethology and Professional Ethics, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia.,Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara Pet'ková
- Department of Public Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare, Workplace of Applied Ethology and Professional Ethics, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Jana Kottferová
- Department of Public Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare, Workplace of Applied Ethology and Professional Ethics, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Rachel Sarah Wannell
- Department of Public Veterinary Medicine and Animal Welfare, Workplace of Applied Ethology and Professional Ethics, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Daniel Simon Mills
- Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom
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Größbacher V, Lawrence AB, Winckler C, Špinka M. Negative play contagion in calves. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21699. [PMID: 33303902 PMCID: PMC7728765 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78748-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Play is a strong outwardly directed, emotional behaviour and can contagiously spread between individuals. It has been suggested that high-playing animals could 'seed' play in others, spreading positive affective states. Despite the current interest in play contagion there has been no previous attempt to measure the strength of the play contagion effect. The calf (Bos taurus) is ideal for testing the strength of play contagion as play in calves is strongly related to energy intake from milk. We manipulated play in calves through their milk allowances and housed the calves in uniform groups all on the same milk allowance (high = UHigh or low = ULow) or in mixed groups with calves in the same group receiving either a high (= MHigh) or low (= MLow) milk allowance. We measured locomotor play using accelerometers on two consecutive days when calves were four and eight weeks old, in order to study play contagion over a protracted developmental window. We anticipated that differences in the level of play contagion between treatment groups would result in difference in the play levels observed in the MLow and ULow individuals. Contrary to our expectations we found that spontaneous play was suppressed in the high-milk calves housed in mixed groups (MHigh), in comparison to calves housed with group mates all receiving high-milk (UHigh). These results are the first to quantify a negative play contagion effect, particularly in a situation of long-term contact, and may suggest that negative contagion has a stronger effect on play behaviour than positive contagion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Größbacher
- Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180, Vienna, Austria.
- Recipient of a DOC-Fellowship of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Alistair B Lawrence
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3RG, UK
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Penicuik, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Christoph Winckler
- Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marek Špinka
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Czech University of Life Sciences, 165 00, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, 104 01, Prague, Czechia
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Abstract
Domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are common zoologic companion animals and display specific body language and vocalizations. Social interactions, play behavior, and resting periods are important keystone in domestic ferret behavior. Specific housing and environmental enrichment are recommended to preserve the expression of normal behavior and physiology in ferrets. Presence of abnormal behaviors, including aggression, urination and defecation outside the litter box, stereotypies, and absence of play behavior, should be carefully monitored by veterinarians and ferret owners to assess ferret wellness. Specific considerations, such as deafness, poor vision, and hybridation with other mustelids, may play a role in ferret behavior.
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Balancing skill against difficulty - behavior, heart rate and heart rate variability of shelter dogs during two different introductions of an interactive game. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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107
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108
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Cangiano M, Palagi E. First evidence of stone handling in geladas: From simple to more complex forms of object play. Behav Processes 2020; 180:104253. [PMID: 32971221 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Stone Handling (SH) is a solitary object play behaviour that can vary from simple exploratory actions to more complex manipulations. So far, among primates, this behaviour has been exclusively reported in macaques. We collected data on 62 geladas (Theropithecus gelada) housed at the NaturZoo (Rheine, Germany). We found that about 70% of subjects belonging to all age- and sex-classes engaged in SH. Due to their exceptional manipulative skills (the highest opposability index among nonhuman primates) and propensity to play, geladas are a good model species to test hypotheses on the function of this form of object play. While the frequency of SH tended to decrease with age of the player, the duration of each session and its complexity tended to increase in juveniles/subadults and adults compared to infants. This age-related variation in terms of frequency, duration and complexity suggests that, in agreement with the motor training hypothesis, SH could have a role in the neural-motor development of immature subjects and a basic function in stimulating neurogenesis and maintaining the psychological well-being of adults. In all age classes, the frequency of SH did not vary across pre-feeding, feeding and non-feeding conditions. Hence, our data do not support the misdirected foraging hypothesis, which predicts that animals engage in SH to anticipate food provisioning. In conclusion, our study reveals, for the first time, the presence of SH outside the genus Macaca and attempts to delineate possible functions of the behaviour in geladas. Since the hypotheses tested cannot be mutually exclusive, long-term studies of SH across individuals' lifetimes in both captive and wild groups of geladas are needed to clarify the proximate and ultimate functions of the behaviour in this species of Papionini. Finally, long-term studies could also provide some important indications about the cultural nature and social transmission of SH in a taxonomic group outside the Macaca genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cangiano
- Natural History Museum, University of Pisa, Via Roma 79, 56011 Calci, Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Palagi
- Natural History Museum, University of Pisa, Via Roma 79, 56011 Calci, Pisa, Italy; Unit of Ethology, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
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109
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Slow-growing broilers are healthier and express more behavioural indicators of positive welfare. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15151. [PMID: 32938994 PMCID: PMC7494998 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72198-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Broiler chicken welfare is under increasing scrutiny due to welfare concerns regarding growth rate and stocking density. This farm-based study explored broiler welfare in four conditions representing commercial systems varying in breed and planned maximum stocking density: (1) Breed A, 30 kg/m2; (2) Breed B, 30 kg/m2; (3) Breed B, 34 kg/m2; (4) Breed C, 34 kg/m2. Breeds A and B were ‘slow-growing’ breeds (< 50 g/day), and Breed C was a widely used ‘fast-growing’ breed. Indicators of negative welfare, behavioural indicators of positive welfare and environmental outcomes were assessed. Clear differences between conditions were detected. Birds in Condition 4 experienced the poorest health (highest mortality and post-mortem inspection rejections, poorest walking ability, most hock burn and pododermatitis) and litter quality. These birds also displayed lower levels of behaviours indicative of positive welfare (enrichment bale occupation, qualitative ‘happy/active’ scores, play, ground-scratching) than birds in Conditions 1–3. These findings provide farm-based evidence that significant welfare improvement can be achieved by utilising slow-growing breeds. There are suggested welfare benefits of a slightly lower planned maximum stocking density for Breed B and further health benefits of the slowest-growing breed, although these interventions do not offer the same magnitude of welfare improvement as moving away from fast-growing broilers.
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110
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Csoltova E, Mehinagic E. Where Do We Stand in the Domestic Dog ( Canis familiaris ) Positive-Emotion Assessment: A State-of-the-Art Review and Future Directions. Front Psychol 2020; 11:2131. [PMID: 33013543 PMCID: PMC7506079 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although there have been a growing number of studies focusing on dog welfare, the research field concerning dog positive-emotion assessment remains mostly unexplored. This paper aims to provide a state-of-the-art review and summary of the scattered and disperse research on dog positive-emotion assessment. The review notably details the current advancement in dog positive-emotion research, what approaches, measures, methods, and techniques have been implemented so far in emotion perception, processing, and response assessment. Moreover, we propose possible future research directions for short-term emotion as well as longer-term emotional states assessment in dogs. The review ends by identifying and addressing some methodological limitations and by pointing out further methodological research needs.
