Rearing & Weaning

A scoping review on pair housing dairy calves: Health and performance outcomes and tactics to reduce cross-sucking behavior

Calves raised in pairs or triplets often experience better growth performance outcomes when compared to their individually housed peers. However, veterinarians may be concerned that pair housing compromises calf health, and producers are concerned about abnormal oral behavior (e.g., cross-sucking)....

Year Published: 2025Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Plaugher, G. D., Cantor, M. C. 2025. A scoping review on pair housing dairy calves: Health and performance outcomes and tactics to reduce cross-sucking behavior. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12.

Editorial: Fish welfare in aquaculture and research—where are we going?

Rapid technical developments are taking place in aquaculture, and its production is increasing globally every year by more than 4%. Research is the necessary foundation for politics to define reasonable regulations and recommend guidelines for aquaculture, but also the basis...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Stocking Density, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish, Salmon, Trout, Zebrafish

Citation: Pietsch, C. 2025. Editorial: Fish welfare in aquaculture and research—where are we going? Animals 15(16), 2367.

Impact of early social housing on the play behavior of neonatal and post-weaning dairy calves

We aimed to assess the impact of early life housing and play experiences on neonatal and weaned calves play behavior. A total of 96 female dairy calves were recruited from four Scottish dairy farms and assigned to individual (n =...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: McKay, C., Ellis, K., Haskell, M. J. et al. 2025. Impact of early social housing on the play behavior of neonatal and post-weaning dairy calves. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 12.

Managed care of naked mole-rats

Naked mole-rats are a burgeoning model species in the field of biomedical research and are also housed at many zoos throughout the world. These mammals possess many traits that have a large impact on the way that they are kept...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Identification Method, Natural Behavior, Rearing & Weaning, Relocation & Transport, Reproduction, RestraintAnimal Type: Mole Rat, Rodent

Citation: Smith, M., Buffenstein, R. 2021. Managed care of naked mole-rats. In: R. Buffenstein, T. J. Park, & M. M. Holmes (Eds.), The Extraordinary Biology of the Naked Mole-Rat (pp. 381–407). Springer International Publishing.

Behavioral Biology of Laboratory Animals

This 30-chapter volume informs students and professionals about the behavioral biology of animals commonly housed in laboratory and other captive settings. Each species evolved under specific environmental conditions, resulting in unique behavioral patterns, many of which are maintained in captivity...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Housing, Human-Animal Interaction, Husbandry & Management, Natural Behavior, Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & Companionship, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General, Amphibian, Baboon, Capuchin, Cat, Cattle, Chicken, Crocodile & Alligator, Dog, Equine, Ferret, Finch, Fish, Fowl, Frog & Toad, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Lizard, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Rodent, Owl Monkey, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Reptile, Rodent, Salamander, Sheep, Snake, Squirrel Monkey, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey), Zebrafish

Citation: Coleman, K., Schapiro, S. J. (Eds.) 2022. Behavioral Biology of Laboratory Animals (1st Ed.). CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 560 p.

Lambs cope better with gradual weaning and definitive maternal separation when housed with known-adult companion ewes

Gradual weaning reduces lambs’ distress during definitive maternal separation by progressively decreasing milk intake and maternal contact. However, repeated temporary separation during gradual weaning, followed by definitive separation, remains stressful and negatively impacts lamb behavior, immune function, and overall physiological...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Titto, C. G., Pantoja, M. H. de A., Martins, M. M. et al. 2025. Lambs cope better with gradual weaning and definitive maternal separation when housed with known-adult companion ewes. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 288, 106662.

The effects of cow-calf-contact rearing on dairy animals’ social traits – a pilot study

Early separation of the calf from the dam, mostly within 24 h after birth, is common for dairy cows, but cow-calf contact (CCC) rearing gets increasing interest from both practice and science. CCC rearing allows calves suckling their dam or foster...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Magierski, V., Barth, K., Waiblinger, S. 2025. The effects of cow-calf-contact rearing on dairy animals’ social traits – a pilot study. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 284, 106548.

Living the good life? A systematic review of behavioural signs of affective state in the domestic horse (Equus caballus) and factors relating to quality of life

The welfare of horses involved in sport and leisure activities has come under increasing scrutiny, both from within the equine sector and from the public. A systematic review of scientific evidence was conducted to derive observable, evidence-based behavioural measures of...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Housing, Husbandry & Management, Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Hall, C., Kay, R. 2024. Living the good life? A systematic review of behavioural signs of affective state in the domestic horse (Equus caballus) and factors relating to quality of life. Part I: Fulfilment of species-specific needs. Animal Welfare 33, e40.

The effect of rearing and adult environment on HPA axis responsivity and plumage condition in laying hens

The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis responsivity is influenced by early life experience and also modified by the environment an individual experiences as an adult. Because laying hens are transferred from rearing to laying farms at 16–18 weeks of age, they are...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Nordgreen, J., Dumontier, L., Smulders, T. V. et al. 2024. The effect of rearing and adult environment on HPA axis responsivity and plumage condition in laying hens. Animals 14(23), 3422.

Environmental enrichment affects immunity and reduces disease severity in pigs after co-infection, with stronger effects when applied from birth than from weaning

We investigated whether environmental enrichment applied at different life stages of pigs affects the susceptibility to and severity of disease by studying immune cell functions around weaning and during nursery, the effects of infection in ex vivo models and in...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: de Bruijn, B. G. C., van Dixhoorn, I. D. E., Bolhuis, J. E. et al. 2024. Environmental enrichment affects immunity and reduces disease severity in pigs after co-infection, with stronger effects when applied from birth than from weaning. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.