Applied Animal Behaviour Science最新文献

{"title":"Program animal welfare: A scoping review of animal interaction programs and their welfare impact on zoo-housed animals","authors":"Bridget Cooper-Rogers ,&nbsp;Paige Klingner ,&nbsp;Alex Whittaker ,&nbsp;Rebecca Forder ,&nbsp;Eduardo J. Fernandez","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106919","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106919","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Animal Interaction Programs (AIPs) have become standard practice within zoos worldwide, however, there is a severe lack of empirical data on how these programs impact animal welfare. AIPs are operationally defined as a planned interaction between a visitor and an animal for educational and entertainment purposes and can be described as a type of Animal-Visitor Interaction (AVI), and can be classified as either direct or indirect and scripted or unscripted. Although these programs are prominent within zoos, there is currently not a comprehensive synthesis of current welfare literature that examines the welfare impact, taxonomic distribution, type, and prevalence of AIPs. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesise welfare-related AIP literature to determine what is known about the welfare implications, identify key gaps and focus areas for future research, and to compare the prevalence, type, and species involved in AIPs within literature to see if it is reflected within zoos. Using the PRISMA-ScR framework, the review was conducted across three databases. A total of 49 articles were included within the review. Direct scripted AIPs were the most prominently investigated (43 %). Walk-through programs were the most investigated type of AIP (23 %). There was a bias towards mammalian species (82 %), with less of a focus on avians (10 %), reptiles (4 %) or other taxa (4 %). This was not reflective of the types of AIPs and species represented in current programs offered in zoos, highlighting a crucial need to diversifying the species investigated within literature as well as investigating programs that are more commonly offered within zoos. Behavioural measures of welfare were the most utilised (70 %), with activity budgets being the most prominent. Generally, neutral or no changes in welfare were described (46 %), followed by positive (28 %), and negative (26 %) welfare impacts, however, welfare outcomes were generally mixed. There is a clear disparity between the types of programs and species represented in AIPs within literature compared to those offered in zoos as well as no clear welfare outcomes or factors that may be influencing these changes. This highlights a lack of understanding on the welfare impacts that these programs have and the factors that may be influencing them. It is critical to address this in future research to better understand the welfare impacts that AIPs have on animal welfare so that these programs can be evaluated and adjusted based on evidence rather than current practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106919"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Behavioural and faecal cortisol metabolite monitoring of harbour (Phoca vitulina) and grey seal pups (Halichoerus grypus) in rehabilitation centres","authors":"Michal Zatrak ,&nbsp;Kirsty J. Shaw ,&nbsp;Matthew Geary ,&nbsp;Richard Ilderton ,&nbsp;Robyn A. Grant","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106910","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106910","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Harbour (<em>Phoca vitulina)</em> and grey (<em>Halichoerus grypus</em>) seals face numerous anthropogenic and environmental threats around the UK and Ireland. These commonly lead to seal pups becoming stranded and in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Although rehabilitation supports the recovery and welfare of stranded seals, the process can expose individuals to a range of stressors, such as handling, intensive medical treatments, assisted feeding and confinement. Effective methods for assessing seal health and welfare in response to these challenges remain limited. This study investigated whether faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) and behavioural indicators can effectively monitor welfare in rehabilitating harbour and grey seal pups. A total of 479 faecal samples were collected from 19 seal pups (Harbour n = 8, Grey n = 11), and 3864 h of footage was collected for 25 seal pups (Harbour n = 11, Grey n = 14), all rehabilitated at Tynemouth Seal Hospital (North Tyneside, UK). The effect of sex, time of day, feeding method, water access, body condition, and day of rehabilitation on both FCM concentrations and behavioural time budgets was investigated. Changes in FCM levels did not correspond to any of the predictor variables and highlights the complexity of interpreting FCMs in rehabilitation settings, likely reflecting individual variation, allostatic load, and limited sensitivity to short-term stressors. In contrast, seal pup behaviour was significantly affected by rehabilitation variables, including feeding method and access to water. Although assisted feeding is essential for the survival of malnourished pups, it caused decreased displays of vigilance in both species, and a decrease in tactile and locomotion behaviours with an increase in stereotypic behaviours in grey seals. This warrants enrichment plans to be incorporated into the care of these seal pups to counteract any negative impacts on their welfare. Similarly, water access for swimming should be provided as soon as possible to ensure that the sufficient development of natural locomotory and tactile behaviours is facilitated. Overall, these results could be used to optimise behavioural welfare assessments and the rehabilitation protocols currently in place for both harbour and grey seal pups, improving seal pup welfare in captive settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106910"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145922600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Highlights of published papers in Applied Animal Behaviour Science in 2025","authors":"Péter Pongrácz,&nbsp;Irene Camerlink","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106909","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106909","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"294 ","pages":"Article 106909"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145920706","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A four-trial home-based food quantity discrimination task for companion dogs: Hierarchical Bayesian analysis and applied assessment","authors":"Heloisa de Araujo Batista Carneiro,&nbsp;Ana Eni da Silva Franco,&nbsp;Bryan Kalel Araujo Lima,&nbsp;Antonio Pereira","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106904","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106904","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Background:&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Domestic dogs are widely used in cognition research, including quantity discrimination, yet performance in brief, low-burden, home-based tasks remains poorly documented. Such minimally controlled settings are increasingly relevant for welfare and clinical assessment. It is also unclear whether simple morphological proxies can account for individual variability in these contexts.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective:&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We evaluated whether companion dogs can discriminate food quantity ratios (1 vs. 4, 1 vs. 6, 1 vs. 8) under a four-trial protocol suitable for home and field environments, and whether a simple cranial proxy — the head-to-weight index — predicts accuracy beyond ratio difficulty. We further assessed whether a hierarchical Bayesian model can extract informative individual-level estimates from sparse data.