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111
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Bampi D, Borstnez K, Dias C, Costa O, Moreira F, Peripolli V, Oliveira Júnior J, Schwegler E, Rauber L, Bianchi I. Evaluation of reproductive and animal welfare parameters of swine females of different genetic lines submitted to different reproductive management and housing systems during pregnancy. ARQ BRAS MED VET ZOO 2020. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-4162-11767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate swine females of different genetic lines submitted to different reproductive management and housing systems during pregnancy on reproductive performance and animal welfare parameters. After artificial insemination protocol, 524 females were divided into two gestation housing systems: PEN1=animals housed in individual stalls during the breeding and after group-housed; PEN32=animals housed in individual stalls from breeding until 32 days of pregnancy and after group-housed. The number of piglets born, and the pregnancy and farrowing rates were evaluated. Welfare parameters related to the pregnancy phase were used. Females who weaned more piglets in the previous farrowing had a higher number of piglets born at the next farrowing. The pregnancy rate was affected by the number of semen doses. The farrowing rate was not influenced by the evaluated parameters, with average value of 91.36%. There was no effect of the gestation housing system and the genetic lines on pregnancy and farrowing rates, with values above 90.0%. The animal welfare indicators showed more compromised parameters in PEN1 system. PEN1 system did not impair the reproductive performance although it presented more compromised animal welfare parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Bampi
- Instituto Federal Catarinense, Brazil; Pamplona Alimentos S/A, Brazil
| | | | - C.P. Dias
- Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Brazil
| | | | - F. Moreira
- Instituto Federal Catarinense, Brazil; Instituto Federal Catarinense, Brazil
| | - V. Peripolli
- Instituto Federal Catarinense, Brazil; Instituto Federal Catarinense, Brazil
| | | | - E. Schwegler
- Instituto Federal Catarinense, Brazil; Instituto Federal Catarinense, Brazil
| | | | - I. Bianchi
- Instituto Federal Catarinense, Brazil; Instituto Federal Catarinense, Brazil
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Menchetti L, Calipari S, Mariti C, Gazzano A, Diverio S. Cats and dogs: Best friends or deadly enemies? What the owners of cats and dogs living in the same household think about their relationship with people and other pets. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237822. [PMID: 32845923 PMCID: PMC7449504 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Although popular culture describes them as mortal enemies, more and more often, dogs and cats live under the same roof. Does this make them best friends? Can sharing the same social and physical environment make them similar? This study compares the approaches of dogs and cats living in the same household have towards humans and other pets as perceived by the owner. Questionnaires collected from 1270 people owning both dog(s) and cat(s) were analysed. Most dogs and cats living together are playful with familiar humans (76.2%) but dogs have a more sociable approach towards strangers and conspecifics than cats (P<0.001). Moreover, the percentage of dogs that have a playful relationship with the owner (84.0%) was higher than cats (49.2%; P<0.001). Dogs and cats living together eat in different places and show different mutual interactions: more dogs lick the cat (42.8%) and more cats ignore the dog (41.8%) than vice versa (P<0.001). However, most dogs and cats sleep at least occasionally (68.5%) and play together (62.4%; P<0.001). Although some body postures, such as the tail’s position, are interpreted differently by the two species, the greater proportions of dogs and cats show a relaxed response to several kinds of approaches of their roommate. Our questionnaire confirms the common beliefs about the sociability of the dog and the privacy of the cat, but this does not result in continuous internal struggles. Most cohabitations are peaceful. Moreover, it is true that they speak different languages, but they seem to understand each other well and interpret each other's approaches in the right way. Thus, aspiring owners should not blindly believe popular assumptions, but both knowledge and respect for species-specific pet behaviours are essential to establish a balance in the household.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Menchetti
- Laboratorio di Etologia e Benessere Animale (LEBA), Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Silvia Calipari
- Laboratorio di Etologia e Benessere Animale (LEBA), Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Chiara Mariti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Angelo Gazzano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Silvana Diverio
- Laboratorio di Etologia e Benessere Animale (LEBA), Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
- * E-mail:
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113
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Vojtkovská V, Voslářová E, Večerek V. Methods of Assessment of the Welfare of Shelter Cats: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10091527. [PMID: 32872242 PMCID: PMC7552334 DOI: 10.3390/ani10091527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
At any moment, there are millions of cats housed in foster care facilities for abandoned and stray animals for various reasons worldwide. Care, management and regulation among these facilities differ. Moreover, shelters can never substitute the full comfort of a good home for the animal, and the welfare of cats in shelters is a subject of discussion in many respects. Cats are animals sensitive to changes; for most of them, placement in a shelter is a stressful experience because of changes in routine, environment and the presence of other animals. Stress is reflected in changes in behaviour, causes fluctuations in physiological values and disrupts the immune system, which is a predisposition to the development or reactivation of disease. Evaluation of the presence and intensity of negative impacts is possible through the use of evaluation tools based on indicators that help set the environment and management of keeping so as to disrupt the quality of life as little as possible. Although a comprehensive and valid welfare tool that would evaluate animal-based and at the same time resource-based (or management-based) indicators of cats in shelters is not currently available, it is possible to use partial evaluation of individual welfare indicators to assess welfare. This review aims to provide the readers with an insight into current options of assessment of the welfare of cats in shelters with an emphasis on behavioural, physiological and health indicators with an application in both practical and scientific contexts.
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114
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Time-Budget of Horses Reared for Meat Production: Influence of Stocking Density on Behavioural Activities and Subsequent Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10081334. [PMID: 32752257 PMCID: PMC7460472 DOI: 10.3390/ani10081334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Horses reared for meat production are kept in group pens at high stocking densities. Due to the lack of scientific knowledge concerning the welfare of horses reared in this way, the aim of the present work was to assess whether their behaviours were affected by stocking density. The time-budget of the horses was also studied to evaluate if and how it differed compared with that of wild-living horses. We found that the expression of locomotion, playing, and self-grooming increased as the space allowance per horse within the group pens increased, indicating the potential to use these behaviours as indicators of positive welfare. Moreover, an altered time-budget was identified, implicating the condition of compromised welfare in these animals. Standing was the main expressed behavioural activity. A higher than usual amount of time was spent in a lying position, and a lower than usual amount of time was dedicated to feeding and locomotion. This study was the first to assess the behaviour of horses reared for meat production. The results show that more attention needs to be directed at the housing and management conditions under which horses reared for meat production are kept in in order to improve their welfare. Abstract Horses reared for meat production can be kept in intensive breeding farms where they are housed in group pens at high stocking densities. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the expressed behaviours correlated with stocking density, and to compare their time-budget with that of wild-living horses. An ethogram of 13 mutually exclusive behavioural activities was developed. Behavioural observations were performed over a 72 h period on group pens selected on the basis of stocking density and the homogeneity of breed, age, height at the withers, and time since arriving at the farm. Scan sampling (n = 96 scans/horse/day) was used on 22 horses. The mean frequency (%) ± standard deviation (±SD) for each behavioural activity was calculated to obtain the time-budget. The associations between time-budget and stocking density were evaluated using a bivariate analysis. The relationships were analysed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r). Our results show that locomotion, playing, and self-grooming positively correlated with a reduction in stocking density, indicating the potential to use these behaviours as positive welfare indicators for young horses kept in group pens. The data also revealed an unusual time-budget, where the main behavioural activity expressed was standing (30.56% ± 6.56%), followed by feeding (30.55% ± 3.59%), lying (27.33% ± 2.05%), and locomotion (4.07% ± 1.06%).
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Pacheco XP. How consistently do personality attributes relate to an individual’s position within a social network: a comparison across groups of captive meerkats. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02880-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Abstract
The aim of the study reported in this Research Communication was to compare play behaviour and social interactions of dairy calves either separated from their mother and reared in a calf group (Artificial) or with access to their mother and the cow herd (cow-calf contact: Contact). Contact calves had access to a calf area and also to the cow barn where they could suckle their dam. Artificial calves were fed whole milk up to 16 kg per day via an automatic milk feeder and were only kept in the calf area. We observed the animals on 3 d during the first three months of life. Contact calves showed solitary play, consisting predominantly of locomotor play, for longer than Artificial calves and mainly in the cow barn. This indicates higher welfare in Contact calves. In addition, Artificial calves hardly experienced any agonistic interaction, while Contact calves both initiated and received agonistic interactions, which might contribute to the development of higher social competence.
