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Tang H, Ge WW, Wei WH, Yang SM, Dai X. Food Grinding Behavior: A Review of Causality and Influential Factors. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1865. [PMID: 38997977 PMCID: PMC11240756 DOI: 10.3390/ani14131865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Food waste is a common issue arising from grinding of food by experimental animals, leading to excessive food scraps falling into cages. In the wild, animals grind food by gnawing vegetation and seeds, potentially damaging the ecological environment. However, limited ecology studies have focused on food grinding behavior since the last century, with even fewer on rodent food grinding, particularly recently. Although food grinding's function is partially understood, its biological purposes remain under-investigated and driving factors unclear. This review aims to explain potential causes of animal food grinding, identify influencing factors, and discuss contexts and limitations. Specifically, we emphasize recent progress on gut microbiota significance for food grinding. Moreover, we show abnormal food grinding is determined by degree of excess normal behavior, emphasizing food grinding is not meaningless. Findings from this review promote comprehensive research on the myriad factors, multifaceted roles, and intricate evolution underlying food grinding behavior, benefiting laboratory animal husbandry and ecological environment protection, and identifying potential physiological benefits yet undiscovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Tang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.T.); (W.-W.G.); (W.-H.W.); (S.-M.Y.)
| | - Wei-Wei Ge
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.T.); (W.-W.G.); (W.-H.W.); (S.-M.Y.)
| | - Wan-Hong Wei
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.T.); (W.-W.G.); (W.-H.W.); (S.-M.Y.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Sheng-Mei Yang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.T.); (W.-W.G.); (W.-H.W.); (S.-M.Y.)
| | - Xin Dai
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (H.T.); (W.-W.G.); (W.-H.W.); (S.-M.Y.)
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Dai X, Han YX, Shen QY, Tang H, Cheng LZ, Yang FP, Wei WH, Yang SM. Effect of Food Restriction on Food Grinding in Brandt's Voles. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3424. [PMID: 37958179 PMCID: PMC10647212 DOI: 10.3390/ani13213424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Food grinding is supposed to be influenced by multiple factors. However, how those factors affecting this behavior remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of food restriction on food grinding in Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii), as well as the potential role of the gut microbiota in this process, through a comparison of the variations between voles with different food supplies. Food restriction reduced the relative amount of ground food to a greater extent than it lowered the relative food consumption, and altered the abundance of Staphylococcus, Aerococcus, Jeotgalicoccus, and Un--s-Clostridiaceae bacterium GM1. Fecal acetate content for the 7.5 g-food supply group was lower than that for the 15 g-food supply group. Our study indicated that food restriction could effectively inhibit food grinding. Further, Un--s-Clostridiaceae bacterium GM1 abundance, Aerococcus abundance, and acetate content were strongly related to food grinding. Variations in gut microbial abundance and short-chain fatty acid content induced by food restriction likely promote the inhibition of food grinding. These results could potentially provide guidance for reducing food waste during laboratory rodent maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Dai
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.D.); (Y.-X.H.); (Q.-Y.S.); (H.T.); (L.-Z.C.); (F.-P.Y.); (W.-H.W.)
| | - Yu-Xuan Han
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.D.); (Y.-X.H.); (Q.-Y.S.); (H.T.); (L.-Z.C.); (F.-P.Y.); (W.-H.W.)
| | - Qiu-Yi Shen
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.D.); (Y.-X.H.); (Q.-Y.S.); (H.T.); (L.-Z.C.); (F.-P.Y.); (W.-H.W.)
| | - Hao Tang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.D.); (Y.-X.H.); (Q.-Y.S.); (H.T.); (L.-Z.C.); (F.-P.Y.); (W.-H.W.)
| | - Li-Zhi Cheng
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.D.); (Y.-X.H.); (Q.-Y.S.); (H.T.); (L.-Z.C.); (F.-P.Y.); (W.-H.W.)
| | - Feng-Ping Yang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.D.); (Y.-X.H.); (Q.-Y.S.); (H.T.); (L.-Z.C.); (F.-P.Y.); (W.-H.W.)
| | - Wan-Hong Wei
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.D.); (Y.-X.H.); (Q.-Y.S.); (H.T.); (L.-Z.C.); (F.-P.Y.); (W.-H.W.)
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Sheng-Mei Yang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, 48 East Wenhui Road, Yangzhou 225009, China; (X.D.); (Y.-X.H.); (Q.-Y.S.); (H.T.); (L.-Z.C.); (F.-P.Y.); (W.-H.W.)
