Cattle

Impact of early social housing on the play behavior of neonatal and post-weaning dairy calves

We aimed to assess the impact of early life housing and play experiences on neonatal and weaned calves play behavior. A total of 96 female dairy calves were recruited from four Scottish dairy farms and assigned to individual (n =...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: McKay, C., Ellis, K., Haskell, M. J. et al. 2025. Impact of early social housing on the play behavior of neonatal and post-weaning dairy calves. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12.

Behavioral Biology of Laboratory Animals

This 30-chapter volume informs students and professionals about the behavioral biology of animals commonly housed in laboratory and other captive settings. Each species evolved under specific environmental conditions, resulting in unique behavioral patterns, many of which are maintained in captivity...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & Companionship, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General, Amphibian, Baboon, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Chicken, Crocodile & Alligator, Dog, Equine, Ferret, Finch, Fish, Fowl, Frog & Toad, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lizard, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Owl Monkey, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Reptile, Rodent, Salamander, Sheep, Snake, Squirrel Monkey, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey), Zebrafish

Citation: Coleman, K., Schapiro, S. J. (Eds.) 2022. Behavioral Biology of Laboratory Animals (1st Ed.). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 560 p.

The effects of cow-calf-contact rearing on dairy animals’ social traits – a pilot study

Early separation of the calf from the dam, mostly within 24 h after birth, is common for dairy cows, but cow-calf contact (CCC) rearing gets increasing interest from both practice and science. CCC rearing allows calves suckling their dam or foster...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Magierski, V., Barth, K., Waiblinger, S. 2025. The effects of cow-calf-contact rearing on dairy animals’ social traits – a pilot study. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 284, 106548.

Medical training in dairy heifers – A pilot study

Training is used in various species to reduce fear responses, ease handling, and improve welfare. This pilot study aimed to (1) design a positive reinforcement training program for dairy heifers, (2) monitor their learning performances and short-term memorization, (3) assess...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: de Boyer des Roches, A., Dumoulin, E., Roux, E. et al. 2025. Medical training in dairy heifers – A pilot study. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 286, 106624.

Smart farming and Artificial Intelligence (AI): How can we ensure that animal welfare is a priority?

The increasing use of technology in livestock farming has the potential for making farming easier and more efficient and for improving animal welfare. There are also, however, potential dangers, one of which is that animal welfare becomes subordinated to the...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Bird, Cattle, Chicken, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Dawkins, M. S. 2025. Smart farming and Artificial Intelligence (AI): How can we ensure that animal welfare is a priority? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 283, 106519.

Comparison of behavioural indicators of acute pain and stress during and after three methods of handling and restraint for pre-weaned beef calves

Pre-weaned beef calves in western Canada are processed at approximately 6–12 weeks of age, when they are individually handled and restrained to conduct various husbandry procedures. Best practice recommendations for safeguarding animal welfare during husbandry procedures suggest using calm, quiet...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Handling, RestraintAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Arkangel, L., Windeyer, M. C., Goldhawk, C. et al. 2025. Comparison of behavioural indicators of acute pain and stress during and after three methods of handling and restraint for pre-weaned beef calves. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 286, 106623.

Bovine pain scale: A novel tool for pain assessment in cattle undergoing surgery in the hospital setting

Pain negatively impacts animal welfare and it is still neglected in ruminants. This original study aimed to develop and validate the Bovine Pain Scale (BPS) for acute pain assessment in hospitalized cattle undergoing surgery. This was a blinded, randomized, prospective...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Tomacheuski, R. M., Klostermann, C., Frank, D. et al. 2025. Bovine pain scale: A novel tool for pain assessment in cattle undergoing surgery in the hospital setting. PLOS ONE 20(5), e0323710.

Effects of access to a well-resourced environment on dairy calf cognition and affective state (2025)

Dairy calves are often raised without maternal contact and in environments of low complexity. Environments that limit natural behaviors are known to impair cognitive development and affective states. We explored the effect of environmental complexity on one measure of social...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Suchon, M., Weary, D. M., Keyserlingk, M. A. G. von. 2025. Effects of access to a well-resourced environment on dairy calf cognition and affective state. PLOS ONE 20(5), e0323089.

Self-administration of meloxicam via medicated molasses lick blocks may improve welfare of castrated calves (2025)

The self-administration of meloxicam via medicated feed is a novel concept that could enable non-invasive, pre-emptive and long-term analgesia. Forty Bos taurus male calves were randomly allocated to four treatment groups: no castration (PC), surgical castration (NC), surgical castration with...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Analgesia, Body Modification/MutilationAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Rudd, S., Lomax, S., White, P. J. et al. 2025. Self-administration of meloxicam via medicated molasses lick blocks may improve welfare of castrated calves. Animals 15(3), 442.

Dairy calves provided with environmental enrichment are more active, playful and have fewer feeding interruptions (2025)

Concerns for farm animal welfare have led to the use of environmental enrichment to stimulate natural behaviours and promote positive emotions. In cattle, the provision of brushes is sometimes recommended but their use in calves and the effects they may...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Occhiuto, F., Vázquez-Diosdado, J. A., Thomas, M. et al. 2025. Dairy calves provided with environmental enrichment are more active, playful and have fewer feeding interruptions. Scientific Reports 15(1), 4241.