Welfare Assessment

Animal welfare assessment after severe traumatic brain injury in rats

Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a multifactorial injury process involving respiratory, cardiovascular and immune functions in addition to the brain. Thus, live animal models are needed to study the molecular, cellular and systemic mechanisms of TBI. The ethical use...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Allioux, C., Achaintre, L., Cheataini. F. et al. 2022. Animal welfare assessment after severe traumatic brain injury in rats. Laboratory Animals 56(6), 528-539.

Systematic review of animal-based indicators to measure thermal, social, and immune-related stress in pigs

The intense nature of pig production has increased the animals' exposure to stressful conditions, which may be detrimental to their welfare and productivity. Some of the most common sources of stress in pigs are extreme thermal conditions (thermal stress), density...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Guevara, R. D., Pastor, J. J., Manteca, X. et al. 2022. Systematic review of animal-based indicators to measure thermal, social, and immune-related stress in pigs. PLOS ONE 17(5), e0266524.

Waking inactivity as a welfare indicator in laboratory mice: Investigating postures, facial expressions and depression-like states

Animal welfare assessment relies on valid and practical indicators of affect. In mice, the most widely used research vertebrates, lying still with eyes open, inactive-but-awake (IBA) in the home cage, has potential to be one such indicator. IBA is elevated...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: MacLellan, A., Nazal, B., Young et al. 2022. Waking inactivity as a welfare indicator in laboratory mice: Investigating postures, facial expressions and depression-like states. Royal Society Open Science 9(11), 221083.

Behaviour real-time spatial tracking identification (BeRSTID) used for cat behaviour monitoring in an animal shelter

Efficiently tracking animal behaviour in an animal shelter has direct lifesaving applications. Individualized care and early recognition of distress in cats are often missed. However, monitoring behaviour is a challenge as time and financial resources are often limited, and the...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Eagan, B. H., Eagan, B., Protopopova, A. 2022. Behaviour real-time spatial tracking identification (BeRSTID) used for cat behaviour monitoring in an animal shelter. Scientific Reports 12(1), 17585.

Vocalization and other behaviors indicating pain in beef calves during the ear tagging procedure

Vocalization and other behavior signals are used as tools to assess animal welfare in beef calves. This paper aimed to compare vocal parameters and behavior signals expressed by beef calves submitted either to ear tagging procedure for identification (Effective Tagging...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Vocalization, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Schnaider, M. A., Heidemann, M. S., Pescatori Silva, A. H. et al. 2022. Vocalization and other behaviors indicating pain in beef calves during the ear tagging procedure. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 47, 93-98.

Burrowing behaviour of rats: Strain differences and applicability as well-being parameter after intracranial surgery

In mice, burrowing is considered a species-typical parameter for assessing well-being, while this is less clear in rats. This exploratory study evaluated burrowing behaviour in three rat strains during training and in the direct postoperative phase after complex intracranial surgery...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Natural Behavior, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Riedesel, A.-K., Bach-Hagemann, A., Abdulbaki, A. et al. 2022. Burrowing behaviour of rats: Strain differences and applicability as well-being parameter after intracranial surgery. Laboratory Animals 56(4), 356-369.

FELASA-AALAS recommendations for monitoring and reporting of laboratory fish diseases and health status, with an emphasis on zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The exchange of fish for research may expose an aquatic laboratory to pathogen contamination as incoming fish can introduce bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses capable of affecting both experimental results and fish and personnel health and welfare. To develop risk...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Husbandry & Management, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Mocho, J.-P., Collymore, C., Farmer, S. C. et al. 2022. FELASA-AALAS recommendations for monitoring and reporting of laboratory fish diseases and health status, with an emphasis on zebrafish (Danio rerio). Comparative Medicine 72(3), 127-148.

The promise of behavioral tracking systems for advancing primate animal welfare

Recent years have witnessed major advances in the ability of computerized systems to track the positions of animals as they move through large and unconstrained environments. These systems have so far been a great boon in the fields of primatology,...

Year Published: 2022Topics: External Bodily Equipment, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Knaebe, B., Weiss, C. C., Zimmermann, J. et al. 2022. The promise of behavioral tracking systems for advancing primate animal welfare. Animals 12(13), 1648.

The application of 3D landmark-based geometric morphometrics towards refinement of the piglet grimace scale

Proper methods of assessment to objectively identify pain are essential for welfare improvements of piglets undergoing surgical castration on commercial farms. The Piglet Grimace Scale (PGS) is used to identify changes in facial expressions caused by acute pain in piglets...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Lou, M. E., Porter, S. T., Massey, J. S. et al. 2022. The application of 3D landmark-based geometric morphometrics towards refinement of the piglet grimace scale. Animals 12(15), 1944.

Challenges with assessing and treating pain in research primates: A focused survey and literature review

Research primates may undergo surgical procedures making effective pain management essential to ensure good animal welfare and unbiased scientific data. Adequate pain mitigation is dependent on whether veterinarians, technicians, researchers, and caregivers can recognize and assess pain, as well as...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Analgesia, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Chimpanzee, Macaque, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Paterson, E. A., Turner, P. V. 2022. Challenges with assessing and treating pain in research primates: A focused survey and literature review. Animals 12(17), 2304.