Preference for and behavioural response to environmental enrichment in a small population of sexually mature, commercial boars

An increasing public concern over the welfare of livestock species is motivating more producers to consider changes to production practices. Providing environmental enrichment for intensively housed animals is one such potentially welfare-enhancing change. The goal of environmental enrichment is to provide biologically relevant environmental stimuli that allows an animal to perform highly motivated, species-specific behaviours. To date, there is no research specific to the applicability of environmental enrichment for commercial boars (Sus scrofa domesticus), nor on commercial boar welfare in general. In this study, eight individually housed, mature boars were observed to prefer interacting with hanging cotton rope enrichment over hanging rubber chew sticks when given the option. There was a significantly negative correlation between the amount of time boars spent interacting with rope and the amount of time they spent performing stereotypic pen manipulation, suggesting that the rope was more effective at reducing stereotypic behaviour than the rubber. Such reductions in amount of time spent performing abnormal stereotypic behaviours could indicate that some of the animals' behavioural needs are being met by the enrichment object. Thus, the results of this study could help provide producers with more objective, research-based suggestions concerning the efficacy of practical enrichment choices for individually housed boars.

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Preferences for nesting material as environmental enrichment for laboratory mice

Laboratory Animals ◽

10.1258/002367797780600152 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 133-143 ◽

Cited By ~ 88

Author(s):

H. A. Van de Weerd ◽

P. L. P. Van Loo ◽

L. F. M. Van Zutphen ◽

J. M. Koolhaas ◽

V. Baumans

Keyword(s):

Environmental Enrichment ◽

Preference Test ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Needs ◽

Laboratory Animals ◽

Laboratory Mice ◽

Simple Method ◽

Specific Behaviour ◽

Nesting Material ◽

Species Specific

Behavioural and psychological needs of laboratory animals generally cannot adequately be met in standard laboratory cages. Environmental enrichment, which provides a more structured environment can enhance the well-being of laboratory animals. They may perform more of their species-specific behaviour and may control their environment in a better way. An easily applicable form of enrichment for laboratory mice is nesting material. Six different types of nesting materials were evaluated in a preference test with male and female animals of two strains (C57BL/6J or BALB/c, n=48). No significant differences in preference were found between the strains or between the sexes. All mice showed a clear preference for cages with tissues or towels as compared to paper strips or no nesting material, and for cages with cotton string or wood-wool as compared to wood shavings or no nesting material. Paper-derived materials were preferred over wood-derived materials, although the results also suggest that the nature (paper or wood) of the nesting material is less important than its structure, which determines the nestability of the material. Nesting material may be a relatively simple method to contribute to the well-being of laboratory mice.

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Regulating contemporary children’s television: how digitisation is re-shaping compliance norms and production practices

Media International Australia ◽

10.1177/1329878x16687400 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 163 (1) ◽

pp. 20-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Anna Potter

Keyword(s):

Young Children ◽

Risk Aversion ◽

Public Service ◽

Children's Television ◽

Public Concern ◽

State Regulations ◽

The Subject ◽

Production Practices ◽

The Relationship ◽

Live Action

Since its inception, the relationship between television and the child audience has been the subject of public concern and regulatory attention. Little is known, however, about the recent impact of digitisation on the unfashionable but influential practice of television compliance, that is, the industry’s application of state regulations and broadcasters’ own editorial standards to children’s programmes. Drawing on extended interviews with broadcasters and producers, this article maps developing trends in UK and Australian compliance systems, focusing on their impact on the children’s television produced by public service broadcasters. It demonstrates that multi-platform delivery and dedicated children’s channels have caused a re-calibration of compliance standards, encouraging conservatism and risk aversion in programme production. Furthermore, as public service broadcasters abandon their efforts to attract teenage viewers, the live action drama series at which Australian producers have traditionally excelled are far less likely to be commissioned because their content and themes are considered unsuitable for young children.

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Investigation of the Behavioural Response of a Colony of Group-Housed Hamadryas Baboons (Papio Cynocephalus Hamadryas) to Relocation to a More Naturalistic Enclosure

10.26686/wgtn.17000290.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Ruth Laura Wood

Keyword(s):

Environmental Enrichment ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Specific Information ◽

