Environmental Enrichment

What goes around can come around: An unexpected deleterious effect of using mouse running wheels for environmental enrichment

Environmental enrichment items such as running wheels can promote the wellbeing of laboratory mice. Growing evidence suggests that wheel running simulates exercise effects in many mouse models of human conditions, but this activity also might change other aspects of mouse...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Leduc, R. Y. M., Rauw, G., Baker, G. B. et al. 2017. What goes around can come around: An unexpected deleterious effect of using mouse running wheels for environmental enrichment. JAALAS 56(2), 194-201.

Automated tracking of motion and body weight for objective monitoring of rats in colony housing

Living together in large social communities within an enriched environment stimulates self-motivated activity in rats. We developed a modular housing system in which a single unit can accommodate as many as 48 rats and contains multiple functional areas. This rat...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Brenneis, C., Westhof, A., Holschbach, J. et al. 2017. Automated tracking of motion and body weight for objective monitoring of rats in colony housing. JAALAS 56(1), 18-31.

Effects of nesting material on energy homeostasis in BALB/cAnNCrl, C57BL/6NCrl, and Crl:CD1(ICR) mice housed at 20 °C

Discrepancies exist between the preferred temperature range for mice (26 to 32 °C) and current recommendations (20 to 26 °C), which may alter metabolism and negatively affect studies using mice. Previous research indicates that nesting material can alleviate cold stress...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Johnson, J. S., Taylor, D. J., Green, A. R. et al. 2017. Effects of nesting material on energy homeostasis in BALB/cAnNCrl, C57BL/6NCrl, and Crl:CD1(ICR) mice housed at 20 °C. JAALAS 56(3), 254-259.

Relationship between environmental enrichment and the response to novelty in laboratory-housed pigs

Environmental enrichment is the enhancement of the physical or social environment in which an animal lives with the goal to improve its quality of life. Our objective was to investigate the effect of providing environmental enrichment in the home pen...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Backus, B. L., Sutherland, M. A., Brooks, T. A. 2017. Relationship between environmental enrichment and the response to novelty in laboratory-housed pigs. JAALAS 56(6), 735-741.

Effect of environmental enrichment on aggression in BALB/cJ and BALB/cByJ mice monitored by using an automated system

Aggression among mice remains a common undesirable problem in laboratory settings, and animal welfare and scientific outcomes may become compromised depending on the severity of aggression. This study evaluated the effect of cage enrichment comprising a bilevel, mounted 'mezzanine' compared...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Giles, J. M., Whitaker, J. W., Moy, S. S. et al. 2018. Effect of environmental enrichment on aggression in BALB/cJ and BALB/cByJ mice monitored by using an automated system. JAALAS 57(3), 236-243.

Porches as enrichment for singly housed cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis)

Effective environmental enrichment is used by animals, promotes species-typical behavior, and decreases abnormal behavior. Porches attached to the front of an animal's cage provide additional space, perching opportunities, and a better view of the surroundings. Here we assessed the effectiveness...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Lutz, C. K., Brown, T. A. 2018. Porches as enrichment for singly housed cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). JAALAS 57(2), 138-142.

Effects of nesting material on the toxicologic assessment of cyclophosphamide in Crl:CD1(ICR) mice

The provision of nesting material benefits mice by reducing cold stress, improving feed conversion, increasing litter size, and improving adaptive immunity. The effects of toxins are sensitive to environmental changes, and the introduction of novel items can alter results in...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Brochu, C. P., Winnicker, C. L., Provencher, A. L. et al. 2018. Effects of nesting material on the toxicologic assessment of cyclophosphamide in Crl:CD1(ICR) mice. JAALAS 57(4), 340-349.

Environmental enrichment for sucker and weaner pigs: The effect of enrichment block shape on the behavioural interaction by pigs with the blocks

This experiment tested the effect of enrichment-block shape on oro-nasal contact by young pigs, and possible habituation to the blocks. Nineteen litters (197 piglets) were randomly allocated to one of three block-shape treatments: Cube, Brick, or Wedge. Oro-nasal contact with...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Winfield, J., Macnamara, G., Macnamara, B. et al. 2017. Environmental enrichment for sucker and weaner pigs: The effect of enrichment block shape on the behavioural interaction by pigs with the blocks. Animals 7(12), 91.

Calves use an automated brush and a hanging rope when pair-housed

Calf housing often only meets the basic needs of calves, but there is a growing interest in providing enrichments. This study described the behaviour of calves when they were given the opportunity to interact with two commonly available enrichment items....

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Zobel, G., Neave, H., Henderson, H. et al. 2017. Calves use an automated brush and a hanging rope when pair-housed. Animals 7(11), 84.

Long term physiologic and behavioural effects of housing density and environmental resource provision for adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats

There is considerable interest in refining laboratory rodent environments to promote animal well-being, as well as research reproducibility. Few studies have evaluated the long term impact of enhancing rodent environments with resources and additional cagemates. To that end, male and...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & Companionship, Stocking DensityAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Pinelli, C., Leri, F., Turner, P. 2017. Long term physiologic and behavioural effects of housing density and environmental resource provision for adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Animals 7(6), 44.