Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement

Agreement between arterial blood pressures measured non-invasively and invasively in anaesthetised sheep

Both invasive and non-invasive blood pressure measuring methods are used in clinical and experimental work in veterinary medicine and several studies validating these methods are published. The aim of this study was to assess the level of agreement between non-invasive...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Sainmaa, S. K., Adam, M. A. H., Casoni, D. C. et al. 2025. Agreement between arterial blood pressures measured non-invasively and invasively in anaesthetised sheep. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 67(1), 54.

Tears and saliva as alternative matrices for minimally invasive assessment of acute stress and pain in sheep

This study evaluated tears and saliva as alternatives to blood for determining cortisol concentration in healthy and chronically lame Merino meat sheep with dermatitis interdigitalis contagiosa (DINCO). Twelve healthy (HEALTHY) and 36 sheep with DINCO were included. After enrollment and...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Rachidi, F., Wagner, R., Fieseler, H. et al. 2026. Tears and saliva as alternative matrices for minimally invasive assessment of acute stress and pain in sheep. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 13

Video based heart rate detection in unrestrained laboratory rats: A feasibility analysis

Continuous monitoring of vital signs in laboratory animals is often essential for reliable scientific results and severity assessment. It still depends on invasive approaches such as transponder implementation, which affect the animals well-being. To minimize this impact, a camera-based method...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Monissen, J., Mösch, L., Monissen, M. et al. 2025. Video based heart rate detection in unrestrained laboratory rats: A feasibility analysis. Scientific Reports 15(1), 37935.

Short-term storage conditions do not affect canine fecal cortisol and secretory immunoglobulin A concentrations

Fecal cortisol and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) are frequently used biomarkers in animal welfare, wildlife conservation, and other fields. However, these research settings often lack immediate access to a -80 °C freezer or other ultra-low temperature storage equipment. This study...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Lenz, O. C., Powell, L., Reinhard, C. L. et al. 2026. Short-term storage conditions do not affect canine fecal cortisol and secretory immunoglobulin A concentrations. Scientific Reports 16(1), 7132.

Non-invasive physiological indicators of welfare in dairy cows

Indicators of dairy cow welfare are important for the future assessment and improvement of cow welfare on-farm. The objective of this study was to investigate three categories of non-invasive physiological parameters as potential indicators of welfare in dairy cows, namely...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Kremer, L., Reenen, K. van, Kok, A. et al. 2026. Non-invasive physiological indicators of welfare in dairy cows. Animal Welfare 35, e10.

Automated, stress-free, and precise measurement of songbird weight in neuroscience experiments

Monitoring the health and well-being of research animals is essential for both ethical and scientific purposes. In songbirds, body weight is one of the main indicators of their overall condition, yet traditional weighing methods can be intrusive and stress-inducing, which...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, HandlingAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Bonneh, Y., Tuval, A., Ben-Shitrit, I. et al. 2026. Automated, stress-free, and precise measurement of songbird weight in neuroscience experiments. PLOS ONE 21(1), e0339848.

A novel welfare and scientific approach to conducting dog metabolism studies allowing dogs to be pair housed

Metabolism cages are designed to conduct absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) studies, enabling an ‘excretion balance’ scientific objective to be met. Historically, the design of dog metabolism cages has involved single housing. This type of housing has limitations for...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Kendrick, J., Stow, R., Ibbotson, N. et al. 2020. A novel welfare and scientific approach to conducting dog metabolism studies allowing dogs to be pair housed. Laboratory Animals 54(6), 588-598.

Natural horse boarding vs traditional stable: A comparison of hormonal, hematological and immunological parameters

In the equestrian world, two different types of management can be distinguished: traditional management and natural boarding. The aim of this research was to compare hormonal, hematological and immunological parameters of 47 horses kept in these two different managements. Blood...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, HousingAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Placci, M., Marliani, G., Sabioni, S. et al. 2020. Natural horse boarding vs traditional stable: A comparison of hormonal, hematological and immunological parameters. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 23(3), 366-377.

Towards more compassionate wildlife research through the 3Rs principles: Moving from invasive to noninvasive methods

Research in ecology and wildlife biology remains crucial for increasing our knowledge and improving species management and conservation in the midst of the current biodiversity crisis. However, obtaining information on population status often involves invasive sampling of a certain number...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Identification Method, RestraintAnimal Type: All/General, Amphibian, Crocodile & Alligator, Fish, Frog & Toad, Lizard, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Fish, Reptile, Salamander, Snake, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Zemanova, M. A. 2020. Towards more compassionate wildlife research through the 3Rs principles: Moving from invasive to noninvasive methods. Wildlife Biology 2020(1), no page numbers.

Respirometer in a box: Development and use of a portable field respirometer for estimating oxygen consumption of large‐bodied fishes

Respirometry has become the standard method for measuring the metabolic rate of fishes. Traditionally, respirometry has required the fish to be kept in captivity and tested under controlled conditions; however, many species do not readily adapt to captivity, and stress...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Byrnes, E. E., Lear, K. O., Morgan, D. L. et al. 2020. Respirometer in a box: Development and use of a portable field respirometer for estimating oxygen consumption of large‐bodied fishes. Journal of Fish Biology 96(4), 1045-1050.