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Markova EA, Strukova TV, Borodin AV. Arvicolines (Arvicolinae, Rodentia) as Paleoenvironmental Proxies: Classification of Species Inhabiting the Central Part of Northern Eurasia Based on Environmental Preferences of Their Modern Representatives. BIOL BULL+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359018070129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Minervini V, Galuska CM, Rowland NE. Effects of price and pellet type on food waste in mice. Behav Processes 2013; 103:180-3. [PMID: 24378213 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2013.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Revised: 12/02/2013] [Accepted: 12/18/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
When laboratory mice are provided with free access to food, they often fragment their food such that it collects on the cage floor - wasted. An operant analysis of food waste, however, has not yet been conducted. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of response requirement and pellet type on food waste using a behavioral economic paradigm. Sixteen mice responded under a series of escalating fixed ratio schedules. Nose pokes were reinforced with either a grain-based pellet or a fiber-based pellet (diluted with non-digestible cellulose) across conditions. We found that mice spilled a greater percent of the total earned pellets at low response requirements. Additionally, mice spilled more fiber-based pellets relative to grain-based pellets. This difference was most pronounced when the fixed ratio requirement was low and was attenuated as the fixed ratio was increased, and this decrease in food waste across prices was well accounted for by an exponential model. Mice may have been extracting the calorically dense components of the fiber-based pellets only when the schedule of reinforcement was rich. When the schedule of reinforcement was lean, responding for a new pellet likely was a more functional behavior than fragmenting a pellet and discarding portions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Minervini
- University of Florida, Department of Psychology, 945 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States.
| | - Chad M Galuska
- College of Charleston, Department of Psychology, 57 Coming Street, Charleston, SC 29424, United States.
| | - Neil E Rowland
- University of Florida, Department of Psychology, 945 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, United States.
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Pritchett-Corning KR, Keefe R, Garner JP, Gaskill BN. Can seeds help mice with the daily grind? Lab Anim 2013; 47:312-5. [DOI: 10.1177/0023677213491403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Some laboratory mice gnaw food pellets without ingesting much of the gnawed material, resulting in the production of waste material called ‘orts’. The fact that this food grinding behavior is not seen in all individuals of a particular strain suggests that it might be abnormal, and thus indicate a welfare concern. Furthermore, the increased rate of feed consumption and cage soiling is undesirable from a husbandry perspective. To try to determine possible motivations for the behavior, and identify potential treatments, outbred Crl:CD1(Icr) mice exhibiting food grinding were selected for one of three treatments placed in the feeder: no enrichment, a chewing device, or sunflower seeds. Both enrichment groups showed a significant decrease ( P < 0.05) in ort production when compared with baseline measurements, but only mice provided with sunflower seeds maintained the decreased rate of food wastage after the treatment was withdrawn. A relationship between body weight and ort production was also found, in that cages with greater average body weights had lower levels of ort production. This suggests that a simple need to gnaw cannot alone explain food grinding, and that a nutritional motivation may also be involved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - R Keefe
- Research Models and Services, Charles River, Wilmington, MA, USA
| | - JP Garner
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - BN Gaskill
- Research Models and Services, Charles River, Wilmington, MA, USA
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Cameron KM, Speakman JR. The extent and function of 'food grinding' in the laboratory mouse (Mus musculus). Lab Anim 2010; 44:298-304. [PMID: 20457827 DOI: 10.1258/la.2010.010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Many laboratory rodents grind their food into crumbs that are discarded at the bottom of the cage (sometimes called orts). This can have substantial impacts on measures of food intake and assimilation efficiency. We quantified food grinding in two laboratory mouse strains on eight different diets and distinguished between two hypotheses of why food grinding occurs: a stereotypic behaviour due to a lack of environmental enrichment, or part of an optimal food intake strategy. Orts were quantified when mice were exposed to environmental enrichment and when offered diets of differing energetic quality. Grinding was significantly different between diets, but not between strains, although there was a significant diet by strain interaction. Ort production was lowest on the hardest diets. Not accounting for orts could affect food intake estimates by up to 31.8% and assimilation efficiency by up to 16.7%. Environmental enrichment increased physical activity, but did not reduce grinding. Mice selected the higher energy density components of the food. We suggest a refinement of the current methodology for measuring food intake is essential, primarily because failure to take ort production into account created inaccurate estimates of food intake and assimilation efficiency in mice. Adding environmental enrichment is unlikely to reduce food grinding, but careful choice of diet will reduce the errors.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Cameron
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK.
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Koteja P, Carter PA, Swallow JG, Garland T. Food wasting by house mice: variation among individuals, families, and genetic lines. Physiol Behav 2003; 80:375-83. [PMID: 14637238 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2003.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Under ad libitum conditions, laboratory house mice (Mus domesticus) fragment considerable amounts of pelleted food and leave it scattered in their cages. The proportion of food thus wasted (in relation to food eaten) varies remarkably among individuals, from 2% to 40%, but is highly consistent in consecutive trials, even when the mice were moved from 22 to -10 degrees C and food consumption doubled. Food wasting did not differ either between the sexes or between genetic lines that had been selected (10 generations) for high voluntary wheel-running behavior (n=4) and their unselected control lines (n=4). However, it varied significantly among replicate lines within the selection groups and among families within the lines (coefficient of intraclass correlation for full sibs, rhof=0.41 in room temperature trials and rhof=0.34 in cold trials). Moreover, the percent of food wasted was negatively correlated with food consumption in the cold trials (males: r=-.36, females: r=-.20) and with total litter mass at weaning (the litters into which they were born; r=-.24), two traits that may affect Darwinian fitness. We conclude that food wastage should not be ignored without justification in calculations of food consumption. In addition, "table manners" can convey reliable information about family origin of an individual and its quality, and therefore could potentially play a role in establishment of social status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Koteja
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Ingardena 6, 30-060 Krakow, Poland.
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