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117
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Costa JHC, Cantor MC, Neave HW. Symposium review: Precision technologies for dairy calves and management applications. J Dairy Sci 2020; 104:1203-1219. [PMID: 32713704 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2019-17885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in using precision dairy technologies (PDT) to monitor real-time animal behavior and physiology in livestock systems around the world. Although PDT in adult cattle is extensively reviewed, PDT use for the management of preweaned dairy calves has not been reviewed. We systematically reviewed research on the use and application of precision technologies in calves. Accelerometers have the potential to be used to monitor lying behavior, step activity, and rumination, which are useful to detect changes in behavior that may be indicative of disease, responses to painful procedures, or positive welfare behaviors such as play. Automated calf feeding systems can control delivery of nutritional plans to individualize feeding and weaning of calves; changes in feeding behaviors (such as milk intake, drinking speed, and unrewarded visits) may also be used to identify early onset of disease. The PDT devices also measure physiological and physical attributes in dairy calves. For instance, temperature monitoring devices such as infrared thermography, ruminal boluses, and implanted microchips have been assessed in calves, but no herd management-based commercial system is available. Many other PDT are in development with potential to be used in dairy calf management, such as image and acoustic-based monitoring, real-time location, and use of enrichment items for monitoring positive emotional states. We conclude that PDT have great potential for application in dairy calf management, enabling precise behavioral and physiological monitoring, targeted feeding programs, and identification of calves with poor health or behavioral impairments. We strongly encourage further development and validation of commercially available technologies for on-farm application of the monitoring of dairy calf welfare, performance, and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joao H C Costa
- Dairy Science Program, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546.
| | - Melissa C Cantor
- Dairy Science Program, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546
| | - Heather W Neave
- AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand 3214
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Gladden N, Cuthbert E, Ellis K, McKeegan D. Use of a Tri-Axial Accelerometer Can Reliably Detect Play Behaviour in Newborn Calves. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E1137. [PMID: 32635608 PMCID: PMC7401565 DOI: 10.3390/ani10071137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditionally, the welfare assessment of farm animals has focused on health and production outcomes. Positive welfare is, however, not merely the absence of negative welfare and is an important part of a life worth living. Play behaviour is widely considered to be an indicator of positive emotions because it is a "luxury" behaviour. Direct visual observation is considered the most accurate method of behavioural analysis, but it is time consuming and laborious. There is increasing interest in the use of remote monitoring technology to quantify behaviour. We compared the data output ("motion index" (MI)) from a commercially available tri-axial accelerometer fitted to newborn dairy calves to video footage of the same calves, with a focus on play behaviour. The motion index values over 48 h were positively correlated with both the duration of play behaviour and the number of play bouts. The motion index threshold in each sample interval with the optimal sensitivity and specificity for the identification of play behaviour was MI ≥ 2.5 at a 1 min resolution (sensitivity (Se) = 98.0%; specificity (Sp) = 92.9%) and MI ≥ 24.5 at a 15 min resolution (Se = 98.0%; Sp = 89.9%), but these values consistently overestimated the overall proportion of sample intervals in which play was observed. The MI that best reflected the results obtained from visual one-zero sampling was MI ≥ 23 for 1 min intervals and MI ≥ 62 for 15 min intervals-this may therefore be the basis of a more conservative approach to the identification of play behaviour from accelerometer-generated data. Our results indicate that accelerometer-generated data can usefully indicate the amount of play behaviour shown by newborn calves for up to 48 h, providing an efficient method for identifying this important parameter in future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Gladden
- Scottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK;
| | - Erin Cuthbert
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow Garscube Estate, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (E.C.); (D.M.)
| | - Kathryn Ellis
- Scottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK;
| | - Dorothy McKeegan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow Garscube Estate, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK; (E.C.); (D.M.)
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Rault JL, Hintze S, Camerlink I, Yee JR. Positive Welfare and the Like: Distinct Views and a Proposed Framework. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:370. [PMID: 32714949 PMCID: PMC7343720 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Positive welfare and related terms such as good welfare, happiness, and a good life are increasingly used in the animal welfare science literature. Overall, they highlight the welfare benefits of providing animals opportunities for positive experiences, beyond the alleviation of suffering. However, the various terms remain loosely defined and are sometimes used interchangeably, resulting in discrepancy. In this perspective article, we lay out the terms and concepts used in the literature. We identify two distinct views: "hedonic positive welfare," arising from likes and wants and their positive outcomes on welfare; and "positive welfare balance," as an overall positive welfare state based on positive experiences outweighing negative ones. Eudaimonia, satisfaction with one's life, may emerge as a third view. We propose a framework that is applicable across the different views. The "Vienna Framework" outlines different facets: frequency, duration, arousal, context, previous experience, individual differences, sense of agency, and long-term benefit. The framework aims to encourage researchers to consider the relevance of these facets for their own research, to indicate how the facets are affected by different interventions (e.g., greater sense of agency in enriched compared to non-enriched animals), or to compare different topics with respect to the different facets (e.g., high arousal of play behavior and low arousal of social affiliation). We encourage researchers to carefully consider and clearly state how their work falls along these views and facets, conceptually, and operationally. This should prevent dilution of the meaning of positive welfare and thereby preserve its potential to improve the welfare of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Loup Rault
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sara Hintze
- Division of Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Irene Camerlink
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jason Richard Yee
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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Padilha-Boaretto JB, Groff-Urayama PM, Einsfeld SM, de Souza C, Mendes AS, Maeda EM, Takahashi SE. Effect of environmental enrichment for piglets in the nursery phase. Anim Biosci 2020; 34:154-160. [PMID: 32810937 PMCID: PMC7888505 DOI: 10.5713/ajas.20.0222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The effect of environmental enrichment on the behaviour of piglets in the nursery phase was evaluated. METHODS A total of 450 hybrid pigs (21 day old), including both females and uncastrated males, weighing approximately 6 kg, were distributed in a completely randomised design with 3 treatments and 3 replicates of 50 animals each. The treatments were: i) pen without environmental enrichment (control), ii) treatment consisting of continuous environmental enrichment (CEE) with rubber balls throughout the experimental period, and iii) treatment consisting of environmental enrichment with washed balls (EEWB) during the whole experimental period which were removed daily for washing. For the behavioural evaluation, 10 animals were randomly selected per replicate. The behavioural assessments were performed once a week, from 8 am to 6 pm, using images captured with a video camera. The data were submitted to non-parametric analyses, the means were compared using the Bonferroni test, and Person's correlations were also calculated. RESULTS A statistical difference (p = 0.001) was observed in the B5 (playful) behaviour; the animals in the EEWB treatment group had a higher frequency of this behaviour than animals in the control treatment group. The animals in the control group showed a higher frequency of B7 behaviour (lying down) (p = 0.026) than those in the EEWB and CEE treatment groups. The animals in the control group had a higher frequency of the B9 (belly nosing) behaviour than those in the EEWB group (p = 0.015). There was a tendency towards a higher frequency of behaviour B3 (walking in the pen) (p = 0.067) when the animals received the control treatment than treatments EEWB or CEE. CONCLUSION The use of an enriching object improved the animal welfare and altered the correlation between the evaluated behaviours compared to the animals that did not have environmental enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Suelen Maria Einsfeld
