Environmental Enrichment

Effects of attention and rewarded activity on immune parameters and wound healing in pigs

Challenging animals with a demanding situation they are able to cope with and where they are rewarded may be a source of positive emotions and possibly of increased welfare. In order to test if this results in changes of immunological...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Surgery & Post-OpAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Ernst K, Tuchschere M, Kanitz E, et al. 2006. Effects of attention and rewarded activity on immune parameters and wound healing in pigs. Physiol and Behav. 89;448-456.

Sex, age, and life history differences in the utilization of enrichment in captive lowland gorillas

Year Published: 2005Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Zambetta, K. 2005. Sex, age, and life history differences in the utilization of enrichment in captive lowland gorillas. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 126(S40), 229 (Abstract).

Expert opinion regarding environmental enrichment materials for pigs

89% of 53 pig welfare scientists stated that providing a chain was not sufficient, while 84% stated that the provision of straw could be sufficient for pigs in pens.

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Bracke, M. B. M. 2006. Expert opinion regarding environmental enrichment materials for pigs. Animal Welfare 15, 67-70.

Formalised review of environmental enrichment for pigs in relation to political decision making

The EC Directive 2001/93/EC states that: Pigs must have permanent access to a sufficient quantity of material to enable proper investigation and manipulation activities, such as straw, hay, wood, sawdust, mushroom compost, peat or a mixture of such, which does...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Bracke, M. B. M., Zonderland, J. J., Lenskens, P. et al. 2006. Formalised review of environmental enrichment for pigs in relation to political decision making . Applied Animal Welfare Science 97, 165-182 .

Therapeutic and protective effect of environmental enrichment against psychogenic and neurogenic stress

A preponderance of the animal research data indicates that environmental enrichment exerts therapeutic and protective (anxiolytic) effects against impending threat, enduring effects of past stressor(s) and subsequent stressors.

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Fox, C., Merali, Z., Harrison, C. 2006. Therapeutic and protective effect of environmental enrichment against psychogenic and neurogenic stress. Behavioral Brain Research 175(1), 1-8.

Effects of cage size and environmental enrichment on organ weight and leukocyte distribution in C57BL/6, BALB/c and CD-1 mice

Female mice from 3 strains were housed in polycarbonate cages each containing 4 same-strain mice under one of the following conditions: small (58cm2 per mouse) unenriched cage, small enriched cage, medium (96.8 cm2 per mouse) unenriched cage, medium enriched cage,...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Forsyth, N. Y., Kendall, L. V., Mench, J. A. 2006. Effects of cage size and environmental enrichment on organ weight and leukocyte distribution in C57BL/6, BALB/c and CD-1 mice. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 160 (Abstract).

Use of discarded equipment for cost-effective mouse enrichment

Damaged water bottles waiting to be discarded were modified to create mouse houses. An opening was made in the bottle, making sure there were no rough edges.

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Fesler, J. 2006. Use of discarded equipment for cost-effective mouse enrichment. Tech Talk [The Newsletter for Laboratory Animal Science Technicians] 11(4).

Preparation of animals for research — Issues to consider for rodents and rabbits

This article provides details to consider when preparing to use animals in biomedical research. The stress of transport and receipt of animals into a new environment mandate the need for a period of stabilization and acclimation. This allotment of time...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Regulations & Ethical Review, Relocation & Transport, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Chinchilla, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Mouse, Other Rodent, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Conour, L. A., Murray, K. A., Brown, M. J. 2006. Preparation of animals for research -- Issues to consider for rodents and rabbits. ILAR Journal 47(4), 283-293.

Naturalistic enrichment: integrating enrichment and immersion landscapes

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Coe, J. C. 2006. Naturalistic enrichment: integrating enrichment and immersion landscapes. Shape of Enrichment 15(2), 6-7.

The effects of environmental enrichment on nesting behaviour in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease

All mice in our colony are housed with some type of igloo or house from birth. In this study, WT and R6/2 male mice appear to build higher quality nests when housed without an igloo. One possible reason for this...

Year Published: 2006Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Burgen, P., Glynn, D., Morton, J. 2006. The effects of environmental enrichment on nesting behaviour in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Animal Technology and Welfare 5(3), 147-152.