Discipline: Ethology

Review: Rethinking environmental enrichment as providing opportunities to acquire information

I. Veissier, C. Lesimple, V. Brunet, L. Aubé, R. Botreau

Published in 2024

Scientific overview exploring environmental enrichment, designed to improve the welfare and cognitive abilities of animals in captivity. Enrichment provides animals with the means to acquire information by interacting with their environment, thereby promoting adaptation. This approach suggests that complex and varied environments are more enriching than simply prolonging exposure to stimuli, even if the former are neutral or slightly negative.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Fish, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Learning, training, Living environment

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Neigh-bours: Why every young horse needs good friends. A pilot study during the breaking-in period

Anna Flamand, Cheyenne Zellenka, Juliette Mos, Audrey Starczan, Aurélien Polak, Odile Petit

Published in 2024

Study showing that young horses benefiting from daily social interaction during breaking-in show less abnormal behavior and stress than those isolated in individual stalls. The routine integration of social contact improves the welfare and relaxation of horses during training, suggesting that this feature could be beneficial in equestrian centers.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Animalhousing, Animal mediation, Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Socialization, Stress, Behavioural disorders, Working animals

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Effect of different LED light colors on welfare, performance, some behavioral patterns, and blood parameters of Muscovy ducks

Eman Hefnawy, Eman Elgazzar, Ahmed Sabek, Saeed El-laithy, Souad Ahmed

Published in 2024

Study evaluating the impact of different LED light colors on the welfare of Muscovy ducks. Blue light proved particularly beneficial, reducing feather pecking, tonic immobility time, and cortisol levels, while it improved feather condition without affecting growth.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Housing, Behavioural disorders

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Using Different Cage Enrichments to Improve Rabbits' Performance, Behavior, and Welfare

Elsayed M, Soliman F, Elghalid O, El-Sabrout K.

Published in 2024

Study examining the impact of different environmental enrichments on rabbits, such as rubber flooring, colored plastic balls, and mirrors. Results showed that balls and mirrors improved body weight, carcass quality and physiological parameters, while reducing stress.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Keywords: Carcass quality, Animal-based measurements, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Behavioural disorders, Welfare indicators

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Review - Relational enrichment in ruminants and equines

Xavier Boivin, Ruth Newberry

Published in 2024

Review exploring relational enrichment in ruminants and equines, examining current husbandry practices such as group housing and human-animal interactions. It highlights the importance of social relationships for animal welfare and identifies gaps in research. The study suggests ways to improve these practices, emphasizing the crucial role of farmers in promoting positive human-animal relationships.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Sheep

Keywords:Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Socialization

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Welfare assessment of European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) reared in captivity for their subsequent release

Katarina Nenadović, Marijana Vučinić, Ljiljana Janković, Vladimir Drašković, Radislava Teodorović, Milutin Đorđević

Published in 2024

Study of two captive systems for European brown hares bred in Serbia for release and hunting. The study revealed welfare problems such as stereotype behaviors, injuries and poor body condition. These results underline the negative impact of captive breeding on the welfare of hares in Serbia.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Wildlife

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Population management, Welfare indicators, Housing, Behavioural disorders

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Determination of Equine Behaviour in Subjectively Non-Lame Ridden Sports Horses and Comparison with Lame Sports Horses Evaluated at Competitions

Sue Dyson, Danica Pollard

Published in 2024

Scientific study using the Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE), developed to assess musculoskeletal pain in competition horses. The study shows that horses participating in lower-level events show higher RHpE scores, manifesting more signs of pain, compared to those at higher levels. Recognizing these behaviors can improve horse welfare and rider safety.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Working animals, Pain, Animal mediation, Human-animal relationships, Behavioural disorders

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Machine learning-based understanding of aquatic animal behaviour in waters

Ignacio Martinez-Alpiste, Jean-Benoît de Tailly, Jose M. Alcaraz-Calero, Katherine A. Sloman, Mhairi E. Alexander, Qi Wang

Published in 2024

Scientific paper proposing an automated method for real-time monitoring of shrimp behavior, using an instance segmentation system based on machine learning. This system, which is 89% accurate at 30 fps, provides a way to overcome the challenges of working in harsh underwater environments, facilitating biological investigations and improving automated aquaculture systems.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Crustaceans, Fish

Keywords:Precision farming, Experimentation, Identification, livestock farming systemBehavioural disorders

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Evaluating a crowding intensity scale and welfare indicators for Atlantic salmon in sea cages

Lars Helge Stien, Jonatan Nilsson, Chris Noble, David Izquierdo-Gomez, Elisabeth Ytteborg, Gerrit Timmerhaus, Angelico Madaro

Published in 2024

Scientific article testing the feasibility of a crowding assessment grid for salmon raised in sea cages. Three levels of crowding intensity were selected to assess their impacts on salmon welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Pain, Housing, Restraint equipment, Stress, Transport, Welfare indicators

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Effects of different rooting materials on behaviour and welfare of finishing pigs

Ellen Marie Rosvold, Marko Ocepek, Inger Lise Andersen

Published in 2024

Scientific article comparing the effects of different foraging materials on pig behavior and welfare. The results suggest that straw and hay are highly valued by pigs compared with pellets, peat and sawdust, and that weekly rotation of materials provides the greatest stimulation. 

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Aggression, Aggressiveness, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Housing, Socialization, Behavioural disorders

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