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Campus Dois Vizinhos, Paraná 85660-000, Brazil
| | - Cleverson de Souza
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Campus Dois Vizinhos, Paraná 85660-000, Brazil
| | - Angélica Signor Mendes
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Campus Dois Vizinhos, Paraná 85660-000, Brazil
| | - Emilyn Midori Maeda
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Campus Dois Vizinhos, Paraná 85660-000, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Endo Takahashi
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Technology - Paraná (UTFPR), Campus Dois Vizinhos, Paraná 85660-000, Brazil
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Lidfors L, Hultman P, Zupan M. Providing additional objects to straw reduces piglets’ redirected behaviour post-weaning but influences weight gain pre-weaning negatively. ACTA AGR SCAND A-AN 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09064702.2020.1775286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lena Lidfors
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara, Sweden
| | - Pernilla Hultman
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skara, Sweden
| | - Manja Zupan
- Department of Animal Science, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Domzale, Slovenia
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Luo L, Reimert I, Middelkoop A, Kemp B, Bolhuis JE. Effects of Early and Current Environmental Enrichment on Behavior and Growth in Pigs. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:268. [PMID: 32582773 PMCID: PMC7287207 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Enriched environments are known to beneficially affect the behavior of pigs, as compared with barren pens. The influence of enrichment may, however, depend on pigs' early life housing experiences. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of early and later life environmental enrichment on behavior and growth in pigs with different coping styles. Pigs were housed in either barren pens or in larger pens enriched with rooting substrates from birth, and half of them experienced a housing switch, i.e., a loss or gain of enrichment, at 7 weeks of age, creating four treatment groups. Home pen behavior and body weight were recorded until 19 weeks of age. Pigs were classified as reactive or proactive based on a backtest at 2 weeks of age. Enrichment increased time spent exploring, chewing, and play and decreased oral manipulation of penmates and pen-directed exploring and chewing. Behavior of pigs that switched from barren to enriched pens or vice versa reflected not only their actual environment, but also their early life housing. As early and later life enrichment affected most behaviors in opposite directions, effects of enrichment, or lack thereof, after the switch were more pronounced in pigs that had experienced a different early life condition. For instance, pigs experiencing an upgrade from barren to enriched pens seemed to "catch-up" by showing more exploration and play. Conversely, pigs exposed to a downgrade displayed more oral manipulation of penmates than ones kept barren throughout, which particularly held for pigs with a reactive coping style. Effects of early life and current housing on several other behaviors depended on coping style too. Pigs housed in enriched conditions appeared better able to cope with weaning than barren housed pigs, as they gained more weight and had higher feed intake post-weaning. Barren housed pigs had a lower body weight than enriched pigs just before the switch, after which growth was mainly determined by actual housing, with enriched kept pigs having a higher feed intake and body weight. Thus, not only current housing conditions, but also a (mis)match with the early life environment may affect behavior and growth of pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Luo
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Inonge Reimert
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Anouschka Middelkoop
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Bas Kemp
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - J Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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The nuts and bolts of animal emotion. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 113:273-286. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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125
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Serres A, Hao Y, Wang D. Body Contacts and Social Interactions in Captive Odontocetes Are Influenced by the Context: An Implication for Welfare Assessment. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10060924. [PMID: 32466514 PMCID: PMC7341235 DOI: 10.3390/ani10060924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Even though species differ in terms of personality traits and responses to external stimuli, welfare-oriented studies conducted on odontocetes are mostly focused on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Odontocetes are highly social animals; social behaviors are therefore interesting to investigate in relation to welfare. Video recording was conducted over a year on three groups of captive odontocetes, to record the frequency of social behaviors across different contexts. Captive odontocetes’ social behaviors, such as pectoral contacts, other body contacts, agonistic interactions or social play were influenced by the context and the patterns observed in this study suggest their potential usefulness to assess welfare in these animals, and that species and groups might react differently to a stimulus. Abstract Research on the welfare of captive odontocetes has increased in recent years, but has been mostly focused on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Few studies investigated potential welfare indicators using quantitative data linked to a range of conditions or stimuli that are thought to impact the animals’ emotional state. Since odontocetes are social animals that engage in various social interactions, these interactions might inform us on their welfare state. We investigated pectoral contact laterality and the effect of the context on several social behaviors in three groups of captive odontocetes (Yangtze finless porpoises, YFPs: Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis; East-Asian finless porpoises, EAFPs: N. a. sunameri, and bottlenose dolphins, BDs). Animals exhibited patterns depending on the time of the day for most of the social behaviors we analyzed; social separation was associated with lower rates of social behaviors for the two analyzed groups (YFPs and BDs), the accessibility to several pools was associated with higher rates of social behaviors for BDs. The effect of enrichment, disturbances and public presence was less clear and strongly depended on the group, the type of enrichment and disturbance. Our results confirm that captive odontocetes’ social behaviors are influenced by the context, and that, depending on the group, some of them, such as pectoral contacts, other body contacts, agonistic interactions or social play exhibit consistent patterns across contexts. Monitoring these behaviors might be useful to adapt the captive management to each species and group. The different responses among the three studied groups confirm that species and groups react differently to a stimulus and therefore, management decisions should be species/group specific. We recommend that more studies should be conducted to validate our findings in other groups of odontocetes under human care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Serres
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430050, China;
- Institute of Hydrobiology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yujiang Hao
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430050, China;
- Correspondence: (A.S.); (Y.H.)
| | - Ding Wang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430050, China;
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Using Passive Infrared Detectors to Record Group Activity and Activity in Certain Focus Areas in Fattening Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10050792. [PMID: 32375254 PMCID: PMC7278882 DOI: 10.3390/ani10050792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal behavior is an important aspect in the assessment of animal welfare. Passive infrared detectors (PID), detecting thermal changes to measure activity, have already been used to record data on the behavior of groups of animals. Within this study, the suitability of these detectors for the collection of activity profiles for focused areas is further investigated. The aim was to record the activity of a group of eleven fattening pigs in a pen, as well as the activity in the five functional areas for resting, feeding, drinking, exploration, and elimination. In order to evaluate the data obtained, the behavior was video recorded for visual assessment. In addition, relevant indoor environment parameters were recorded (ammonia, air temperature, and relative humidity). For the measurement of activity by PID, strong correlations from up to r = 0.87 (p < 0.01) could be found compared to visual assessment. The results indicate that activity changes during the day and activity in defined functional areas can be recorded using PIDs. These data combined with data of climate-related sensors could serve the farmer as a monitoring tool for early detection of behavioral changes or serve as partial aspect within a Weak Point Analysis within external on-farm consulting.
