Cattle

Ranking bovine pain-related behaviors using a logistic regression algorithm

Pain identification in farm animals is a welfare challenge worldwide. In the last decade, our research team validated the Unesp-Botucatu Cattle Acute Pain Scale (UCAPS) based on specific pain or discomfort behaviors and alterations to maintenance behaviors when the cattle...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Trindade, P. H. E., da Silva, G. V., de Oliveira, F. A. et al. 2024. Ranking bovine pain-related behaviors using a logistic regression algorithm. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 271, 106163.

Measuring emotions in dairy cows: Relationships between infrared temperature of key body parts, lateralised behaviour and milk production

The emotions of cows could be reflected in their body temperature, productivity and behaviours. We tested whether there is a positive correlation between non-invasive infrared temperature (IRT) and right-side laterality (presumed to indicate anxiety), and negative correlation with milk production...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Uddin, J., McNeill, D. M., Phillips, C. J. C. 2023. Measuring emotions in dairy cows: Relationships between infrared temperature of key body parts, lateralised behaviour and milk production. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 269, 106115.

Can a social partner alleviate conditioned place aversion caused by isolation and pain in dairy calves? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 269, 106092

Social buffering occurs when the presence of a partner mitigates the stress response of an individual. In two experiments, we assessed the effects of social buffering in dairy calves, with and without a known conspecific, when either subjected to isolation...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Nogues, E., Ede, T., Woodroffe, R. E. et al. 2023. Can a social partner alleviate conditioned place aversion caused by isolation and pain in dairy calves? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 269, 106092.

Measuring motivation for alfalfa hay in feedlot cattle using voluntary interaction with an aversive stimulus

Typical diets for finishing cattle are concentrate-rich and low in roughage, which may limit species-specific feeding behaviours and increase the risk of digestive disorder. Our objective was to measure how motivated finishing steers are to access alfalfa hay compared with...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Coon, R. E., Tucker, C. B. 2024. Measuring motivation for alfalfa hay in feedlot cattle using voluntary interaction with an aversive stimulus. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 271, 106165.

How outing conditions relate to the motivation of movement-restricted cattle to access an outdoor exercise yard

Assessing animal motivation to access a given resource is one method available to evaluate what to provide in the living environments of captive animals. Providing increased opportunities for movement can be seen as an important source of enrichment, but we...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Aigueperse, N., Boyer, V., Vasseur, E. 2023. How outing conditions relate to the motivation of movement-restricted cattle to access an outdoor exercise yard. Behavioural Processes 213, 104957.

The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals (9th ed.)

The latest edition of the seminal reference on the care and management of laboratory and research animals. The newly revised ninth edition of The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals delivers an up-to-date...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Euthanasia, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Relocation & Transport, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Amphibian, Bird, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Cephalopod, Crustacean, Dog, Equine, Ferret, Finch, Fish, Fowl, Frog & Toad, Gerbil, Goat, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Invertebrate, Lizard, Macaque, Marmoset, Mole Rat, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Bird, Other Fish, Other Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Reptile, Rodent, Sheep, Snake, Tree Shrew, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey), Zebrafish

Citation: Golledge, H., Richardson, C. (Eds.) 2024. The UFAW Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory and Other Research Animals (9th ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. 1040 p.

Improving behavior monitoring of free-moving dairy cows using noninvasive wireless EEG approach and digital signal processing techniques

Electroencephalography (EEG) is the most common method to access brain information. Techniques to monitor and extract brain signal characteristics in farm animals are not as developed as those for humans and laboratory animals. The objective of this study was to...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Imaging & Electrophysiological RecordingAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Silva, A. C. de S., Arce, A. I. C., Arteaga, H. et al. 2023. Improving behavior monitoring of free-moving dairy cows using noninvasive wireless EEG approach and digital signal processing techniques. Applied Sciences 13(19), 10722.

The legislative, ethical, and conceptual importance of replicability in farm animal welfare science

In this commentary, we discuss three replicability issues that are specifically relevant to research regarding farm animal welfare: (1) Legislative action, and its potential economic consequences, should derive from robust and replicable research to benefit animals kept in an industrial...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: Cattle, Chicken, Equine, Fowl, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Nawroth, C., Gygax, L. 2020. The legislative, ethical, and conceptual importance of replicability in farm animal welfare science. agriRxiv 2020, 20203211980.

The role of sound in livestock farming—Selected aspects

To ensure the optimal living conditions of farm animals, it is essential to understand how their senses work and the way in which they perceive their environment. Most animals have a different hearing range compared to humans; thus, some aversive...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Husbandry & Management, VocalizationAnimal Type: Cattle, Chicken, Equine, Fowl, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Olczak, K., Penar, W., Nowicki, J. et al. 2023. The role of sound in livestock farming—Selected aspects. Animals 13(14), 2307.

Non-invasive biomarkers in saliva and eye infrared thermography to assess the stress response of calves during transport

Animal transport is currently a stressful procedure. Therefore, animal-based indicators are needed for reliable and non-invasive welfare assessment. Saliva is a biospecimen with potential validity for the determination of cortisol and oxidative stress, although its use to assess calf welfare...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Lei, M. C., Félix, L., Cardoso, R. et al. 2023. Non-invasive biomarkers in saliva and eye infrared thermography to assess the stress response of calves during transport. Animals 13(14), 2311.