Environmental Enrichment

Environmental enrichment as part of the improvement of the welfare of Japanese quails

The aim of this study was to evaluate the indicators of the behavioural and physiological welfare of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) as possible responses to the enrichment of the birds' habitat. The study sample consisted of 280 Japanese quails (224...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Fowl

Citation: Ramankevich, A., Wengerska, K., Rokicka, K. et al. 2022. Environmental enrichment as part of the improvement of the welfare of Japanese quails. Animals 12(15), 1963.

An evaluation of ethograms measuring distinct features of enrichment use by captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Environmental enrichment provides mental stimulation and minimizes abnormal behaviors in captive animals. In captive chimpanzees, individual animals may vary in the ways in which they benefit from enrichment or use enrichment devices, so investigating nuances in enrichment use may improve...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Greeson, J. L., Gabriel, K. I., Mulcahy, J. B. et al. 2022. An evaluation of ethograms measuring distinct features of enrichment use by captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Animals 12(16), 2029.

Effects of music therapy on neuroplasticity, welfare, and performance of piglets exposed to music therapy in the intra- and extra-uterine phases

The rearing environment of pigs can cause a high level of stress due to the lack of stimuli and the impossibility of carrying out natural behaviors. Music therapy is a way to enrich the environment and promote stress relief. Few...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Lippi, I. C. de C., Caldara, F. R., Almeida-Paz, I. C. de L. et al. 2022. Effects of music therapy on neuroplasticity, welfare, and performance of piglets exposed to music therapy in the intra- and extra-uterine phases. Animals 12(17), 2211.

Music for animal welfare: A critical review & conceptual framework

Music can have powerful effects on human health and wellbeing. These findings have inspired an emerging field of research that focuses on the potential of music for animal welfare, with most studies investigating whether music can enhance overall wellbeing. However,...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Kriengwatana, B. P., Mott, R., ten Cate, C. 2022. Music for animal welfare: A critical review & conceptual framework. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 251, 105641.

Perch use in commercial broiler breeders – Preference for perch material and effect of age

Unlike for laying hens in most European countries, few broiler breeders have access to perches, and there is a need for more knowledge on perching behavior in broiler breeders. The aim of this study was to investigate the overall use...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Vasdal, G., Gebhardt-Henrich, S. G., Tahamtani, F. et al. 2022. Perch use in commercial broiler breeders – Preference for perch material and effect of age. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 253, 105680.

Enrichment with classical music enhances affiliative behaviours in bottlenose dolphin

Environmental enrichment is a crucial element for the promotion of welfare of animals kept under human care. While a large variety of environmental enrichments has been proposed and studied for terrestrial animals, including a growing area represented by acoustical enrichment...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Marine Mammal

Citation: Guérineau, C., Lõoke, M., Ganassin, G. et al. 2022. Enrichment with classical music enhances affiliative behaviours in bottlenose dolphin. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 254, 105696.

Music modulates emotional responses in growing pigs

There is a lack of clarity on whether pigs can emotionally respond to musical stimulation and whether that response is related to music structure. Qualitative Behavioral Assessment (QBA) was used to evaluate effects of 16 distinct musical pieces (in terms...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Zapata Cardona, J., Ceballos, M. C., Tarazona Morales, A. M. et al. 2022. Music modulates emotional responses in growing pigs. Scientific Reports 12(1), 3382.

Costs and benefits of living in a vegetated, compared with non‐vegetated, enclosure in male Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata)

Improving captive environments for primates has been an important tool to enhance animal welfare. One method has been to provide primates with naturalistic vegetated enclosures to promote species-specific behaviors, enhancing interactions with their social and natural environment, such as an...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Alejandro, J., Huffman, M. A., Bercovitch, F. B. 2022. Costs and benefits of living in a vegetated, compared with non‐vegetated, enclosure in male Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). Zoo Biology 41(2), 97-107.

Report of the 2021 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group meeting

The RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group has held a one-day meeting every autumn for the last 28 years, so that its members can discuss current welfare research, exchange views on welfare issues and share experiences of the implementation of the 3Rs...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Stevens, C., Dobbinson, K., Brook, E. et al. 2022. Report of the 2021 RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group meeting. Animal Technology and Welfare 21(2), 83-91.

Use of gnawing hay blocks: Effects on productive performance, behavior and reactivity of growing rabbits kept in parks with different sex-group compositions

To improve animal welfare in collective park housing systems, this study assessed the effects of the provision of gnawing hay blocks and the group composition (F: females, M: males, FM: mixed sex) on performance, behavior, and reactivity of 288 growing...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Birolo, M., Trocino, A., Zuffellato, A. et al. 2022. Use of gnawing hay blocks: Effects on productive performance, behavior and reactivity of growing rabbits kept in parks with different sex-group compositions. Animals 12(9), 1212.