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127
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Köbrunner D, Waiblinger S, Stetina BU, Künzel F, Windschnurer I. Insight into husbandry conditions, health, and behavior of pet ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) among German-speaking ferret owners. J Vet Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2020.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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128
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Šandlová K, Komárková M, Ceacero F. Daddy, daddy cool: stallion-foal relationships in a socially-natural herd of Exmoor ponies. Anim Cogn 2020; 23:781-793. [PMID: 32335767 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01388-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Different forms of direct paternal investment have been described in mammals. One such species where paternal care was noticed, but remains poorly understood, is the horse (Equus caballus), where the male keeps a long-term relationship with several females and offspring. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the interactions between the harem stallion and his foals. Two herds of Exmoor ponies living under semi-feral conditions in two separate reserves within Czech Republic were studied, each during one of the two consecutive breeding seasons (in 2016 and 2017). Both herds consisted of a stallion, 14 mares and their offspring (12 and 10 foals). The behaviour of all group members was recorded focusing on the stallion-foal interactions. The results show that the stallion receives more friendly interactions, snapping and playful behaviour from foals compared with adult mares. Furthermore, the stallion is more tolerant than mares, and actively plays with his offspring. There is no statistical difference in the sex of the foals in the stallion-foal interactions; however, male foals are more active than female foals in interacting with their father. The probability of a certain behaviour occurring between adult and foals changed over time. The stallion's presence might, therefore, be crucial for the physical and psychological development of the foals, especially the colts. These results may bring new insight into the common management of domestic horses, where stallions are usually kept separately and are not allowed to form natural groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateřina Šandlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Martina Komárková
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Francisco Ceacero
- Department of Animal Science and Food Processing, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
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129
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Economic and Welfare Impacts of Providing Good Life Opportunities to Farm Animals. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10040610. [PMID: 32252335 PMCID: PMC7222722 DOI: 10.3390/ani10040610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary An input-based framework to evaluate positive welfare opportunities for farm animals presents a case for incorporating quality of life measures into farm assurance schemes, thereby encouraging more producers to deliver higher welfare. Using an original dataset of UK laying hen farms that uniquely connects input-based measures of positive welfare to outcome-based measures of both positive and negative welfare, this study investigates the feasibility of evaluating positive welfare within certification schemes from both scientific and financial viewpoints. Abstract Existing animal welfare standards for legislation and food certification programmes are primarily designed to avoid harms to the livestock, with minimal consideration given to their behavioural freedoms. Recent research has shown, however, that animal welfare should not only be evaluated by the absence of negative states but also by the presence of “good life” or positive experiences enjoyed by animals. The objective of the present study is to investigate the scientific validity and on-farm cost implications of utilising potential input-based measures of positive welfare as part of evaluation criteria for farm assurance schemes. Building upon the Farm Animal Welfare Council’s concept of good life opportunities, an assessment was undertaken on 49 noncaged laying hen farms across the UK by measuring on-farm resources to facilitate positive experiences alongside commonly measured metrics for welfare outcomes. The financial cost of providing these resources on each enterprise was also estimated using a farm-scale costing tool. The results suggested that 63% of resource needs that facilitate the behaviour opportunities of laying hens are already being provided by these producers, far above legal and commercial requirements. This practice attracts no reward mechanism or direct financial benefit under the current market structure. Additional provision of opportunities was positively associated with behavioural outcomes, but only limited impact was observed on health and productivity measures. Economic modelling indicated that significant room exists to further improve welfare scores on these farms, on average by 97%, without incurring additional costs. Together we argue that these results can be seen as evidence of market failure since producers are providing positive welfare value to society that is not being currently recognised. It is therefore contended that measuring and rewarding the supply of good life opportunities could be a novel policy instrument to create an effective marketplace that appropriately recognises high welfare production.
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130
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Thompson NA, Higham JP, Heistermann M, Vogel E, Cords M. Energy balance but not competitive environment corresponds with allostatic load during development in an Old World monkey. Horm Behav 2020; 119:104664. [PMID: 31899261 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Primates develop slowly relative to their body size, a pattern posited to result from ecological risk aversion. Little is known, however, about how energy balance contributes to allostatic load in juveniles. Using data collected over 8 consecutive months, we examined variation in energy balance (as measured by urinary C-peptide) and how energy balance, life history status, and social competition related to allostatic load (as measured by deviation from baseline fecal glucocorticoid metabolites, dfGCs) in 41 wild juvenile blue monkeys from 3 social groups. Juvenile energy balance was higher among females, older juveniles, when ripe fruit was more available, and when rainfall was lower. Energy balance, but not life history or competitive environments, predicted dfGC concentrations, such that juveniles generally had lower mean dfGCs when they had higher energy balance. An additional exploratory analysis of how dfGCs relate to social strategies revealed that subjects had lower dfGCs when they groomed less, and played more. Time spent grooming interacted with energy balance in predicting dfGC concentrations, so that individuals that groomed more actually had higher dfGCs when they had higher energy balance. Together these results reveal that energetic deficiencies are a true ecological risk factor in blue monkeys, and suggest that navigating the social environment via overt affiliative behavior is potentially both a stress-relieving and stress-inducing endeavor during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Thompson
- Columbia University, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, United States of America; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, United States of America.
| | - James P Higham
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, United States of America; New York University, Department of Anthropology, United States of America
| | | | - Erin Vogel
- Rutgers University, Department of Anthropology, United States of America
| | - Marina Cords
- Columbia University, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, United States of America; New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, United States of America
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Webber CE, Lee PC. Play in Elephants: Wellbeing, Welfare or Distraction? Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10020305. [PMID: 32075034 PMCID: PMC7071055 DOI: 10.3390/ani10020305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Animal play is a subject of great interest and some enduring controversy. Why do animals play, when do they play and if they do not play much, does this indicate that they may be physically or emotionally stressed? We explore these questions for elephant calves ranging in age from birth to five years old, and we compare play in captivity with that observed in the wild for two species. Against our general expectation that calves might play less play in captivity, we found that wild elephants spent the least time in play, probably because wild calves have to solve other social problems and be on the move constantly in order to find enough food, escape from predators, and keep up with their mothers and other relatives. Play is a diverse and subtle potential indicator of wellbeing for young animals, and we suggest that its presence needs to be interpreted with caution as it could represent either a distraction from a constant or unchallenging environment or provide arousal. Play appears to act as a behavioural mechanism for creating physical and social challenges for elephants of all ages, irrespective of their environment. Abstract We explore elephant play behaviour since (a) play has been proposed to represent a potential welfare indicator; and (b) play has been associated with long-term survival in the wild. We categorised play into four types, and investigate both social (gentle, escalated-contact) and non-social (lone-locomotor, exploratory-object) play from observations made on wild (Asian N = 101; African N = 130) and captive (Asian N = 8; African N = 7) elephant calves ranging in age from birth to five years. Social play was the most frequent type of play among immature elephants, accounting for an average of 3%–9% of active time. Non-social play accounted for an additional 1%–11% of time. The most time spent in play was seen in captive Asian calves, particularly at the ages of 1–6 months, while wild African calves spent the least time in play overall, even though they had the greatest number and most diverse range of play partners available. We assessed calf energetics using time spent suckling, resting, moving and independent feeding. Time spent playing was unrelated to time spent suckling but negatively associated with time spent independently feeding. There were no associations with time spent moving or resting. Maternal energy via lactation was unrelated to play early in life, but energy acquired independently may constrain or enable play. Play, while a potential indicator of compromised welfare for many species when absent, can act as a highly stimulating activity for captive elephants in the absence of other forms of arousal.
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Li C, Wang J, Jin S, Gu X. Artificial Grooming during Early Life could Boost the Activity and Human Affinity of Holstein Female Calves. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10020302. [PMID: 32070053 PMCID: PMC7070541 DOI: 10.3390/ani10020302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Due to early cow–calf separation in modern farms, maternal care, such as licking and grooming, is greatly limited for newborn calves. Physically imitating the maternal licking with manual brushing, termed artificial grooming, during an early age might substitute the role of cows. The behavioral response of dairy calves with artificial grooming treatment was investigated. We found beneficial effects of artificial grooming on the activity and human–animal bonding of dairy calves. The starter ingestion might be advanced by the artificial grooming and might contribute to a less stressful weaning process. Mechanization of this process is promising in the future calf management and thus improving the welfare status of dairy calves. Abstract Early cow–calf separation management induced various welfare problems for dairy calves. We mimicked the maternal licking by manually brushing right after the Holstein female calves were born and during their first week of life, termed artificial grooming (AG). The behavior of these treated calves (AG, n = 17) was compared with the calves without artificial grooming (Con, n = 16) during daily behavioral observation around evening milk feeding and in the open field test (OFT) and novel human test (NHT). The number of calves ingesting starter on day six was recorded. The AG calves were observed to be more active and perform more oral behavior compared with the Con calves around evening milk feeding. In the OFT and NHT, the AG calves were again more active than the Con calves. Moreover, the AG calves tended to be less cautious and had more human interactions than the Con calves in the NHT. There tended to be a higher percentage of AG calves ingesting starter on day 6. In conclusion, artificial grooming during early life could boost the activity and the human affinity of female calves and it might advance their starter diet ingestion.
