Rearing & Weaning

Physical injuries and hair corticosterone concentration in rabbit kits from single- and group-housed does kept on a commercial farm

In intense breeding programs, rabbits are exposed to numerous stress factors which could affect their welfare and health. It has been suggested that group housing is more comfortable for does and similar to the living conditions of European wild rabbits....

Year Published: 2023Topics: Rearing & Weaning, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Hube, D., Bill, J., Knop, E. S. et al. 2023. Physical injuries and hair corticosterone concentration in rabbit kits from single- and group-housed does kept on a commercial farm. Animals 13(2), 196.

Does environmental colour matter to Zebrafish

The aim of this study was to determine if environmental colour affects the Zebrafrish (Danio rerio) performance metrics of survival, growth rates, fecundity, and fertility. This study created tanks of different colours (green, blue, and black) and included a clear...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Housing, Husbandry & Management, Rearing & Weaning, ReproductionAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Goldsmith, R., Wilson, C. 2022. Does environmental colour matter to Zebrafish. Animal Technology and Welfare 21(3), 234–237.

Behavioral and hormonal assessment of stress in foals (Equus caballus) throughout the weaning process

This study had the aim to demonstrate the midterm effects (three weeks) of weaning on foals' welfare. For this purpose, foals' behavioral changes and fecal levels metabolites of cortisol were evaluated. The observations took place at the state stud farm...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Delank, K., Reese, S., Erhard, M. et al. 2023. Behavioral and hormonal assessment of stress in foals (Equus caballus) throughout the weaning process. PLOS ONE 18(1), e0280078.

Comparing gradual debonding strategies after prolonged cow-calf contact: Stress responses, performance, and health of dairy cow and calf

We assessed effects of two-step debonding strategies in calf rearing systems with different types of prolonged cow-calf contact (CCC) on stress responses, health and performance of dairy cows and calves. Forty-eight Holstein Friesian cow-calf pairs had either: 1) full contact...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Wenker, M. L., van Reenen, C. G., Bokkers, E. A. M. et al. 2022. Comparing gradual debonding strategies after prolonged cow-calf contact: Stress responses, performance, and health of dairy cow and calf. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 253, 105694.

Improving maternal welfare during gestation has positive outcomes on neonatal survival and modulates offspring immune response in pigs

Improving the housing of pregnant sows by giving them more space and access to deep straw had positive effects on their welfare, influenced their maternal behavior and improved the survival of their offspring. The present study aimed at determining whether...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Husbandry & Management, Rearing & Weaning, ReproductionAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Merlot, E., Meunier-Salaün, M.-C., Peuteman, B. et al. 2022. Improving maternal welfare during gestation has positive outcomes on neonatal survival and modulates offspring immune response in pigs. Physiology & Behavior 249, 113751.

Are female mice dehydrated during peak lactation? Effect of water and gel supplement on hydration parameters and water consumption in two strains of mice

Mice (Mus musculus) have a high basal rate of metabolism which increases during pregnancy and lactation. During peak lactation, water intake amounts to up to 65 % of the bodyweight per day. Providing water in a bottle may pose a...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Husbandry & Management, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Grims, C., Jacobson, C., Hedenqvist, P. 2021. Are female mice dehydrated during peak lactation? Effect of water and gel supplement on hydration parameters and water consumption in two strains of mice. Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science 47(3), 16-24.

All the pups we cannot see: Cannibalism masks perinatal death in laboratory mouse breeding but infanticide is rare

Perinatal mortality is a major issue in laboratory mouse breeding. We compared a counting method using daily checks (DAILY_CHECK) with a method combining daily checks with detailed video analyses to detect cannibalisms (VIDEO_TRACK) for estimating the number of C57BL/6 pups...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Brajon, S., Morello, G. M., Capas-Peneda, S. et al. 2021. All the pups we cannot see: Cannibalism masks perinatal death in laboratory mouse breeding but infanticide is rare. Animals 11(8), 2327.

A break from the pups: The effects of loft access on the welfare of lactating laboratory rats

Rats (Rattus norvegicus) bred for research are typically confined with their litters until weaning, but will spend time away from pups when given the opportunity. We aimed to assess how dam welfare is affected by the ability to escape from...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Ratuski, A. S., Weary, D. M. 2021. A break from the pups: The effects of loft access on the welfare of lactating laboratory rats. PLOS ONE 16(6), e0253020.

When to wean? A visual guide to Black, White, and Agouti mouse pup growth P14 – P28

Laboratory mouse pups are commonly weaned between postnatal day 21–28. Utilization of an exact wean date postpartum is a concrete metric for mouse colony management, but variation can result such as: developmental differences among genetically modified strains, personnel differences in...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Brogan, E., Kirchain, S. 2021. When to wean? A visual guide to Black, White, and Agouti mouse pup growth P14 – P28. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 9(3) (May/June), 46-48.

Behavioural and physiological responses of male and female beef cattle to weaning at 30, 75 or 180 days of age

Weaning calves at a young age can generate great stress, but it is widely practiced in the industry despite that. So, to what extend weaning in early ages is more stressful than at later ones, in terms of the amount...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: de Souza Teixeira, O., Kuczynski da Rocha, M., Mendes Paizano Alforma, A. et al. 2021. Behavioural and physiological responses of male and female beef cattle to weaning at 30, 75 or 180 days of age. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 240, 105339.