Document type : Scientific article

Family pigs' and dogs' reactions to human emotional vocalizations:a citizen science study

Fanni Lehoczki, Paula Pérez Fraga, Attila Andics

Published in 2024

Scientific article on a study testing whether the emotional contagion provoked in dogs by human sounds of distress is the result of their selection for cooperation with humans or is rooted in the universal signals of emotion. The authors compared the reactions of dogs and pigs to recordings of human crying and humming. Dogs became agitated when listening to crying, which the authors interpret as emotional contagion, while pigs were stressed by humming, which the authors interpret as neophobia (fear of the new).

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Dogs, Pigs

Keywords : Human-animal relationships

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Exploring the relationship between horse-owner attributes and their approach to horse training

E. Bartlett, E. J. Blackwell, L. J. Cameron, J. Hockenhull

Published in 2024

Scientific article aimed at identifying the factors that influence horse owners' choice of training approach. An online survey revealed that the choice of approach depended on several factors: age, gender, goals, activities, role in the industry and whether or not respondents had undergone training in animal behavior. Beliefs about the sentience and cognitive abilities of horses, and the use of scientific data were correlated with the likelihood of applying aversive methods.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Working animals, Animal mediation, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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How is pig welfare assessed in studies on farrowing housing systems? A systematic review

Bianca Vandresen, Jen-Yun Chou, Maria José Hötzel

Published in 2024

Systematic review analyzing methods to assess the welfare of sows and piglets in different housing systems in the period around farrowing and lactation: it looks at conventional farrowing crates and alternative systems (loose farrowing pens, group housing, outdoor farrowing, hinged crates and ellipsoid crates).

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of th animal to environment, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Lactation, Housing, Restraint equipment, Maternity, One Welfare, Stress, livestock farming system

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Effects of different tooth grinding procedures on the occurrence of tooth injuries, skin lesions, performance and behaviour of suckling piglets

Franziska Anna kleine Kruthaup, Michaela Fels, Carolin Bernarda Timphaus, Fritjof Freise, Swetlana Herbrandt, Elisabeth große Beilage

Published in 2024

Scientific article analysing the impacts of teeth grinding techniques for piglets on piglet and sow lesions, and on the weight development and behavior of unweaned piglets. A diamond rolling head caused more dental pulp injuries than a tea cup roller. Roller grinding caused fewer head lesions in piglets than when teeth were left intact. Weight gain in piglets with tea cup-ground teeth was greater than for the two other groups. Where necessary, tooth grinding with a cup wheel is to be preferred.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Aggression, Aggressiveness, Pain, Lactation, Maternity, Mutilation

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Time budgets and 24 h temporal patterns variation of activities in stabled dairy dromedary camels

Chayma Chaouch Aoun, Moufida Atigui, Marwa Brahmi, Eya Gherairi, Mohamed Hammadi

Published in 2024

Scientific article on the 24-hour time budget of dairy camels. These animals spend most of their time in a standing position, feeding, while rumination is high at night in particular.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Camelidae

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements

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Effects of single- or pair-housing on the welfare of shelter dogs: Behavioral and physiological indicators

Hecker G, Martineau K, Scheskie M, Hammerslough R, Feuerbacher EN

Published in 2024

Scientific article reporting that dogs housed in pairs in shelters, even for a short time, exhibit fewer stress-related behaviors (lip licking, whining, and ears back) than dogs housed individually. In addition, the urinary cortisol:creatinine levels in non-isolated dogs were lower.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords: Adoption, Animal-based measurements,Abandonment, Behavioural disorders, Housing, Socialization, Stress, Welfare indicators

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Access to bedding and outdoor runs for growing-finishing pigs: is it possible to improve welfare without increasing environmental impacts?

A.K. Ruckli, S. Hörtenhuber, S. Dippel, P. Ferrari, M. Gebska, M. Heinonen, J. Helmerichs, C. Hubbard, H. Spoolder, A. Valros, C. Winckler, C. Leeb

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that the provision of bedding or access to an outdoor run to improve pig welfare can have an impact on the environment through changes in feed efficiency and manure management.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Livestock buildings, Societal issues, Enrichment, Environment, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Housing, Pollution, livestock farming system

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Towards Dog Bark Decoding: Leveraging Human Speech Processing for Automated Bark Classification

Artem Abzaliev, Humberto Pérez Espinosa, Rada Mihalcea

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that artificial intelligence speech-modelling tools that have been pre-trained on human speech can be applied to some classification tasks relating to dog vocalizations and can help in their interpretation. 

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Canine

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Human-animal relationships, Vocalisation

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Music enrichment improves the behavior and leukocyte profile of dairy cattle

Esmeralda G. Contreras-Torres, Juan F. Hernández-Chavez, Carlos A. Díaz-Quiroz, Ramón Molina-Barrios, Paulina Arrayales Millán, Ruth G. Ulloa-Mercado

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing the positive effect of music on cows' willingness to enter the milking parlour and on their blood leukocyte profile.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords: Animal-based measurements,Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Lactation, Housing

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Gilts prefer an open pen to a stall

Ede, T., Ceribelli, M. & Parsons, T.D.

Published in 2024

Scientific article showing that, when given a choice, gilts prefer to spend time in an open pen rather than in an individual stall. Intrinsic (personality) and extrinsic (time of day, experimental day) factors also influence gilts' housing preferences.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Livestock buildings, Housing, Restraint equipment, Personality, Fear

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