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133
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Harrup AJ, Rooney N. Current welfare state of pet guinea pigs in the UK. Vet Rec 2020; 186:282. [PMID: 32054719 DOI: 10.1136/vr.105632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Revised: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little research has been carried out into how guinea pigs are cared for in the UK, and information regarding potential welfare issues is sparse. This study was designed to examine the five welfare needs, collecting data on the extent to which these are each met by a sample of UK guinea pig owners. METHODS A survey of 4590 owners was conducted. RESULTS Guinea pigs were housed in a variety of ways, but a hutch or cage, with no attached run, was the most common enclosure. The majority reportedly lived with a conspecific, although some lived on their own, or with a rabbit. Significant associations between aspects of housing and husbandry, and behaviour and health were found, for example, the frequency of positive behaviours displayed was higher in those guinea pigs housed with a conspecific and those in larger enclosures, while the number of reported health issues was lower in animals receiving green vegetables more often. CONCLUSION This study has identified common practices, and highlighted some potential welfare issues, which would benefit from further research. The authors suggest improved availability of targeted information may enable owners to improve issues identified here.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicola Rooney
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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134
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Abstract
Animal welfare is a growing societal concern and the well-being of animals used
for experimental purposes is under particular scrutiny. The vast majority of
laboratory animals are mice living in small cages that do not offer very much
variety. Moreover, the experimental procedure often takes very little time
compared to the time these animals have been bred to the desired age or are
being held available for animal experimentation. However, for the assessment of
animal welfare, the time spent waiting for an experiment or the time spent after
finishing an experiment has also to be taken into account. In addition to
experimental animals, many additional animals (e.g. for breeding and maintenance
of genetic lines, surplus animals) are related to animal experimentation and
usually face similar living conditions. Therefore, in terms of improving the
overall welfare of laboratory animals, there is not only a need for refinement
of experimental conditions but especially for improving living conditions
outside the experiment. The improvement of animal welfare thus depends to a
large extent on the housing and maintenance conditions of all animals related to
experimentation. Given the current state of animal welfare research there is
indeed a great potential for improving the overall welfare of laboratory
animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Lewejohann
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), German Centre for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Schwabe
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover Medical School, Germany
| | - Christine Häger
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Germany
| | - Paulin Jirkof
- Department Animal Welfare and 3Rs, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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135
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Heesen R, Hobaiter C, Ferrer-I-Cancho R, Semple S. Linguistic laws in chimpanzee gestural communication. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 286:20182900. [PMID: 30963931 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies testing linguistic laws outside language have provided important insights into the organization of biological systems. For example, patterns consistent with Zipf's law of abbreviation (which predicts a negative relationship between word length and frequency of use) have been found in the vocal and non-vocal behaviour of a range of animals, and patterns consistent with Menzerath's law (according to which longer sequences are made up of shorter constituents) have been found in primate vocal sequences, and in genes, proteins and genomes. Both laws have been linked to compression-the information theoretic principle of minimizing code length. Here, we present the first test of these laws in animal gestural communication. We initially did not find the negative relationship between gesture duration and frequency of use predicted by Zipf's law of abbreviation, but this relationship was seen in specific subsets of the repertoire. Furthermore, a pattern opposite to that predicted was seen in one subset of gestures-whole body signals. We found a negative correlation between number and mean duration of gestures in sequences, in line with Menzerath's law. These results provide the first evidence that compression underpins animal gestural communication, and highlight an important commonality between primate gesturing and language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaela Heesen
- 1 Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton , London SW15 4JD , UK.,2 Institut de Psychologie du Travail et des Organisations, Université de Neuchâtel , Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000 Neuchâtel , Switzerland
| | - Catherine Hobaiter
- 3 School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews , St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP , UK
| | - Ramon Ferrer-I-Cancho
- 4 Complexity and Quantitative Linguistics Laboratory, Laboratory for Relational Algorithmics, Complexity, and Learning Research Group, Departament de Ciències de la Computació, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya , 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia , Spain
| | - Stuart Semple
- 1 Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton , London SW15 4JD , UK
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136
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Adriaense JEC, Koski SE, Huber L, Lamm C. Challenges in the comparative study of empathy and related phenomena in animals. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 112:62-82. [PMID: 32001272 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this review is to discuss recent arguments and findings in the comparative study of empathy. Based on a multidisciplinary approach including psychology and ethology, we review the non-human animal literature concerning theoretical frameworks, methodology, and research outcomes. One specific objective is to highlight discrepancies between theory and empirical findings, and to discuss ambiguities present in current data and their interpretation. In particular, we focus on emotional contagion and its experimental investigation, and on consolation and targeted helping as measures for sympathy. Additionally, we address the feasibility of comparing across species with behavioural data alone. One main conclusion of our review is that animal research on empathy still faces the challenge of closing the gap between theoretical concepts and empirical evidence. To advance our knowledge, we propose to focus more on the emotional basis of empathy, rather than on possibly ambiguous behavioural indicators, and we provide suggestions to overcome the limitations of previous research .
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Affiliation(s)
- J E C Adriaense
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - S E Koski
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Unioninkatu 35, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - L Huber
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - C Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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137
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Weller JE, Turner SP, Farish M, Camerlink I, Arnott G. The Association Between Play Fighting and Information Gathering during Subsequent Contests. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1133. [PMID: 31980694 PMCID: PMC6981131 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58063-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Many hypotheses regarding the evolution of social play have been suggested, including the development of later-life assessment skills. However, the link between play fighting experience and information gathering during contests has yet to be examined. This paper explores the association between play fighting and contest assessment strategy in the domestic pig (Sus scrofa). Using an established framework, we provide evidence suggesting play fighting frequency may affect the extent to which individuals incorporate information regarding their own and their competitors' resource holding potential (RHP) in escalation decisions. Pigs were allocated as 'high play' or 'low play' based upon their relative play fighting frequency. To maximise variation in play, 12 litters underwent a socialisation treatment while the remaining 12 litters were kept isolated within their home pen (i.e. control treatment). At eight weeks of age contests were staged between pairs of unfamiliar pigs, using 19 'high play' dyads and 19 'low play' dyads. While 'high play' dyads were observed to rely on a pure self-assessment strategy, 'low play dyads' did not meet the predictions of either self- or mutual assessment, suggesting their contest behaviour may have been motivated by alternative factors. We suggest that early life play fighting may therefore allow individuals to develop an accurate estimate of their RHP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E Weller
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
| | - Simon P Turner
- Animal Behaviour & Welfare, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marianne Farish
- Animal Behaviour & Welfare, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh, UK
| | - Irene Camerlink
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni), Vienna, Austria
| | - Gareth Arnott
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queens University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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138
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A Ten-Stage Protocol for Assessing the Welfare of Individual Non-Captive Wild Animals: Free-Roaming Horses ( Equus Ferus Caballus) as an Example. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10010148. [PMID: 31963232 PMCID: PMC7022444 DOI: 10.3390/ani10010148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of the welfare status of wild animals is vital for informing debates about the ways in which we interact with wild animals and their habitats. Currently, there is no published information about how to scientifically assess the welfare of free-roaming wild animals during their normal day-to-day lives. Using free-roaming horses as an example, we describe a ten-stage protocol for systematically and scientifically assessing the welfare of individual non-captive wild animals. The protocol starts by emphasising the importance of readers having an understanding of animal welfare in a conservation context and also of the Five Domains Model for assessing welfare. It goes on to detail what species-specific information is required to assess welfare, how to identify measurable and observable indicators of animals' physical states and how to identify which individuals are being assessed. Further, it addresses how to select appropriate methods for measuring/observing physical indicators of welfare, the scientific validation of these indicators and then the grading of animals' welfare states, along with assigning a confidence score. Finally, grading future welfare risks and how these can guide management decisions is discussed. Applying this ten-stage protocol will enable biologists to scientifically assess the welfare of wild animals and should lead to significant advances in the field of wild animal welfare.
