Environmental Enrichment

Damaging behaviour and associated lesions in relation to types of enrichment for finisher pigs on commercial farms

EU legislation states that all pigs must have access to material that allows them to perform investigation and manipulation activities, thereby reducing the risk of pigs performing damaging behaviours (e.g., tail, ear and flank biting). We aimed to determine associations...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: van Staaveren, N., Hanlon, A., Boyle, L. A. 2019. Damaging behaviour and associated lesions in relation to types of enrichment for finisher pigs on commercial farms. Animals 9(9), 677.

How far are we from providing pigs appropriate environmental enrichment?

Limitations to the fulfilment of ethological and physiological needs can cause countless negative effects on animal welfare and lead to the development of abnormal behaviours. EU legislation on pig welfare does not allow routine tail docking unless other measures such...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Fàbrega, E. 2019. How far are we from providing pigs appropriate environmental enrichment? Animals 9(10), 721.

The effects of environmental enrichment on the physiology, behaviour, productivity and meat quality of pigs raised in a hot climate

Some positive effects regarding the use of enrichment material on the stimulation of pig exploration and a reduction in redirected behaviour was reported. This study aims to evaluate the effects of four enrichment materials on the behaviour, physiology/health, performance and...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Fàbrega, E., Marcet-Rius, M., Vidal, R. et al. 2019. The effects of environmental enrichment on the physiology, behaviour, productivity and meat quality of pigs raised in a hot climate. Animals 9(5), 235.

Providing effective environmental enrichment to pigs: How far have we come?

Science has defined the characteristics of effective environmental enrichment for pigs. We provide an overview of progress towards the provision of pig enrichment in the three largest global pork producing regions. In the USA, enrichment has not yet featured on...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: van de Weerd, H., Ison, S. 2019. Providing effective environmental enrichment to pigs: How far have we come? Animals 9(5), 254.

Effects of enrichment type, presentation and social status on enrichment use and behaviour of sows with electronic sow feeding

The goal of this study was to identify practical enrichments for sows in partially or fully slatted pen systems. Four treatments were applied: (1) Constant: constant provision of wood on chain; (2) Rotate: rotation of rope, straw and wood enrichments;...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Roy, C., Lippens, L., Kyeiwaa, V. et al. 2019. Effects of enrichment type, presentation and social status on enrichment use and behaviour of sows with electronic sow feeding. Animals 9(6), 369.

Effects of environmental enrichment on pig welfare—A review

Good husbandry conditions on farms is of key importance for assuring animal welfare. One of the most important legal documents regulating the rules of maintaining pigs is the Directive 2008/120/EC, which states that group-housed pigs should have access to litter...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Godyń, D., Nowicki, J., Herbut, P. 2019. Effects of environmental enrichment on pig welfare—A review. Animals 9(6), 383.

Mirrors improve rabbit natural behavior in a free-range breeding system

The aim of this research was to evaluate the possible usefulness of mirrors in improving rabbit behavior in a free-range breeding system. Three groups (each consisting of nine replicates of three animals) were compared: isolated, isolated with mirrors and separated...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Mastellone, V., Bovera, F., Musco, N. et al. 2019. Mirrors improve rabbit natural behavior in a free-range breeding system. Animals 9(8), 533.

Enrichment increases aggression in zebrafish

Environmental enrichment, or the enhancement of an animal's surroundings when in captivity to maximise its wellbeing, has been increasingly applied to fish species, particularly those used commercially. Laboratory species could also benefit from enrichment, but it is not always clear...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Woodward, M. A., Winder, L. A., Watt, P. J. 2019. Enrichment increases aggression in zebrafish. Fishes 4(1), 22.

Preference for and behavioural response to environmental enrichment in a small population of sexually mature, commercial boars

An increasing public concern over the welfare of livestock species is motivating more producers to consider changes to production practices. Providing environmental enrichment for intensively housed animals is one such potentially welfare-enhancing change. The goal of environmental enrichment is to...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Sirovica, L. V., Creamer, M., Horback, K. M. 2019. Preference for and behavioural response to environmental enrichment in a small population of sexually mature, commercial boars. Animal Welfare 28(3), 271-278.

Welfare of Cultured and Experimental Fishes

This open access book is a printed edition of the Special Issue on Welfare of Cultured and Experimental Fishes that was published in the journal Fishes. The PDF is free for download.

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Social Housing & Companionship, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Tilapia, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Arechavala-Lopez, P., Saraiva, J. L. 2019. Welfare of Cultured and Experimental Fishes. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI, 132 pages.