Discipline: Ethology

The question of animal emotions

Frans B. M. de Waal, Kristin Andrews

Published in 2022

Article summarising current knowledge on animal emotions and feelings and discussing their implications for the ethics of the way we treat animals.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Consciousness, Societal issues, Memory, Metacognition, Cognitive processes, Human-animal relationships

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Comparing the pathology of equine stereotypical behaviours to obsessive-compulsive and related disorder in humans: An exploratory Delphi study

Stephanie Megan Plato

Published in 2022

Scientific paper using a Delphi method to compare equine stereotypic behaviour (ESC) and human OCD looking at neurological, etiological and behavioural aspects, causal factors and welfare effects. It identifies the advantages and disadvantages of having ESCs recognised as OCDs.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Anxiety, Enrichment, Living environment, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Welfare indicators

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Increasing Shelter Cat Welfare Through Enrichment: A Review

Bridgette Houser, Kristyn R. Vitale

Published in 2022

Scientific review of types and uses of environmental enrichment for shelter cats to promote natural behaviours, reduce stress and improve welfare. Sensory, dietary, physical, and social enrichments are studied and evaluated to determine cats' preferences among enrichment stimuli.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Felines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Housing, Living environment, Human-animal relationships, Resilience, Stress

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Insect proteins offer health, welfare benefits to poultry

Elisabeth Doughman

Published in 2022

Article on the nutritional, environmental enrichment and leg-health benefits of insect protein for poultry. A research centre has been established in Texas to investigate the sustainable production of insect proteins for human food and animal feed.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Enrichment, Stress

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Les larves d’insectes activent les poulets

Eva Pampouille

Published in 2022

This article presents the results of a PINHS research project demonstrating that feeding black soldier fly larvae to Ross 308 broilers increases their activity levels at feeding time and their feed efficiency without affecting their performance or health status. However, this type of enrichment is currently too expensive.

Document types: Technical Paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Enrichment, Stress

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Setting research driven duck-welfare standards: a systematic review of Beijing duck welfare research

Maja M. Makagon, Anja B. Ribe

Published in 2021

Scientific review of the existing scientific data on the welfare of Peking ducks in farming, and the need for research on the subject, in order to be able to propose welfare standards for this species, which is farmed extensively throughout the world.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Animal-based measures, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Livestock farming system

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Stocking density: a clue for improving social behavior, welfare, health indices along with productivity performances of quail (Coturnix coturnix)

Mohamed I. El Sabry, Saber S. A. Hassan, Manal M. Zaki, Farid K. R. Stino

Published in 2022

Scientific review of the benefits of and global market for quail products, factors affecting the stocking density of quail on farms, and the effects of stocking density and housing systems on the social behaviour, welfare, physiological and performance indicators of broiler and layer quail.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Animal-based measures, Housing, Living environment, Livestock farming system, Welfare indicators

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A new approach to horse welfare based on systems thinking

K.L. Luke, A. Rawluk, T. McAdie

Published in 2022

A systematic review of the scientific literature on undesirable behaviour in horses, using a systems thinking approach. It identifies four major areas of research on the subject, and proposes opportunities for research using the systems thinking approach.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Welfare indicators

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Investigating Welfare Metrics for Snakes at the Saint Louis Zoo

Lauren Augustine, Eli Baskir, Corinne P. Kozlowski, Stephen Hammack, Justin Elden, Mark D. Wanner, Ashley D. Franklin, David M. Powell

Published in 2022

Scientific paper investigating the behavioural and physiological responses of zoo snakes to disturbances in animal care. It highlights the need for better daily monitoring of animal-based welfare indicators and for further study on the behavioural and physiological responses of individuals and groups of snakes to changes in their living environment.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Reptiles

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Welfare indicators

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An evaluation of the role of 'biological evidence' in zoo and aquarium enrichment practices

J. Brereton, P. Rose

Published in 2022

Scientific review of the impact of enrichment research on zoo and aquarium practices. It reveals that zoo and aquarium professionals are paying heed to species-specific welfare needs by ensuring that enrichment protocols are supported by biological evidence. It goes on to highlight areas and species that need further research.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Wildlife, Fish

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

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