Abnormal/Problematic Behavior

A high enrichment replenishment rate reduces damaging behaviors and increases growth rate in undocked pigs kept in fully slatted pens

One of the difficulties in complying with the prohibition of routine tail docking is a lack of effective alternative solutions to prevent tail biting, especially in fully slatted systems. This study compared three slat-compatible enrichment replenishment strategies for pigs. Forty-eight...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Body Modification/Mutilation, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Chou, J.-Y., Sandercock, D. A., D'Eath, R. B. et al. 2020. A High Enrichment replenishment rate reduces damaging behaviors and increases growth rate in undocked pigs kept in fully slatted pens. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 584706.

A persistent abnormal repetitive behaviour in a false water cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas)

Stereotypies (a subset of Abnormal Repetitive Behaviour [ARB]) are characterised by an unchanging pattern of behaviour and in captive animals can be associated with poor welfare. Although well known in certain taxa, little is known about both welfare and ARBs...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Reptile, Snake

Citation: Michaels, C. J., Gini, B. F., Clifforde, L. 2020. A persistent abnormal repetitive behaviour in a false water cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas). Animal Welfare 29(4), 371-378.

Welfare benefits after the implementation of slow-feeder hay bags for stabled horses

Horse confinement is a common practice worldwide. However, preventing horses from grazing and denying them social interaction can compromise their welfare and lead to undesirable consequences. Considering the hypothesis that increasing the forage consumption time can lead to improved welfare,...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Gomes Correa, M., Ferreira Rodrigues e Silva, C., Antunes Dias, L. et al. 2020. Welfare benefits after the implementation of slow-feeder hay bags for stabled horses. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 38, 61-66.

Discovering the relationship between dietary nutrients and cortisol and ghrelin hormones in horses exhibiting oral stereotypic behaviors: A review

This review focuses on associations of cortisol and the hormone ghrelin on abnormal oral behaviors, predominantly stereotypic behavior, in horses. Abnormal oral behaviors are prevalent in the stabled horse population. Feeding practice and satiety seem to play a significant role...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Hanis, F., Chung, E. L. T., Kamalludin, M. H. et al. 2020. Discovering the relationship between dietary nutrients and cortisol and ghrelin hormones in horses exhibiting oral stereotypic behaviors: A review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 39, 90-98.

Risk factors for feather-damaging behavior in companion parrots: A social media study

Studies on the etiology of behavioral problems often involve interference in the animal's routine or reliance on owners' self-reports like surveys. Gathering data from videos posted on social media, a technique coined ‘video mining’, offers novel opportunities to study the...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Acharya, R., Rault, J.-L. 2020. Risk factors for feather-damaging behavior in companion parrots: A social media study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 40, 43-49.

The epidemiology of fighting in group-housed laboratory mice

Injurious home-cage aggression (fighting) in mice affects both animal welfare and scientific validity. It is arguably the most common potentially preventable morbidity in mouse facilities. Existing literature on mouse aggression almost exclusively examines territorial aggression induced by introducing a stimulus...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Theil, J. H., Ahloy-Dallaire, J., Weber, E. M. et al. 2020. The epidemiology of fighting in group-housed laboratory mice. Scientific Reports 10(1), 16649.

Stereotypic behavior in fattening bulls

The occurrence of stereotypies in captive animals may indicate restrictions in animal welfare. In cattle, common stereotypies are tongue playing, manipulation of objects, or conspecifics. However, to our knowledge, the occurrence of stereotypies in fattening cattle was only analyzed in...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Schneider, L., Kemper, N., Spindler, B. 2020. Stereotypic behavior in fattening bulls. Animals 10(1), 40.

Foraging enrichment alleviates oral repetitive behaviors in captive red-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii)

The relationship between inadequate foraging opportunities and the expression of oral repetitive behaviors has been well documented in many production animal species. However, this relationship has been less-well examined in zoo-housed animals, particularly avian species. The expression of oral repetitive...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Fangmeier, M. L., Burns, A. L., Melfi, V. A. et al. 2020. Foraging enrichment alleviates oral repetitive behaviors in captive red-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii). Zoo Biology 39(1), 3-12.

Frothy saliva—A novel indicator to assess stereotypies in sows?

The present study aimed at introducing a reliable and more feasible indicator to evaluate stereotypies in sows in comparison with the Welfare Quality® animal welfare assessment protocol for sows and piglets’. Therefore, the indicators for the assessment of stereotypies of...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Friedrich, L., Krieter, J., Kemper, N. et al. 2020. Frothy saliva—A novel indicator to assess stereotypies in sows? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 222, 104897.

Importance of basic research on the causes of feather pecking in relation to welfare

Feather pecking is a prominent issue in the commercial egg industry, associated with economic losses and welfare problems. A non-systematic literature search suggests that studies on feather pecking are predominantly concerned with applied research goals. That is to say, they...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Fijn, L., van der Staay, F., Goerlich-Jansson, V. et al. 2020. Importance of basic research on the causes of feather pecking in relation to welfare. Animals 10(2), 213.