Discipline: Ethology

Domestic dog lineages reveal genetic drivers of behavioral diversification

Emily V. Dutrow, James A. Serpell, Elaine A. Ostrander

Published in 2022

Scientific paper to identify genetic factors in canine behavior and understand the relationships between dog breeds and the behaviors that define them. Genetic analysis shows that the diversification of canine behavior pre-dates the creation of modern breeds and that canine genetic diversity is associated with the co-expression of neurodevelopmental genes.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Herding dogs, Neurogenesis, Human-animal relationships

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Investigating risk factors behind piglet facial and sow teat lesions through a literature review and a survey on teeth reduction

Jen-Yun Chou, Jeremy N. Marchant, Elena Nalon, Thuy T. T. Huynh, Heleen A. van de Weerd, Laura A. Boyle, Sarah H. Ison

Published in 2022

Scientific article identifying 6 named categories and one general category of risk factors for lesions on the faces of piglets and on sow teats when no piglet teeth resection has been carried out.They are: presence or absence of teeth resection; housing system; litter size; piglet management; environmental enrichment; milk production; and other piglet management practices.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Pain, Enrichment, Lactation, Housing, Stress

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Annual report of the EFSA Networks on Animal Welfare 2022

EFSA

Published in 2022

Report of the 2022 meeting which dealt with the revision of the European animal welfare regulations, the associated EFSA opinions with a presentation of those published in 2022 and a progress report on those in progress, and with the work of the expert subgroup for animal welfare and the subgroup on national contact points.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Bovines, Porcines, Ruminants, Poultry

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Consciousness, Enrichment, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Mutilation, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Livestock farming system, Transport, Pain

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Individual behavioral correlates of tail biting in pre-finishing piglets

Marc Bagaria, Laura Kuiper, Ellen Meijer, Elisabeth H. M. Sterck

Published in 2022

Scientific paper showing that tail lesions are present in 2/3 of a group of pre-finishing piglets, that they are usually minor and that the majority of piglets both bite and are bitten. The piglets that bite most are those with the highest levels of exploratory behaviour.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Stress

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Review of the Foundational Knowledge Required for Assessing Horse Welfare

Andrea M. Harvey, Daniel Ramp, David J. Mellor

Published in 2022

A scientific review of what is known about the nutrition, physical environment, health and behavioral interactions of horses, these being the first 4 of the 5 domains of the animal welfare model and the last domain, mental state, being inferred from the first 4.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators, Housing, Living environment

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Positive Aspects of Welfare in Sheep: Current Debates and Future Opportunities

Mukhtar Muhammad, Jessica E. Stokes, Louise Manning

Published in 2022

Review of the scientific literature on welfare indicators in sheep, in particular those that assess a positive emotional state in this species.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Societal issues, Risk management, Human-animal relationships

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Feeding time in horses provided roughage in different combinations of haynets and on the stable floor

Hanna Lundqvist, Cecilia Elisabeth Müller

Published in 2022

Scientific article testing different feeding methods for horses in order to increase the time spent seeking food and feeding. It finds that the addition of straw to the feed, regardless of the feeding method, will achieve this goal.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords: Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment

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Development of human-directed behavior in dairy calves reared individually or in pairs

S.B. Doyle, E.E. Lindner, K.N. Gingerich, E.K. Miller-Cushon

Published in 2022

Scientific paper showing the persistent effects of the social housing of early life dairy calves (singly or in pairs) on human-directed behaviours, a phenomenon that may have implications for long-term management.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Housing, Human-animal relationships

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Opportunities and Challenges in Applying the 3Rs to Zoos and Aquariums

Sabrina Brando, Mickey Gjerris 

Published in 2022

Scientific article examining the interest in using the 3Rs rule (replacement, reduction, refinement) applied in animal experimentation, to aid decision-making on the welfare of zoo and aquarium animals, in a context where practitioners in these sectors and society are asking for greater consideration to be given to animal welfare.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Wildlife, Fish

Keywords:Societal issues, Housing, Human-animal relationships, Welfare indicators

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New insights into ridden horse behaviour, horse welfare and horse-related safety

Karen L. Luke, Tina McAdie, Bradley P. Smith, Amanda K. Warren-Smith

Published in 2022

A scientific paper examining whether there are links between a ridden horse's behaviour, its welfare level and rider safety adopting an approach based on the concept of the 5 domains of animal welfare, which focuses on the consequences of rearing and training practices on animal welfare. The results support the hypothesis that horses with higher welfare levels exhibit fewer hyper-reactive behaviours and their riders suffer fewer accidents and injuries.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Learning, training, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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