Publications

An improvement in enclosure design can positively impact welfare, reduce aggressiveness and stabilise hierarchy in captive Galapagos giant tortoises

The interest in the welfare of zoo animals, from both the public and the scientific community, has long been biased towards mammals. However, growing evidence of the complex behavioural repertoires of less charismatic animals, such as reptiles, reveals the necessity...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Fieschi-Méric, L., Ellis, C., Servini, F. et al. 2022. An improvement in enclosure design can positively impact welfare, reduce aggressiveness and stabilise hierarchy in captive Galapagos giant tortoises. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 3(4), 499–512.

Translational echocardiography: The dog as a clinical research model of cardiac dysfunction

Heart disease is a major contributor to mortality and disability on a global scale. Hence, there is a need for research to improve non-invasive diagnostic techniques. Diseases in dogs with characteristics very similar to those of human pathologies hold promise...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Disease/Experimental ModelAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Flores Dueñas, C. A., Cordero Yañez, I. A., González, R. M. et al. 2023. Translational echocardiography: The dog as a clinical research model of cardiac dysfunction. Applied Sciences 13(7), 4437.

Assessing the welfare of captive group-housed cockroaches, Gromphadorhina oblongonota

The welfare of invertebrates under human care is of growing concern, particularly with the increasing interest in insect farming as an environmentally sustainable means of producing food. Additionally, individual welfare monitoring systems can be time-consuming and impractical for larger groups,...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Insect & Spider, Invertebrate

Citation: Free, D., Wolfensohn, S. 2023. Assessing the welfare of captive group-housed cockroaches, Gromphadorhina oblongonota. Animals 13(21), 3351.

Effect of heat stress on the behavior of lactating cows housed in compost barns: A systematic review

In this study, we performed a systematic review to assess the effect of thermal stress on the behavior of lactating cows housed in compost barns. Peer-reviewed articles written in English that evaluated the effect of heat stress on the behavior...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Frigeri, K. D. M., Deniz, M., Damasceno, F. A. et al. 2023. Effect of heat stress on the behavior of lactating cows housed in compost barns: A systematic review. Applied Sciences 13(4), 2044.

Automated cognitive testing of monkeys in social groups yields results comparable to individual laboratory-based testing

Cognitive abilities likely evolved in response to specific environmental and social challenges and are therefore expected to be specialized for the life history of each species. Specialized cognitive abilities may be most readily engaged under conditions that approximate the natural...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Behavioral & Cognitive Testing, Housing, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Gazes, R. P., Brown, E. K., Basile, B. M. et al. 2013. Automated cognitive testing of monkeys in social groups yields results comparable to individual laboratory-based testing. Animal Cognition 16(3), 445–458.

Lateralised behavioural responses in livestock to environmental stressors: Implications for using infrared thermography to assess welfare conditions

Lateralised behavioural responses to environmental stressors have become more frequently used as indicators of social welfare in animals. These lateralised behavioural responses are under the control of asymmetrical brain functions as part of the primary functions of most vertebrates and...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle, Chicken, Equine, Fowl, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Goma, A. A., Uddin, J., Kieson, E. 2023. Lateralised behavioural responses in livestock to environmental stressors: Implications for using infrared thermography to assess welfare conditions. Animals 13(23), 3663.

Developmental history and stress responsiveness are related to response inhibition, but not judgement bias, in a cohort of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris)

Judgement bias tasks are designed to provide markers of affective states. A recent study of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) demonstrated modest familial effects on judgement bias performance, and found that adverse early experience and developmental telomere attrition (an integrative marker...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Gott, A., Andrews, C., Bedford, T. et al. 2019. Developmental history and stress responsiveness are related to response inhibition, but not judgement bias, in a cohort of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Animal Cognition 22(1), 99–111.

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.