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139
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Salvin HE, Lees AM, Cafe LM, Colditz IG, Lee C. Welfare of beef cattle in Australian feedlots: a review of the risks and measures. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/an19621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The rising global demand for animal protein is leading to intensification of livestock production systems. At the same time, societal concerns about sustainability and animal welfare in intensive systems is increasing. This review examines the risks to welfare for beef cattle within commercial feedlots in Australia. Several aspects of the feedlot environment have the potential to compromise the physical and psychological welfare of cattle if not properly monitored and managed. These include, but are not limited to, animal factors such as the influence of genetics, temperament and prior health, as well as management factors such as diet, pen design, resource provision, pregnancy management, and stock-person attitudes and skills. While current industry and producer initiatives exist to address some of these issues, continuous improvements in welfare requires accurate, reliable and repeatable measures to allow quantification of current and future welfare states. Existing measures of welfare are explored as well as proxy indicators that may signal the presence of improved or reduced welfare. Finally, potential future measures of welfare that are currently under development are discussed and recommendations for future research are made.
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140
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Swimming features in captive odontocetes: Indicative of animals’ emotional state? Behav Processes 2020; 170:103998. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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141
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Social play changes reflect differences in biology and development of three felids. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF THERIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.18.2.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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142
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Hammond T, Bombail V, Nielsen BL, Meddle SL, Lawrence AB, Brown SM. Relationships between play and responses to tickling in male juvenile rats. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.104879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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143
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Weller JE, Camerlink I, Turner SP, Farish M, Arnott G. Playful pigs: early life play-fighting experience influences later life contest dynamics. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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144
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Kleinhappel TK, Pike TW, Burman OHP. Stress-induced changes in group behaviour. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17200. [PMID: 31748696 PMCID: PMC6868208 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53661-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Testing animals in groups can provide valuable data for investigating behavioural stress responses. However, conventional measures typically focus on the behaviour of individual animals or on dyadic interactions. Here, we aimed to determine metrics describing the behaviour of grouping animals that can reveal differences in stress responses. Using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model, we observed replicated shoals both immediately and 24 hours after exposure to a novel environment, as an assessment of temporal change in response to an acute stressor. We quantified various standard behavioural measures in combination with metrics describing group structure, including different proximity, social, and spatial metrics. Firstly, we showed a high collinearity between most of the analysed metrics, suggesting that they describe similar aspects of the group dynamics. After metric selection, we found that under acute stress shoals had significantly higher shoal densities, a lower variation in nearest neighbour distances and were in closer proximity to the walls compared to the same groups tested 24 hours later, indicating a reduction in acute stress over time. Thus, the use of group metrics could allow for the refinement of behavioural protocols carried out in a range of research areas, by providing sensitive and rich data in a more relevant social context.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas W Pike
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, LN6 7DL, UK
| | - Oliver H P Burman
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, LN6 7DL, UK
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145
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Middelkoop A, van Marwijk MA, Kemp B, Bolhuis JE. Pigs Like It Varied; Feeding Behavior and Pre- and Post-weaning Performance of Piglets Exposed to Dietary Diversity and Feed Hidden in Substrate During Lactation. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:408. [PMID: 31803769 PMCID: PMC6877737 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Timely intake of solid feed is essential to ease the nutritional change from sow's milk to solid feed at weaning and thereby to reduce weaning-related problems. A significant percentage of piglets, however, do not or hardly consume solid feed before weaning. We studied effects of dietary variety and presenting the feed in substrate during lactation on the feeding behavior and performance of piglets up to 2 weeks post-weaning. Feed was provided ad libitum from d4 in two feeders, with four bowls each. In a 2 × 2 arrangement, 40 litters received either creep feed as a monotonous diet (MO) or four feed items simultaneously, i.e., creep feed, celery, cereal honey loops and peanuts, as a diverse diet (DD) and the feed was either provided without (CON) or with substrate (SUB), i.e., sand, in one of the two feeders up to weaning. Dietary diversity highly stimulated feed exploration and eating (≥2.5 times), feed intake and the percentage of (good) eaters from early in lactation, and enhanced piglet growth toward weaning (by 29 g/d), although MO-piglets spent more time eating creep feed from d18. Within MO, SUB-litters consisted of more good eaters than CON-litters. At weaning (d28) four piglets from the same treatment were grouped (n = 40 pens). DD-CON had the highest post-weaning feed intake and gain between d5–15 and the lowest proportion of pigs with higher tail damage scores. However, effects regarding behavior remained inconclusive, as DD-piglets had a lower and higher number of body lesions at 4 h and d15 post-weaning, respectively, spent less time exploring the feed(er) and drinker and environment, and more time nosing pen mates than MO-piglets. SUB-piglets showed a reduction in total post-weaning feed intake, gain (particularly between d0–2) and inactivity, increased levels of manipulation and aggression at week 1 and a higher number of body lesions at 4 h and d15 post-weaning. In conclusion, dietary diversity seems a promising feeding strategy in getting piglets to eat during lactation. Provision of substrate in the feeder subtly stimulated foraging behavior, but negatively impacted post-weaning adaptation, probably because treatments were not reinforced after weaning and piglets thus experienced loss of enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouschka Middelkoop
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Manon A van Marwijk
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Bas Kemp
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - J Elizabeth Bolhuis
- Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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146
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Cordoni G, Palagi E. Back to the Future: A Glance Over Wolf Social Behavior to Understand Dog-Human Relationship. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9110991. [PMID: 31752164 PMCID: PMC6912837 DOI: 10.3390/ani9110991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Wolves, the ancestors of dogs, are one of the most cooperative canine species. This cooperative propensity derives from the fact that each subject needs other group members to obtain resources and increase survival. The pack functions as a unit in which each individual collaborates in territory defence, hunting, and rearing of offspring. For this reason, even though a clear hierarchy exists among wolves, subordinates can provide help to dominants to obtain social tolerance in a sort of commodity exchange. Wolves can make peace after aggression, console victims of a conflict, and calm down the aggressors. This set of behaviors, also called post-conflict strategies, requires a social attentiveness towards others’ emotional state and the ability to coordinate appropriate reactions. Adult wolves also play. They engage in play fighting, which strongly resembles real fighting, by finely modulating their motor actions and quickly interpreting playmates’ intentions, thus maintaining the non-serious playful mood. All these cognitive and social skills were a fertile ground for the artificial selection operated by humans to redirect the cooperative propensity of wolves towards dog–human affective relationship. Abstract This review focuses on wolf sociobiology to delineate the traits of cooperative baggage driven by natural selection (wolf-wolf cooperation) and better understand the changes obtained by artificial selection (dog-human cooperation). We selected some behaviors of the dog’s ancestors that provide the basis for the expression of a cooperative society, such as dominance relationships, leverage power, post-aggressive strategies, and playful dynamics between pack members. When possible, we tried to compare the data on wolves with those coming from the dog literature. Wolves can negotiate commodities when the interacting subjects occupy different ranking positions by bargaining social tolerance with helping and support. They are able to manage group disruption by engaging in sophisticated post-conflict maneuvers, thus restoring the relationship between the opponents and reducing the spreading of aggression in the group. Wolves engage in social play also as adults to manipulate social relationships. They are able to flexibly adjust their playful interactions to minimize the risk of escalation. Complex cognitive abilities and communicative skills are probably the main proximate causes for the evolution of inter-specific cooperation in wolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Cordoni
