Animal Training

Decreased levels of discomfort in repeatedly handled mice during experimental procedures, assessed by facial expressions

Mice are the most commonly used laboratory animal, yet there are limited studies which investigate the effects of repeated handling on their welfare and scientific outcomes. Furthermore, simple methods to evaluate distress in mice are lacking, and specialized behavioral or...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Drug/Substance Administration, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Swan, J., Boyer, S., Westlund, K. et al. 2023. Decreased levels of discomfort in repeatedly handled mice during experimental procedures, assessed by facial expressions. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 17, 1109886.

Reducing weaning stress in piglets by pre-weaning socialization and gradual separation from the sow: A review

The weaning of pigs in most commercial pork production systems is an abrupt event performed at a fairly young age, i.e., mostly between 2.5 and 5 weeks of age. This practice induces a stress response, and its impact on behavior,...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Van Kerschaver, C., Turpin, D., Michiels, J. et al. 2023. Reducing weaning stress in piglets by pre-weaning socialization and gradual separation from the sow: A review. Animals 13(10), 1644.

Evaluation of parameters which influence voluntary ingestion of supplements in rats

Drug safety and efficacy studies frequently use oral gavage, but repetitive usage may cause problems. Administration through voluntary ingestion represents an opportunity for refinement. We aimed to develop a protocol for voluntary ingestion of gelatin-based supplements in rats, assessing the...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Ruvira, S., Rodríguez-Rodríguez, P., Cañas, S. et al. 2023. Evaluation of parameters which influence voluntary ingestion of supplements in rats. Animals 13(11), 1827.

Refining restraint techniques for research pigs through habituation

Pigs are common research models and are strong animals that can be difficult to restrain. Improper restraint can put pigs and research personnel at risk for injury and induce stress, which can affect research outcomes. This study aimed to refine...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Animal Training, Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, RestraintAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: O'Malley, C. I., Hubley, R., Tambadou, H. et al. 2022. Refining restraint techniques for research pigs through habituation. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 9, 1016414.

A quantitative assessment of trainers-dolphins’ interactions in the absence of food reward

All the studies that have considered the motivation of the dolphins to interact with their trainers as a possible welfare indicator have been carried out in facilities where the trainer-dolphin interactions (TDIs) sessions were reinforced with food. Therefore, in these...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Marine Mammal

Citation: Platto, S., Serres, A. 2023. A quantitative assessment of trainers-dolphins' interactions in the absence of food reward. Animals 13(10), 1651.

The power of a touch: Regular touchscreen training but not its termination affects hormones and behavior in mice

Touchscreen-based procedures are increasingly used in experimental animal research. They not only represent a promising approach for translational research, but have also been highlighted as a powerful tool to reduce potential experimenter effects in animal studies. However, to prepare the...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Behavioral & Cognitive Testing, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Quante, S. M., Siewert, V., Palme, R. et al. 2023. The power of a touch: Regular touchscreen training but not its termination affects hormones and behavior in mice. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 17, 1112780.

A new strategy for animal research: Attending to dissent

Increasingly, ethical concepts ordinarily reserved for the human research setting have been applied to nonhuman animals in research. This comes at the same time as concerns mount over challenges in translating the results of biomedical research with animals to human...

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

Citation: Johnson, J. 2023. A new strategy for animal research: Attending to dissent. Animals 13(9), 1491.

Habituation to livestock trailer and its influence on stress responses during transportation in goats

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of habituation to livestock trailers on stress responses in goats transported for long periods. Intact male Spanish goats (12-month old; BW = 31.6 ± 0.34 kg; N = 168) were separated into...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Goat

Citation: Kannan, G., Batchu, P., Naldurtiker, A. et al. 2023. Habituation to livestock trailer and its influence on stress responses during transportation in goats. Animals 13(7), 1191.

Clicker training mice for improved compliance in the catwalk test

The CatWalk test relies on the run of mice across the platform to measure a constant speed with low variation. Mice usually require a stimulus to walk to the end of the catwalk. However, such stimuli are usually aversive and...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Animal Training, Behavioral & Cognitive TestingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Dickmann, J., Gonzalez-Uarquin, F., Reichel, S. et al. 2022. Clicker training mice for improved compliance in the catwalk test. Animals 12(24), 3545.

Nonhuman Primate Welfare: From History, Science, and Ethics to Practice

This volume reviews the broad topic of welfare in nonhuman primates under human care. Chapters detail the history of primates in captivity, ethical and legal issues surrounding the use of nonhuman primates as entertainment or in research, the different approaches...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Personality, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Robinson, L. M., Weiss, A. (Eds.) 2023. Nonhuman Primate Welfare: From History, Science, and Ethics to Practice. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. 671 p.