Hamadryas Baboon ◽

Papio Cynocephalus ◽

Current Management ◽

Hamadryas Baboons ◽

Management Philosophy ◽

Natural Leaf ◽

Species Specific

<p>As part of Wellington Zoo’s current management philosophy to reduce the number of species and increase enclosure size, quality and appropriateness for those remaining animals, the zoo’s colony of hamadryas baboons (Papio cynocephalus hamadryas) was relocated within the zoo to a purpose-designed and more naturalistic exhibit. The primary objective of this investigation was to determine group and individual responses of five of these baboons to their new enclosure. In so doing, this investigation was intended to address the shortage of quantitative, species-specific information on environmental enrichment for Papio baboons (Kessel and Brent 1996). The data collection method used in this investigation consisted of fifteen-minute focal sampling of each of the five focal animals in the two months before and the month following the colony’s relocation. For the purposes of this investigation, these focal samples were initially analysed together, prior to each focal animal being considered independently. Analysis of data extracted from these focal samples included consideration of: • The overall occurrence of individual behaviours between the former and new enclosures; • Additions to the animals’ behavioural repertoires upon relocation; and, • Time the animals spent alone and interacting socially. Upon the colony’s relocation, changes in the combined focal animals’ behaviour were anticipated as a result of greater space, areas of privacy, and increased environmental variation. Focal sampling revealed increasingly naturalistic behaviours, including a reduction in vacuum and vestigial behaviours, and an increase in speciestypical behaviour. Results also indicated that the combined focal animals experienced unexpectedly low levels of “agonistic” (i.e. aggressive) behaviour in both enclosures. However, there was a reduction in some associated behaviours upon the colony’s relocation. This included a decline in male rivalry over females. Differences in the responses of individual focal animals to relocation were also anticipated. Of particular interest were results indicating an increasing similarity of individual roles within one-male units to those of free-ranging hamadryas baboons. These roles were associated with both age and sex. This study raises implications for improving the current management of the Wellington Zoo colony and other captive hamadryas baboon colonies. These include emphasising the importance of appropriate husbandry and feeding schedules. It also raises implications for the future management of other captive Papio baboon colonies in terms of enclosure redesign. These include the benefit of incorporating naturally occurring environmental factors, such as natural leaf litter. This study is also of value from a management perspective as a baseline for future investigations. Such investigations could include long-term monitoring of this colony’s use of environmental enrichment in the new enclosure and consideration of the animals’ behaviour as the colony is encouraged to expand.</p>

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Human proximity seeking in family pigs and dogs

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-77643-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Paula Pérez Fraga ◽

Linda Gerencsér ◽

Attila Andics

Keyword(s):

Familiar Object ◽

Preference Test ◽

Early Age ◽

Human Contact ◽

Sus Scrofa Domesticus ◽

Species Specific ◽

The Stranger ◽

Time Away ◽

Early Human ◽

Domestic Mammal

Abstract Family dogs (Canis familiaris) seek human contact from an early age, can discriminate and prefer their caregivers over other humans. To investigate if being kept as a family animal is sufficient to induce similar early human proximity-seeking in another domestic mammal, here we directly compared such behaviours in dogs and similarly raised domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus). We used a preference test to measure proximity-seeking behaviours of 4-month-old family pigs and dogs in the presence of their caregiver and either a stranger or a familiar object, in a novel environment. We found that both pigs and dogs preferred their caregivers over the familiar object but not over the stranger. However, when the caregiver and the stranger were present, only dogs showed an overall preference for human proximity, and pigs spent more time away from both humans. These results suggest that both dogs and pigs seek the proximity of their caregiver, but there is a difference in how each species generalizes their experience to other humans. Species-specific predispositions, including that dogs have a longer socialization period and that humans are more salient as a social stimulus for them, may be important for the early development of an overall preference for humans.

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Participation of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor in the clearance of fibrin from the lung

AJP Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajplung.1999.277.3.l573 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 277 (3) ◽

pp. L573-L579 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Noboru Hattori ◽

Thomas H. Sisson ◽

Yin Xu ◽

Tushar J. Desai ◽

Richard H. Simon

Keyword(s):

Plasminogen Activator ◽

Cell Surface Receptor ◽

Biologically Relevant ◽

Knowing That ◽

Type Plasminogen Activator ◽

Urokinase Type Plasminogen Activator ◽

Surface Receptor ◽

Species Specific

In vitro studies have demonstrated that the binding of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) to its cell surface receptor (uPAR) greatly accelerates plasminogen activation. However, the role of uPAR in clearing abnormal fibrin deposits from the lung is uncertain. Knowing that uPA binding to uPAR is species specific, we used adenoviral vectors to transfer human or murine uPA genes into human or mouse epithelial cells in vitro and to mouse lungs in vivo. By measuring degradation of fluorescein-labeled fibrin, we found that uPA lysed fibrin matrices more efficiently when expressed in cells of the same species. A monoclonal antibody that blocks the binding of human uPA to human uPAR suppressed fibrin degradation by human cells expressing human uPA but not murine uPA. Importantly, 3 days after intratracheal delivery of the vectors, mice receiving murine uPA transgenes degraded fibrin matrices formed within their air spaces more efficiently than animals transduced with human uPA genes. These results show that uPA bound to uPAR increases the efficiency of fibrinolysis on epithelial cell surfaces in a biologically relevant fashion.

