Environmental Enrichment

Pebble to the metal: A boulder approach to enrichment for Danio rerio

Zebrafish are an established and widely used animal model, yet there is limited understanding of their welfare needs. Despite an increasing number of studies on zebrafish enrichment, in-tank environmental enrichment remains unpopular among researchers. This is due to perceived concerns...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Byrd, K. A., Theil, J. H., Geronimo, J. T. et al. 2024. Pebble to the metal: A boulder approach to enrichment for Danio rerio. PLOS ONE 19(5), e0298657.

Impact of enriched environment on motor performance and learning in mice

Neuroscience heavily relies on animal welfare in laboratory rodents as it can significantly affect brain development, cognitive function and memory formation. Unfortunately, laboratory animals are often raised in artificial environments devoid of physical and social stimuli, potentially leading to biased...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Dijkhuizen, S., Van Ginneken, L. M. C., IJpelaar, A. H. C. et al. 2024. Impact of enriched environment on motor performance and learning in mice. Scientific Reports 14(1), 5962.

Housed dairy cows utilise varied environmental enrichments and show diverse inter-individual variation in habituation

There is currently a focus on the importance of providing positive experiences to farm animals, which can be facilitated through the provision of environmental enrichment. Brushes are an established enrichment resource for dairy cows, however, enrichment opportunities beyond this appear...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Russell, A. L., Randall, L. V., Kaler, J. et al. 2024. Housed dairy cows utilise varied environmental enrichments and show diverse inter-individual variation in habituation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 274, 106241.

Utilization of enrichment objects by growing pigs in a commercial facility and the impact on behavior and skin lesions

Environmental enrichment is a way to provide growing pigs with a complex environment to explore and occupy themselves as they grow. Single point enrichment can provide some complexity to the environment while not having the drawbacks of substrate enrichment, including...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Smith, K. C., Pierdon, M. K. 2024. Utilization of enrichment objects by growing pigs in a commercial facility and the impact on behavior and skin lesions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 272, 106181.

Environmental conditions shape learning in larval zebrafish

Growing evidence reveals notable phenotypic plasticity in cognition among teleost fishes. One compelling example is the positive impact of enriched environments on learning performance. Most studies on this effect have focused on juvenile or later life stages, potentially overlooking the...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Gatto, E., Lucon-Xiccato, T., Bertolucci, C. 2024. Environmental conditions shape learning in larval zebrafish. Behavioural Processes 218, 105045.

Benefit of cognitive environmental enrichments on social tolerance and play behavior in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Social tolerance is an essential feature of social life that can determine the good functioning of a group of animals. Play behaviors, like social play and playing with objects, are frequently associated with positive emotional and welfare states. As a...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Marine Mammal

Citation: Bigiani, S., Pilenga, C. 2024. Benefit of cognitive environmental enrichments on social tolerance and play behavior in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 27(2), 355–372.

An assessment of rat hammocks as enrichment

Research has shown there are numerous welfare and scientific benefits to housing rats in more enriched and environmentally complex housing opposed to conventional housing. With the aim of increasing environmental complexity, providing opportunities for climbing and exploring and providing additional...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hickman, M., Miller, L., MacDonald, R. 2023. An assessment of rat hammocks as enrichment. Animal Technology and Welfare 22(3), 221–223.

To wheel or not to wheel

Our study into the implementation of running wheels in overweight prone strains of mice and the potential integration of this practice into our mouse protocols.

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Ives, P., Caygill, J. 2023. To wheel or not to wheel. Animal Technology and Welfare 22(3), 246–247.

Cooped up: Refinement of a Gallus gallus domesticus environment

Providing an enriched species specific environment, coupled with the principles of the 3Rs (Refinement, Reduction and Replacement) is at the heart of the poulty team team at The Pirbright Institute. Periodically reviwed custom made cage designs (Raised Floor Pens) have...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Matthews, B., New, R., Kanse, Y. M. et al. 2023. Cooped up: Refinement of a Gallus gallus domesticus environment. Animal Technology and Welfare 22(3), 228–230.

An effective environmental enrichment framework for the continual improvement of production animal welfare

Substrates and objects are provided to farm animals on the assumption that they improve animal welfare by enriching the environment, but these often fail to consider the extent to which an environmental enrichment (EE) improves animal welfare, if at all....

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle, Chicken, Equine, Fowl, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Taylor, P. S., Schrobback, P., Verdon, M. et al. 2023. An effective environmental enrichment framework for the continual improvement of production animal welfare. Animal Welfare 32, e14.