Discipline: Ethology

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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EU Broiler Chicken Welfare

Better Chicken Commitment

Published in 2020

White paper compiling the published scientific evidence on violations of broiler-chicken welfare in intensive farming in the EU and the UK.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Societal issues, Stress, Livestock farming system

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Training as enrichment: A critical review

E.J. Fernandez

Published in 2022

Scientific review of the idea that training can be considered to be a behavioural enrichment for animals. This view is based on 3 propositions: that training facilitates the use of enrichments; that it modifies social interactions and that it broadens behavioural repertoires.

Document Types: Scientific review

Keywords: Cognitive processes, Enrichment, Human-animal relationships,Learning, training

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Conspecific and Human Sociality in the Domestic Cat: Consideration of Proximate Mechanisms, Human Selection and Implications for Cat Welfare

Lauren R. Finka

Published in 2022

Scientific review summarising current knowledge of the factors that may influence the sociality and sociability of domestic cats towards humans and other cats, focusing primarily on cats kept by humans in confined environments.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Felines

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

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Personalized dominance - a questionnaire-based analysis of the associations among personality traits and social rank of companion dogs

Kata Vékony, Fruzsina Prónik, Péter Pongrácz

Published in 2022

Scientific paper demonstrating a link between personality traits as reported by the owner of two or more dogs and the dominant or submissive character of their dogs.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords: Human-animal relationships, Stress

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Disentangling help-seeking and giving up: differential human-directed gazing by dogs in a modified unsolvable task paradigm

Hirschi, Alja Mazzini, Stefanie Riemer

Published in 2022

Scientific paper showing that when a dog looks at humans, its gaze is influenced by its social relationship with the people concerned, by situational associations and by context.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords : Human-animal relationships

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From fish out of water to new insights on navigation mechanisms in animals

Shachar Givonad, Matan Samina, Ohad Ben-Shahar, Ronen Segev

Published in 2021

Scientific paper showing that a fish is able to orientate itself and move intentionally in a terrestrial environment, using a device where the fish is placed in a tank on a wheeled platform that responds to the fish's movements. This suggests that spatial representation and movement abilities are species independent.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords: Brain integration, Experimentation, Cognitive processes,Adaptation of the animal to the environment

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