- Natural History Museum, University of Pisa, Via Roma 79, 56011 Calci, Pisa, Italy;
| | - Elisabetta Palagi
- Natural History Museum, University of Pisa, Via Roma 79, 56011 Calci, Pisa, Italy;
- Ethology Unit, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via Volta 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence:
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147
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Face-to-face opening phase in Japanese macaques' social play enhances and sustains participants' engagement in subsequent play interaction. Anim Cogn 2019; 23:149-158. [PMID: 31720883 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01325-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
A face-to-face "opening phase" in human interaction serves as a platform for the interactants to initiate and manage their interaction collaboratively. This study investigated whether, as is the case in humans, a face-to-face opening phase in animal interaction serves to manage a subsequent interaction and establish interactants' engagement. We compared the dyadic play fighting of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) initiated with and without a face-to-face opening phase. Our observations showed that play sessions with a face-to-face opening phase lasted longer than did sessions without one. Furthermore, our results indicate that facing toward playmates was a sign of interactants' engagement. In sessions with a face-to-face opening phase, both players were likely to gain an advantage over their playmates, whereas in sessions without such an opening phase, only an individual who unidirectionally faced toward another individual who looked away when play began was likely to maintain an advantage over a long period. Our findings demonstrate that a face-to-face opening phase has a socio-cognitive function to establish and sustain interactants' social engagement during subsequent interaction not only in humans but also in Japanese macaques.
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148
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Lampe JF, Ruchti S, Burman O, Würbel H, Melotti L. Play like me: Similarity in playfulness promotes social play. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224282. [PMID: 31648250 PMCID: PMC6812795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Social play is associated with the experience of positive emotions in higher vertebrates and may be used as a measure of animal welfare. Altering motivation to play (e.g., through short-term social isolation) can temporarily affect play levels between familiar individuals, a process which may involve emotional contagion. This study investigated how forming groups based on known differences in the personality trait "playfulness" (i.e., the longer-term propensity of an individual to actively play from adolescence to early adulthood) affects social play. Seventy-six adolescent male Lister Hooded rats underwent a Play-in-Pairs test assessing their playfulness, ranked as high (H), intermediate (I) or low (L). At seven weeks of age, rats were resorted into homogenous groups of similar (LLL, III, HHH), or heterogeneous groups of dissimilar (HII, LII) playfulness. Social play was scored in the home cage at Weeks 8, 10, 12 of age. A second Play-in-Pairs test was performed (Week 11) to assess consistency of playfulness. A Social Preference test investigated whether I rats in heterogeneous groups preferred proximity with I, H or L cage mates. It was found that heterogeneous groups played less than homogeneous ones at adolescence (8 weeks of age), while play levels at early adulthood (Weeks 10 and 12) did not differ between groups. Play in the homogeneous groups decreased with age as expected, while it did not change over time in the heterogeneous groups, which did not compensate for the lower play levels shown at adolescence. Play-in-Pairs scores before and after resorting were mildly correlated, indicating some level of consistency over time despite the resorting procedure. In the Social Preference test, subjects did not prefer one playfulness level over another. We conclude that a mismatch in playfulness may negatively affect social play development, and thus the welfare, of rats. Groups made of animals with similar playfulness, even those initially scoring relatively low in this trait, seemed to be more successful in establishing play relationships during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabrina Ruchti
- Division of Animal Welfare, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Burman
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Lincoln, United Kingdom
| | - Hanno Würbel
- Division of Animal Welfare, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Luca Melotti
- Division of Animal Welfare, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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149
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Mattiello S, Battini M, De Rosa G, Napolitano F, Dwyer C. How Can We Assess Positive Welfare in Ruminants? Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E758. [PMID: 31581658 PMCID: PMC6826499 DOI: 10.3390/ani9100758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Until now, most research has focused on the development of indicators of negative welfare, and relatively few studies provide information on valid, reliable, and feasible indicators addressing positive aspects of animal welfare. However, a lack of suffering does not guarantee that animals are experiencing a positive welfare state. The aim of the present review is to identify promising valid and reliable animal-based indicators for the assessment of positive welfare that might be included in welfare assessment protocols for ruminants, and to discuss them in the light of the five domains model, highlighting possible gaps to be filled by future research. Based on the existing literature in the main databases, each indicator was evaluated in terms of its validity, reliability, and on-farm feasibility. Some valid indicators were identified, but a lot of the validity evidence is based on their absence when a negative situation is present; furthermore, only a few indicators are available in the domains of Nutrition and Health. Reliability has been seldom addressed. On-farm feasibility could be increased by developing specific sampling strategies and/or relying on the use of video- or automatic-recording devices. In conclusion, several indicators are potentially available (e.g., synchronisation of lying and feeding, coat or fleece condition, qualitative behaviour assessment), but further research is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana Mattiello
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Produzione, Territorio, Agroenergia, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Monica Battini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali - Produzione, Territorio, Agroenergia, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe De Rosa
- Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy.
| | - Fabio Napolitano
- Scuola di Scienze Agrarie, Forestali, Alimentari ed Ambientali, Università degli Studi della Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy.
| | - Cathy Dwyer
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare, SRUC, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK.
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Vigors B, Lawrence A. What Are the Positives? Exploring Positive Welfare Indicators in a Qualitative Interview Study with Livestock Farmers. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E694. [PMID: 31533328 PMCID: PMC6770310 DOI: 10.3390/ani9090694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
To support the furtherance of positive animal welfare, there is a need to develop meaningful and practical positive welfare indicators for on-farm welfare assessment. Considering the perspectives of farmers is arguably critical in this regard. Doing so helps ensure positive welfare indicators reflect farmers' existing welfare norms and attitudes and, are thus, of practical relevance to them. However, a key issue for such development is the dearth of knowledge on farmers' perspectives of positive welfare. To address this, this study uses qualitative interviews to directly examine livestock farmers' perspectives of positive welfare. Findings reveal that farmers describe elements of positive welfare which are broadly in line with indicators suggested in the positive welfare literature. These elements include animal autonomy, play, positive affect, positive human-animal relationships, social interaction, and appropriate genetic selection. Additionally, this study finds that farmers construct the reduction of negative aspects of welfare as their primary management concern and mostly construct positive welfare as arising indirectly from this. Insights into the importance that farmers of different sectors and systems give to different aspects of positive welfare indicators are also explored. The implications of these findings and the similitudes between farmers' perspectives and the positive welfare literature are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda Vigors
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3RG, UK.
| | - Alistair Lawrence
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3RG, UK.
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Penicuik, EH25 9RG, UK.
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