Bird

Effect of litter material and stocking density on bone and tendon strength, and productive performance in broilers

Litter material and stocking density were evaluated on welfare-related variables and productive performance in broilers. Male chicks (n = 744, “Ross 308” strain) were raised on either tezontle (TEZ) or wood shavings (WS) litter, with a stocking density of either...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Husbandry & Management, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Vargas-Galicia, A. J., Sosa-Montes, E. Rodríguez-Ortega, L. T. et al. 2017. Effect of litter material and stocking density on bone and tendon strength, and productive performance in broilers. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 97(4), 673-682.

You know what? I’m happy

Recent studies suggest that cognitive bias could constitute a novel and valid measure of animal welfare. Although interest for a link between personality and cognition is growing, no study to date investigated whether a cognitive bias might be related to...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Lalot, M., Ung, D., Péron, F. et al. 2017. You know what? I'm happy. Cognitive bias is not related to personality but is induced by pair-housing in canaries (Serinus canaria). Behavioural Processes 134, 70-77.

Providing laying hens in group-housed enriched cages with access to barley silage reduces aggressive and feather-pecking behaviour

Two trials were conducted to study the effect of feeding barley silage on the behaviour and performance of beak-trimmed laying hens. In each trial, 20 hens and 2 roosters were housed in each of eight group-housed enriched cages, with four...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Johannson, S. G., Raginski, C., Schwean-Lardner, K. et al. 2016. Providing laying hens in group-housed enriched cages with access to barley silage reduces aggressive and feather-pecking behaviour. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 96(2), 161-171.

Effects of mate separation in female and social isolation in male free-living Greylag geese on behavioural and physiological measures

The presence of a social partner may significantly contribute to coping with stressful events, whereas dyadic separation generally increases glucocorticoid levels and, thereby, might also affect immune function and health. To study the covariation between social factors, immuno-reactive corticosterone metabolites,...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Bird, Fowl

Citation: Ludwig, S. C., Kapetanopoulos, K., Kotrschal, K. et al. 2017. Effects of mate separation in female and social isolation in male free-living Greylag geese on behavioural and physiological measures. Behavioural Processes 138, 134-141.

Behavioural and hormonal effects of member replacement in captive groups of blue-fronted amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva)

Social species in captivity may face allostatic overload due to artificial grouping and other social constraints. In rescue centres, groups of psittacines are constantly mixed due to the arrival and/or release of individuals; this procedure is potentially harmful to animal...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Silva de Souza Matos, L., Palme, R., Silva Vasconcellos, A. 2017. Behavioural and hormonal effects of member replacement in captive groups of blue-fronted amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva). Behavioural Processes 138, 160-169.

Budgie in the mirror: An exploratory analysis of social behaviors and mirror use in the Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus)

Despite their prevalent use amongst avian species, particularly in Budgerigars, the relationship between mirror use and social behaviors is in need of elucidation. After establishing social behavior measures (e.g., agonistic and pair-bond data) in a colony of Budgerigars, mirrors were...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Buckley, D. P., Duggan, M. R., Anderson, M. J. 2017. Budgie in the mirror: An exploratory analysis of social behaviors and mirror use in the Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus). Behavioural Processes 135, 66-70.

Enhancing welfare of Zebra finches through the use of environmental enrichment

This article will describe alterations made by the University of Glasgow to increase the welfare of our Zebra finches by providing them with a more complex environment to engage with. It will describe how we have maximised the enrichment potential...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Finch

Citation: Gray, G. 2016. Enhancing welfare of Zebra finches through the use of environmental enrichment. Animal Technology and Welfare 15(3), 147-150.

Husbandry of wild-caught song sparrows (Melospiza melodia)

Conservation and research efforts occasionally rely upon bringing wild animals into human care to establish breeding programs and to understand their biology. Wild‐caught birds may have husbandry requirements that differ from captive‐reared animals due, in part, to their social development...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Smith, L., Hallager, S., Kendrick, E. et al. 2018. Husbandry of wild-caught song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Zoo Biology 37(3), 206–209.

Evaluation of best practices for the euthanasia of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)

Although zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) have been used in biomedical research for many years, no published reports are available about euthanizing these small birds. In this study, we compared 5 methods for zebra finch euthanasia: sodium pentobarbital (NaP) given intracoelomically...

Year Published: 2017Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Bird, Finch

Citation: Scott, K. E., Bracchi, L. A., Lieberman, M. T. et al. 2017. Evaluation of best practices for the euthanasia of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). JAALAS 56(6), 802-806.

Evaluation of alternative euthanasia methods of neonatal chickens

Hatched male layer chicks are currently euthanized by maceration in the United States. Public concerns on the use of maceration have led to the search for alternative methods. We hypothesized that gas inhalation and low atmospheric pressure stunning (LAPS) are...

Year Published: 2018Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Gurung, S., White, D., Archer, G. et al. 2018. Evaluation of alternative euthanasia methods of neonatal chickens. Animals 8(3), 37.