Publications

Body measurements and body condition scoring in Bactrian camels

Body measurements are used regularly to describe phenotypes or the weight of animals. However, little data describe the age effect on the different measurements. In the present paper, 477 Bactrian camels (7–180 months old) were measured (length of the head,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Faye, B., Akhmetsadykova, S., Akhmetzhanova, M. et al. 2025. Body measurements and body condition scoring in Bactrian camels. Animals 15(21).

Analgesic efficacy of oral tramadol–dipyrone combination in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy

Introduction Selecting an appropriate analgesic for cats can be challenging due to potential unwanted side effects, short duration of action, or unsuitable presentation for home administration. This study aimed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of a fixed-dose oral...

Year Published: 2026Topics: AnalgesiaAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Fantoni, D. T., Yazbek, K. V. B., de Lima, I. T. et al. 2026. Analgesic efficacy of oral tramadol–dipyrone combination in cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 13.

Supportive nutrition for elderly chimpanzees: A case study on non-invasive supplementation in a group setting

Ageing chimpanzees Pan troglodytes in zoological settings often experience physiological decline, including loss of body condition and muscle mass, which can negatively impact welfare and longevity. Over a three-year period, three elderly chimpanzees at Antwerp Zoo exhibited rapid and unexplained...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Depauw, S., Riemsdijk, R. V. 2025. Supportive nutrition for elderly chimpanzees: A case study on non-invasive supplementation in a group setting. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 13(4), 241–244.

Adaptation of the Animal Welfare assessment grid (AWAG) model to monitor laboratory rats and mice

The Animal Welfare assessment grid (AWAG) is a cloud based online tool designed to assess and monitor the welfare and cumulative lifetime experience of animals. It has been successfully used to monitor the wellbeing of animals from an experimental, zoological,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Cunningham, A., Wolfensohn, S., Dennis, M. et al. 2025, December. Adaptation of the Animal Welfare assessment grid (AWAG) model to monitor laboratory rats and mice. Animal Technology and Welfare 4(3), 199–211.

Biopierces: Drug-eluting ear tags for infection prevention in animal tagging

Ear tagging is a routine practice in livestock management, but it can be associated with bacterial colonization and infection at puncture sites. This study evaluated drug-eluting ear tags (Biopierce), incorporating chlorhexidine (CHX) in a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) matrix, due to...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Identification MethodAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Cartmell, C., Naseri, E., Kerr, R. G. et al. 2026. Biopierces: Drug-eluting ear tags for infection prevention in animal tagging. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12.

Care and welfare of animals in a high containment unit

The Pirbright Institute is a world-leading centre of excellence in the research and surveillance of viral diseases of livestock and viruses that spread from animals to humans. In this field some animal models cannot be replaced and due to the...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Carder, L. 2025. Care and welfare of animals in a high containment unit. Animal Technology and Welfare 24(3), 248–250.

Influence of visual cover on ramp climbing behavior in guinea pigs

To ensure the optimal welfare of a species in captivity, housing and enclosure design must align with the ecology, physiology, and behavioral biology of the animal. For the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), a popular pet and laboratory animal, it is...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Guinea Pig, Rodent

Citation: Cameron, K. E., Jeon, G. M., Burden, E. et al. 2025. Influence of visual cover on ramp climbing behavior in guinea pigs. Academia Biology 3(4).

Rat boredom-like behaviour in a monotonous versus a varied foraging task: Effects of sensory variation

Evidence increasingly reveals that non-human animals in monotonous situations can show boredom-like states, distinctively manifesting as increases in both arousal-seeking, restless behaviour and low arousal, drowsy behaviour. However, task related boredom has been little investigated in animals, but could have...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Burn, C. C., Ng, K. H. T., Parker, M. O. 2025. Rat boredom-like behaviour in a monotonous versus a varied foraging task: Effects of sensory variation. Animal Cognition 28(1), 57.

An assessment of paper pulp dishes for safe and enriching diet delivery

It is common practice for laboratory animals to be provided with diet in the form of wet mash or gel for various situations such as post-weaning and postoperative recovery. This study tested the use of paper pulp dishes as a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Bull, C., Langford-Jackson, L., Rawlings, L. et al. 2025. An assessment of paper pulp dishes for safe and enriching diet delivery. Animal Technology and Welfare 24(3), 282–286.

The use of body condition scoring—Old-World nonhuman primates

Body condition scoring (BCS) is defined as a subjective semiquantitative method of assessing body fat and muscle [JAALA, 51(1) 83-93]. Used as a management tool designed to assess the physical state of an animal, its musculature, body reserves and fat...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Brooks, K., Teti, M. 2025. The use of body condition scoring—Old-World nonhuman primates. Animal Technology and Welfare 24(3), 244–247.