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182 Environment enrichment reduces aggression and stereotypic behaviors in feedlot steers

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skz053.151 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 67-67

Author(s):

Rachel M Park ◽

Rachel Bova ◽

Jenny S Jennings ◽

Courtney L Daigle

Keyword(s):

Environmental Enrichment ◽

Mixed Model ◽

Linear Mixed Model ◽

Day Treatment ◽

Feedlot Cattle ◽

Behavioral Differences ◽

Environmental Complexity ◽

Feedlot Steers ◽

Environment Enrichment ◽

Species Specific

Abstract Feedlots provide limited environmental complexity to cattle-a highly curious and social species. In the absence of adequate stimulation, cattle may engage in aggressive or abnormal behaviors. Implementation of biologically appropriate and species specific environmental enrichment (EE) has the potential to enhance welfare of feedlot steers. The objective of this study was to identify behavioral differences between cattle exposed to EE compared to those without. Composite steers (n = 54) were assigned to one of two treatments 1) No enrichment (CON; n = 3 at 9 head/pen) and 2) BRUSH (cattle brush; n = 3 at 9 head/pen). Video recordings were decoded utilizing continuous observation for the frequency and duration of headbutting, mounting, kicking, bar licking, tongue rolling, allogrooming, and brush usage from 0800 to 1730 on d -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 relative to brush implementation. Impact of day, treatment and their interaction on cattle behavior was evaluated using a Generalized Linear Mixed Model (PROC MIXED) in SAS. (BRUSH) steers spent less time bar licking (P = 0.023) and engaged in bar licking less frequency (P = 0.005) than CON throughout the duration of the study. Compared to CON, BRUSH steers performed fewer headbutts across the duration of the study (P = 0.004). Brush usage frequency (P = 0.0002) and duration (P = 0.008) was greatest on d 0 compared to all other research days. The frequency (P = 0.0006) and duration (P = 0.0002) of tongue rolling increased with research day. Similarly, the frequency (P = 0.0001) and duration (P = 0.002) of allogrooming increased over time, however, there was a decrease in allogrooming on d 64. Mounting frequency was impacted by research day and peaked at d 8 (P = 0.002). BRUSH cattle performed less stereotypic and aggressive behaviors suggesting that EE is beneficial for feedlot cattle welfare.

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PCR Identification of Beef, Sheep, Goat, and Pork in Raw and Heat-Treated Meat Mixtures

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x-67.1.172 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

pp. 172-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 71

Author(s):

MIGUEL A. RODRÍGUEZ ◽

TERESA GARCÍA ◽

ISABEL GONZÁLEZ ◽

LUIS ASENSIO ◽

PABLO E. HERNÁNDEZ ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Bos Taurus ◽

Ovis Aries ◽

Capra Hircus ◽

Accurate Identification ◽

Qualitative Detection ◽

Heat Treated ◽

Sus Scrofa Domesticus ◽

Species Specific ◽

Identification Analysis

A PCR assay has been developed for the specific and qualitative detection of pork ( Sus scrofa domesticus), beef ( Bos taurus), sheep ( Ovis aries), and goat ( Capra hircus) in raw and heat-treated meat mixtures. A forward common primer was designed on a conserved DNA sequence in the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene (rRNA), and reverse primers were designed to hybridize on species-specific DNA sequences of each species considered. The different sizes of the species-specific amplicons, separated by agarose gel electrophoresis, allowed clear species identification. Analysis of experimental meat mixtures demonstrated that the detection limit of the assay was 1% (wt/wt) for each species analyzed. This assay can be useful for the accurate identification of these species, avoiding mislabeling or fraudulent species substitution in meat mixtures.

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Efficacy of an interactive apparatus as environmental enrichment for common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Animal Welfare ◽

10.7120/09627286.29.4.379 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 379-386

Author(s):

LK Lauderdale ◽

LJ Miller

Keyword(s):

Tursiops Truncatus ◽

Environmental Enrichment ◽

Bottlenose Dolphins ◽

Well Being ◽

Specific Behaviour ◽

Effective Form ◽

Professional Care ◽

Species Specific ◽

And Control ◽

Case Basis

Environmental enrichment is a key component in improving the psychological and physiological well-being of animals under professional care. Environmental enrichment involves the addition of stimuli, including objects and cognitive challenges, into the environment in order to increase species-specific behaviour and provide opportunities for choice and control. The effectiveness of enrichment should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine if the desired result has been achieved. Environmental enrichment devices (EEDs) can be utilised to present novel problems to animals under professional care. Here, a submerged interactive cognitive apparatus was presented to eight bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) five days a week for 18 weeks and behavioural indicators of animal welfare assessed. As a group, dolphins spent more time in social swims compared to solitary swims and more time at the bottom of the habitat than the middle or top throughout the day, even when the apparatus was not immediately available. Individuals' differences were apparent in the type and amount of engagement with the apparatus. Three dolphins engaged with the apparatus by solving it or consuming the reward. Two dolphins, D4 and D8, engaged simultaneously with the apparatus and participated in more social swimming with each other. D4 solved the interactive apparatus and engaged in more social active and solitary active behaviours. D1 and D4 increased their use of the bottom of the habitat. This study is the first report of underwater enrichment increasing dolphins time at depth throughout the day even when the enrichment device is not available. The interactive apparatus was an effective form of enrichment for dolphins participating in successful trials.

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