Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies

Improving Welfare Through Enrichment: A Case Study in Aged Ex-Laboratory Rhesus Macaques

This study monitors the behavior and stress levels of aged rhesus macaques after relocation to a rescue center, finding that enrichment programs improve welfare by increasing activity and reducing stress behaviors.

Using insertable cardiac monitors to test determinants of heart rate and activity in captive baboons

This study tests the safety and validity of insertable cardiac monitors in captive baboons and identifies predictors of heart rate and activity.

Acoustic markers of negative arousal in lambs: evidence from behavioural and eye thermal profiles

This study examines how negative arousal in lambs is reflected in their vocalizations and physiological responses, finding that bodily activation correlates with call characteristics, while eye temperature changes depend on behavior and individual traits.

First insights into restlessness as a potential novel indicator of impaired welfare in bulls fattened for meat production

This study operationally defines restlessness in bulls as behavior transitions and quantifies it across husbandry systems, finding less restlessness in pasture systems.

IntelliProfiler 2.0: An integrated R pipeline for long-term home-cage behavioral profiling in group-housed mice using eeeHive 2D

IntelliProfiler 2.0 is an R pipeline for analyzing RFID tracking data from group-housed mice, capturing circadian and sex-dependent behavioral patterns with improved reproducibility.

A novel application tunnel in combination with medical training reduces stress induced by frequent intraperitoneal injections and blood sampling in mice

This study introduces a medical training program with an application tunnel to reduce stress in mice during frequent intraperitoneal injections and blood sampling.

Behavioral characteristics of an extremely old rhesus macaque in a zoo: Dementia-like symptoms and implications for quality of life of geriatric animals

This study documents behavioral changes in an old rhesus macaque, suggesting possible signs of cognitive decline and physical deterioration, but without confirmed cognitive dysfunction.

Goats who stare at wolves - identifying natural response stimuli for an affect-driven attention bias test in small ruminants

This study identifies visual stimuli perceived as threatening by goats using a looking-time paradigm, finding that predatory reptiles, especially snakes, elicit longer gaze duration.

Beak wiping stereotypies are correlated with neophobia and lack of enrichment in captive house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

This study finds that beak wiping stereotypies in captive house sparrows correlate with neophobia and are reduced by environmental enrichment.

IntelliProfiler: a research workflow for analyzing multiple animals with a high-resolution home-cage RFID system

IntelliProfiler analyzes multi-animal behavior in home cages using RFID data to quantify locomotion and social interactions, revealing sex, age, and paternal-aging effects on social behavior.

Automated, Stress-Free, and Precise Measurement of Songbird Weight in Neuroscience Experiments

This paper introduces an automated system for continuously monitoring songbird weight without disrupting behavior, revealing physiological patterns and validating its sensitivity for long-term studies.

Assessing fish welfare in small-scale commercial fixed-net fisheries off the southern Portuguese coast

This study assesses fish welfare in small-scale fixed-net fisheries by evaluating behavioural and physiological indicators across four species.

Assessing the impact of temperament on training efficiency in x-situ Red Brocket Deer (Mazama americana)

This study examines how temperament affects training efficiency in red brocket deer, finding that more reactive animals had poorer training outcomes.

The effects of human presence, restraint, and stressed neighbors on corticosterone levels in domesticated budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus)

This study measures corticosterone levels in budgerigars to assess stress from human presence, restraint, and social stress transmission, finding that repeated handling and restraint cause significant stress, while social stress transmission is limited.

Modelling coordinated nocturnal rhythms in ungulates

The paper analyzes nocturnal behavior patterns in ungulates across zoos, finding that younger animals show increased interruptions in standing phases and high coordination between animals in the same enclosure.

Assessment of pupillometry across different commercial systems of laying hens to validate its potential as an objective indicator of welfare

This study validates the IP ratio as a non-invasive indicator of welfare in laying hens, showing it is influenced by housing systems but not light or age.

Rewilded Highland Cattle in conservation grazing may not groom more when horseflies are present and temperature is higher

This study examines grooming behavior in rewilded Highland cattle, finding that environmental factors like horseflies and temperature have limited effects on grooming patterns.

Influence of enclosure design on the behaviour and welfare of Pogona vitticeps

This study examines if naturalistic enclosures improve the behavior and welfare of captive bearded dragons compared to standard enclosures, finding mixed results.

Revealing the hidden social structure of pigs with AI assisted automated monitoring data and social network analysis

This study applies social network analysis to AI-assisted automated monitoring data to analyze social structures in pigs, revealing changes in group dynamics and individual traits over time.

Maximum vertical height during wing flapping of laying hens captured with a depth camera

This study measures the maximum vertical height hens reach during wing flapping using a depth camera, finding an average of 51.0 cm with no physical correlates.

Evaluation of welfare indicators for companion parrots: a Delphi consultation survey

This study evaluates welfare indicators for companion parrots using a Delphi consultation survey, identifying 73 indicators and recommending suitable species for companionship.

Gene expression comparisons between captive and wild shrew brains reveal captivity effects

The paper compares gene expression in captive and wild shrew brains, finding hundreds of differentially expressed genes linked to neurodegenerative pathways and ribosomal proteins.

Non-invasive hormone assessment of Australian Merino Rams (Ovis aries): A pilot investigation of cortisol, testosterone and heat stress

This study assesses cortisol and testosterone in wool samples of Australian Merino Rams to evaluate non-invasive hormone assessment and its correlation with heat stress.

A novel naive Bayes approach to identifying grooming behaviors in the force-plate actometric platform

The paper introduces a naive Bayes classifier to automate grooming behavior analysis in mice using force-plate actometry, achieving high accuracy and demonstrating its utility in tic disorder models.

A Framework for Relating Natural Movement to Length and Quality of Life in Human and Non-human Animals

The paper proposes a theoretical framework to quantify natural movement in animals and relate it to length and quality of life, validated in Drosophila.

Nociception in chicken embryos, Part II: Embryonal development of electroencephalic neuronal activity in ovo as a prerequisite for nociception

The paper investigates the development of electroencephalic neuronal activity in chicken embryos to determine when nociception might begin, finding that noxious stimuli may be processed by day 13.