Welfare Assessment

Validating WelfareTrak® as a tool to improve the welfare of individual chimpanzees

WelfareTrak® is a web application that gives animal care specialists the opportunity to complete weekly species‐specific surveys to monitor positive and negative indicators of welfare for individual animals. WelfareTrak® generates reports and “flags” potential shifts in welfare status. The goal...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Hall, K., Bryant, J., Whitham, J. et al. 2018. Validating WelfareTrak® as a tool to improve the welfare of individual chimpanzees. American Journal of Primatology 80(S1), 33 (40th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #68).

The relationship between self-directed anxiety behaviors and cortisol in socially housed capuchin monkeys (Cebus [Sapajus] apella)

Non‐human primates are excellent models for the study of human social anxiety. Both humans and non‐human primates form complex relationships with others, and exhibit signs of distress when those relationships become unstable. Self‐directed behaviors, such as self‐scratching, have traditionally been...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Capuchin, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Tomeo, O. B., Sosnowski, M. J., Benitez, M. E. et al. 2018. The relationship between self-directed anxiety behaviors and cortisol in socially housed capuchin monkeys (Cebus [Sapajus] apella). American Journal of Primatology 80(S1), 32 (40th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #64).

Looking into the eyes of a cow: Can eye whites be used as a measure of emotional state? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 186, 1-6

A number of studies have looked at whether the percentage of visible eye whites could be a reliable and dynamic tool for measuring emotional state in cattle. In this study we have built upon previous research to further test this...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Lambert (Proctor), H. S., Carder, G. 2017. Looking into the eyes of a cow: Can eye whites be used as a measure of emotional state? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 186, 1-6.

Positive perception of human stroking by lambs: Qualitative behaviour assessment confirms previous interpretation of quantitative data

Qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) was used to validate previous published interpretation whether human stroking has beneficial effects on lambs prematurely separated from their mothers. For a period of 8 weeks a familiar human (FH) subjected 22 Romane lambs to a...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Human-Animal Interaction, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Sheep

Citation: Serrapica, M., Boivin, X., Coulon, M. et al. 2017. Positive perception of human stroking by lambs: Qualitative behaviour assessment confirms previous interpretation of quantitative data. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 187, 31-37.

Poker Face: Discrepancies in behaviour and affective states in horses during stressful handling procedures

Correct assessment of stress in horses is important for both horse welfare and handler safety during necessary aversive procedures. Handlers depend on behaviour when judging how well an individual is tolerating stressful procedures such as loading or veterinary intervention. However,...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Squibb, K., Griffin, K., Favier, R. et al. 2018. Poker Face: Discrepancies in behaviour and affective states in horses during stressful handling procedures. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 202, 34-38.

Qualitative Behaviour Assessment of horses exposed to short-term emotional treatments

Assessing emotion in animals is fundamental to the study of animal welfare with methodologies for reliable and valid assessments being highly desirable. Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA) is based on the assumption that human observers are capable of integrating details of...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Hintze, S., Murphy, E., Bachmann, I. et al. 2017. Qualitative Behaviour Assessment of horses exposed to short-term emotional treatments. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 196, 44-51.

Assessing equine emotional state

The scientific study of animal emotion has recently become an important focus for animal behaviour and welfare researchers. For horses used by humans for work, recreation or sport, the question of the significance of their life experiences in terms of...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Hall, C., Randle, H., Pearson, G. 2018. Assessing equine emotional state. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 205, 183-193.

Evaluation of visible eye white and maximum eye temperature as non-invasive indicators of stress in dairy cows

The aim of this study was to investigate if visible eye white and eye temperature measurements are feasible non-invasive physiological indicators of acute stress in cows when they are exposed to cattle crush treatment for claw trimming. In the experimental...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Gómez, Y., Bieler, R., Hankele, A. K. 2018. Evaluation of visible eye white and maximum eye temperature as non-invasive indicators of stress in dairy cows. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 198, 1-8.

Dairy cows under experimentally-induced Escherichia coli mastitis show negative emotional states assessed through Qualitative Behaviour Assessment

Mastitis and associated pain have been identified as a major health and welfare problem affecting dairy cows, however little is known about how cows emotionally experience this illness. Qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) is a ‘whole animal' methodology for assessing animal...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Analgesia, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: de Boyer des Roches, A., Lussert, A., Faure, M. et al. 2018. Dairy cows under experimentally-induced Escherichia coli mastitis show negative emotional states assessed through Qualitative Behaviour Assessment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 206, 1-11.

He’s getting under my skin! Comparing the sensitivity and specificity of dermal vs subcuticular lesions as a measure of aggression in mice

Aggression is the leading cause of death in young laboratory mice, representing a major welfare issue. Many of the experimental measures used in traditional aggression research, especially those focusing on territorial aggression (e.g., resident/intruder) are poorly suited to examining dominance...

Year Published: 2016Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gaskill, B. N., Stottler, A., Pritchett-Corning, K. R. et al. 2016. He's getting under my skin! Comparing the sensitivity and specificity of dermal vs subcuticular lesions as a measure of aggression in mice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 183, 77-85.