Publications

Emotional contagion of distress in young pigs is potentiated by previous exposure to the same stressor

This study tested whether emotional contagion occurs when piglets directly observe a penmate in distress (restraint) and whether there is an effect of previous experience on the response to subsequent restraint or exposure to conspecific distress. Piglets (49.7 ± 0.7...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Restraint, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Goumon, S., Špinka, M. 2016. Emotional contagion of distress in young pigs is potentiated by previous exposure to the same stressor. Animal Cognition 19(3), 501–511.

Fostering animal welfare and advancing 3Rs principles through the establishment of a 3Rsadvisory group

Based on the current state of science, the use of animals remains essential in bringing safe and effective medicines to patients. Respect for laboratory animal welfare and the application of 3Rs principles (the replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal use...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Graham, J. C., Wong, L., Adedeji, A. O. et al. 2023. Fostering animal welfare and advancing 3Rs principles through the establishment of a 3Rsadvisory group. Animals 13(24), 3863.

A practical approach to providing environmental enrichment to pigs and broiler chickens housed in intensive systems

In Europe, regulations contain guidance to maintain high standards of animal welfare. In many parts of the world, large buyers for supermarkets or restaurants are the main enforcers of basic animal welfare standards. They can have considerable influence on improving...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken, Pig

Citation: Grandin, T. 2023. A practical approach to providing environmental enrichment to pigs and broiler chickens housed in intensive systems. Animals 13(14), 2372.

Effects of background color on stress-linked behavior in the critically endangered Lake Oku clawed frog (Xenopus longipes)

Ex situ amphibian populations are a key component of global amphibian conservation strategy, and optimal husbandry is vital to ex situ conservation success. Animal behavior can be used to inform captive welfare and improve husbandry practices. However, it has been...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Frog & Toad, Reptile

Citation: Graves, A. E., Dias, J. E., Michaels, C. J. 2023. Effects of background color on stress-linked behavior in the critically endangered Lake Oku clawed frog (Xenopus longipes). Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 4(1), 99–107.

Selected acoustic frequencies have a positive impact on behavioural and physiological welfare indicators in thoroughbred racehorses

(1) Background: Since antiquity, it is considered that sounds influence human emotional states and health. Acoustic enrichment has also been proposed for domestic animals. However, in both humans and animals, effects vary according to the type of sound. Human studies...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Gueguen, L., Henry, S., Delbos, M. et al. 2023. Selected acoustic frequencies have a positive impact on behavioural and physiological welfare indicators in thoroughbred racehorses. Animals 13(18), 2970.

Temperature and dissolved oxygen lead to behavior and respiration changes in juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) during transport

The study aimed to investigate the effects of temperature and dissolved oxygen on juvenile largemouth bass during transportation. The experiment involved four temperature groups: 20, 15, 10, and 5 °C. We analyzed the effects of acute and uniform cooling on...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Gui, F., Sun, H., Qu, X. et al. 2023. Temperature and dissolved oxygen lead to behavior and respiration changes in juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) during transport. Fishes 8(12), 565.

Social vs Nonsocial housing differentially affects perseverative behavior in rats (Ratus norvegicus)

Perseverance, also commonly referred to as grit or industriousness, is the continued effort exerted to complete goal-directed tasks. Many factors, such as stress, can contribute to perseverative behavior, but the role of sociality on perseverance in animal models has not...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hemmer, B. M., Parrish, A. E., Wise, T. B. et al. 2019. Social vs. Nonsocial housing differentially affects perseverative behavior in rats (Ratus norvegicus). Animal Behavior and Cognition 6(3), 168–178.

Bridging pure cognitive research and cognitive enrichment

Cognitive enrichment is a growing subset of environmental enrichment for captive animals. However, it has been difficult for practitioners to design, implement, and evaluate relevant and appropriate cognitive challenges. Even though pure comparative cognition researchers focus on fundamental evolutionary questions,...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Clark, F. E. 2022. Bridging pure cognitive research and cognitive enrichment. Animal Cognition 25(6), 1671–1678.

In the zone: Towards a comparative study of flow state in primates

Flow is an altered state of feeling ‘in the zone' when fully absorbed in a challenge and is associated with positive affective state (feelings). Despite almost five decades of research, Flow has not yet been recognized in nonhuman animals, despite...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Clark, F. E. 2023. In the zone: Towards a comparative study of flow state in primates. Animal Behavior and Cognition 10(1), 62–88.

Daily replacement of very high-fat diet stabilizes food intake and improves mouse welfare by ensuring food quality

Researchers are obligated to ensure food quality and provide laboratory animals with a palatable diet. Factors influencing the quality and palatability of very high-fat diet (VHFD), a widely used rodent diet, however, are understudied. We conducted experiments to establish best...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Cordeira, J. 2023. Daily replacement of very high-fat diet stabilizes food intake and improves mouse welfare by ensuring food quality. PLOS ONE 18(9), e0291347.