Bird

Investigating optimal levels of platform perch provision for windowed broiler housing

Broiler chickens show a preference for platform perches over traditional bar perches. Further information is needed on the optimal provision of these perches in order for them to be successfully installed in commercial systems. This study was designed to compare...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Baxter, M., Richmond, A., Lavery, U. et al. 2020. Investigating optimal levels of platform perch provision for windowed broiler housing. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 225, 104967.

Undirected singing rate as a non-invasive tool for welfare monitoring in isolated male zebra finches

Research on the songbird zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) has advanced our behavioral, hormonal, neuronal, and genetic understanding of vocal learning. However, little is known about the impact of typical experimental manipulations on the welfare of these birds. Here we explore...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Bird, Finch

Citation: Yamahachi, H., Zai, A. T., Tachibana, R. O. et al. 2020. Undirected singing rate as a non-invasive tool for welfare monitoring in isolated male zebra finches. PLOS ONE 15(8), e0236333.

Risk factors for feather-damaging behavior in companion parrots: A social media study

Studies on the etiology of behavioral problems often involve interference in the animal's routine or reliance on owners' self-reports like surveys. Gathering data from videos posted on social media, a technique coined ‘video mining’, offers novel opportunities to study the...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Acharya, R., Rault, J.-L. 2020. Risk factors for feather-damaging behavior in companion parrots: A social media study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 40, 43-49.

The effect of qualitative feed restriction in broiler breeder pullets on fear and motivation to explore

Restrictively fed broiler breeders are known to have increased motivation to explore and reduced fearfulness because hunger increases the motivation to search for and to acquire food, forcing the birds to face and engage with aversive stimuli that they would...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Tahamtani, F. M., Riber, A. B. 2020. The effect of qualitative feed restriction in broiler breeder pullets on fear and motivation to explore, Applied Animal Behaviour Science 228, 105009.

The power of a positive human–animal relationship for animal welfare

Domestic animals often seek and enjoy interacting with humans. Positive human–animal relationships can elicit positive emotions and other positive welfare outcomes. Nevertheless, our understanding of the underlying processes that govern the positive perception of humans by animals is incomplete. We...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: All/General, Bird, Cat, Cattle, Chicken, Dog, Goat, Parrot, Pig, Rat, Rodent, Sheep

Citation: Rault, J.-L., Waiblinger, S., Boivin, X. et al. 2020. The power of a positive human–animal relationship for animal welfare. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 590867.

Are turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) motivated to avoid excreta-soiled substrate?

The soiling of bedding on modern turkey farms combined with turkeys’ reduced ability and opportunity to perch and roost at elevation, forces them to spend most, if not all, of their time in contact with their excreta. To determine turkeys’...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird

Citation: Monckton, V., van Staaveren, N., Baes, C. F. et al. 2020. Are turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) motivated to avoid excreta-soiled substrate? Animals 10(11), 2015.

Assessment of non-contact infrared thermometer measurement sites in birds

The standard method of obtaining body temperature in a bird can be a stressful event, making routine evaluations challenging. Twenty-eight privately owned birds in good health were enrolled in the study to compare digital and infrared (IR) temperature readings. Digital...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken, Finch, Other Bird, Parrot

Citation: Anderson, J., Kaplan-Stein, S., Adolph, S. et al. 2020. Assessment of non-contact infrared thermometer measurement sites in birds. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 23(2), 131-139.

Broiler chicks’ motivation for different wood beddings and amounts of soiling

In the wild, excreta soiled surroundings can attract predators and spread disease. Yet, farmers rear broiler chicks in large barns with stocking densities that prevent excreta segregation. To measure chicks’ motivation to access unsoiled bedding or soiled litter (collectively, substrates)...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Monckton, V., van Staaveren, N., Harlander-Matauschek, A. 2020. Broiler chicks’ motivation for different wood beddings and amounts of soiling. Animals 10(6), 1039.

Development and validation of broiler welfare assessment methods for research and on-farm audits

Required auditing of on-farm broiler welfare in the United States has increased; however, a lack of validated tools exists for assessment of enrichment. National Chicken Council (NCC) guidelines were used on a subset of 300 Ross 308 broilers out of...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Meyer, M. M., Johnson, A. K., Bobeck, E. A. 2020. Development and validation of broiler welfare assessment methods for research and on-farm audits. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 23(4), 433-446.

Efficient, effective, reusable, and customizable social housing for chickens in the laboratory

The Iowa State University Laboratory Animal Resources Department needed caging specifically designed and purposed to socially house chickens in the laboratory. As indoor housing requests for chickens increased, the need for a dedicated caging system for chickens became a high...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Augustin, A. J., Crabbs, M. A., Sour, M. C. et al. 2020. Efficient, effective, reusable, and customizable social housing for chickens in the laboratory. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 8(5) (September/October), 56-58.