Environmental Enrichment

Early and later life environmental enrichment affect specific antibody responses and blood leukocyte subpopulations in pigs

This study addressed the impact of early and later life environmental enrichment, and their combination, on specific antibody responses and peripheral blood leukocyte subpopulations in pigs. Pigs were kept in either barren (B1) or enriched (E1) housing from birth, and...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Luo, L., Jansen, C. A., Bolhuis, J. E. et al. 2020. Early and later life environmental enrichment affect specific antibody responses and blood leukocyte subpopulations in pigs. Physiology & Behavior 217, 112799.

Effect of a partial cage dividing enrichment on aggression-associated parameters in group-housed male C57BL/6NCrl mice

Group-housing is highly important for social animals. Group-housing of male mice in captivity though often leads to aggression with partially disastrous consequences for the animals as well as for the quality of experimental data. In this study we investigated the...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Mertens, S., Gass, P., Palme, R. et al. 2020. Effect of a partial cage dividing enrichment on aggression-associated parameters in group-housed male C57BL/6NCrl mice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 224, 104939.

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.

Enrichment use in finishing pigs and its relationship with damaging behaviours: Comparing three wood species and a rubber floor toy

Environmental enrichment in pig housing is a legal requirement under current EU legislation, but some recommended loose materials may cause obstructions in fully-slatted systems. Wood is an organic material that could be compatible with slatted systems. This study investigated enrichment...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Chou, J.-Y., D’Eath, R. B., Sandercock, D. A. et al. 2020. Enrichment use in finishing pigs and its relationship with damaging behaviours: Comparing three wood species and a rubber floor toy. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 224, 104944.

Ferret influenza work at The Francis Crick Institute

This poster looks at the processes in place starting with the arrival of the ferrets from the Schedule 2 supplier, through the acclimatisation period and the influenza infection procedure until reaching the end point of the study. This paper describes...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Ferret

Citation: Zverev, C. 2020. Ferret influenza work at The Francis Crick Institute. Animal Technology and Welfare 19(1), 82-85.

Flight to freedom: Behavior modification of an undomesticated pigeon using human interaction

The white-crowned pigeon, Patagioenas leucocephala, is a species of bird not often used in research. This may be related to its anxiety during normal human interactions, such as with cage changing. Our institution acquired a single, male, white-crowned pigeon after...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Glaspell, S. 2020. Flight to freedom: Behavior modification of an undomesticated pigeon using human interaction. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 8(2) (March/April), 58-61.

Food preference and nutrient composition in captive bonobos (Pan paniscus)

Food preference has been studied in a range of Hominoidea in the wild and in captivity, allowing for interspecific comparisons. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) prefer low-fibre, high-sugar foods, suggesting that frugivory and their dietary overlap are...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Verspeek, J., Stevens, J. M. G. 2020. Food preference and nutrient composition in captive bonobos (Pan paniscus). Primates 61(5), 661-671.

Gum feeder as environmental enrichment for zoo marmosets and tamarins

Tamarins and marmosets are small-bodied social callitrichines. Wild callitrichines feed on exudates, such as sap and gum; particularly, marmosets are mainly gummivores, while tamarins consume gums only occasionally and opportunistically. Zoo marmosets and tamarins are usually provided with gum arabic...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Regaiolli, B., Angelosante, C., Marliani, G. et al. 2020. Gum feeder as environmental enrichment for zoo marmosets and tamarins. Zoo Biology 39(2), 73-82.

Hens with benefits: Can environmental enrichment make chickens more resilient to stress?

Resilience, the degree to which individuals are physiologically and behaviourally impacted by stressors, can be enhanced by positive experiences (e.g. positive moods in human, environmental enrichment in rodents). Such effects are important for human health, but could also have important...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Ross, M., Rausch, Q., Vandenberg, B. et al. 2020. Hens with benefits: Can environmental enrichment make chickens more resilient to stress? Physiology Behavior, 226, 113077.

Impact of a cattle brush on feedlot steer behavior, productivity, and stress physiology

The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of environmental enrichment (EE), in the form of a cattle brush, on feedlot cattle behavior, productivity and stress physiology. Steers were blocked by weight and assigned to one of...

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

Citation: Park, R. M., Schubach, K. M., Cooke, R. F. et al. 2020. Impact of a cattle brush on feedlot steer behavior, productivity and stress physiology. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 228, 104995.