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods:&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Twenty-nine dogs each completed four trials of a two-choice task involving a single ratio, tested in owners’ homes or comparable low-distraction areas. Choices were analyzed using a hierarchical Bayesian logistic regression with dog-level random intercepts. A separate model comparison contrasted a null model with a monotonic ordered-ratio model using WAIC and LOO-CV.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results:&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Dogs performed above chance at the group level. The ratio effect was weak and directionally consistent with reduced accuracy at more difficult ratios (posterior mean &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;β&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;ratio&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;92&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, 95% HDI &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;31&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mspace&gt;&lt;/mspace&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;44&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;). The head-to-weight index showed no credible association with performance (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;β&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;HWI&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;08&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, HDI &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;37&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mspace&gt;&lt;/mspace&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;54&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;). Inter-individual variability was substantial (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;σ&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;dog&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;42&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, HDI &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;[&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0004&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mspace&gt;&lt;/mspace&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;98&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;]&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;): 14 of 29 dogs showed a high posterior probability of performing above chance (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;P&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;(&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;p&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;j&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;&gt;&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;5&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;)&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;≥&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;.&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;9&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;), while the remainder fell in intermediate ranges. Latency measures were not reliably related to accuracy. Posterior predictive checks indicated good model f","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106904"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145845673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Measuring sleep in farm animals: Achievements and challenges","authors":"Sarah Maria Möseler,&nbsp;Jenny Stracke","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106907","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106907","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sleep is a biological necessity for all living mammals. It is known for its restorative properties and plays an important role in various physiological mechanisms. Furthermore, studies in humans could show that sleep also affects psychological processes, which means that sleep is essential only for physical health but also mental well-being. This interconnection makes sleep a promising candidate for assessing animal welfare on a multidimensional scale. However, studies on sleep in farm animals are scarce, even though this field of research can be traced back to the middle of the 20th century. The objective of this narrative review is to give a comprehensive overview over the development and current state of sleep research in cattle, horses and pigs. The focus lies on analyzing studies using polysomnography, the gold standard in human sleep research by which sleep can be identified based on electrophysiological characteristics, and studies using body posture and sleep-associated behaviors as indicators of sleep. By highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of these methods we aim to point out opportunities for improvement. The use of polysomnography to study sleep in farm animals is feasible, though it is time and cost intensive and still highly experimental. Protocols for proper electrode placement and consistent scoring criteria still need to be developed for non-human species. Behavioral observations on the other hand are an established method, however their application for predicting stages of vigilance currently lacks validation. We therefore suggest combining electrophysiological and behavioral recordings in future studies. Further, we hypothesize that including additional parameters such as heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, or body temperature may help to improve validity. Addressing these issues will lay the foundation for studying sleep under on-farm conditions. This, in turn, opens new perspectives for animal welfare research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106907"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145845672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental downgrading to battery cages induces depression-like states in hens","authors":"Javiera Calderón-Amor ,&nbsp;Benjamin Lecorps ,&nbsp;Daniela Luna ,&nbsp;Mauricio Soto-Gamboa ,&nbsp;Francisca Ovando ,&nbsp;Enzo Ruiz ,&nbsp;María Jesús Montero ,&nbsp;Tamara Tadich","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106908","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106908","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Depression is one of the most common and impairing mental health disorders in humans. Captive animals may also experience depression-like states, particularly under restrictive housing conditions and in individuals with higher vulnerability to stressors (e.g. more fearful). This study investigated whether transferring laying hens (<em>n</em> = 60) from a cage-free environment to conventional battery cages led animals to display two core symptoms of clinical depression: anhedonia and low mood during the first two weeks post-transfer. Personality was included as a potential moderator of affective responses. Additionally, expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), an immunological marker often elevated in clinical depression in humans and animal models, was quantified. Anhedonia was assessed using a palatable food consumption test (sweetcorn) conducted for 5 days before and 5 days after transfer. Low mood was assessed through an attention bias test. Personality was evaluated using four behavioral assays (open field, novel object, stationary human, and tonic immobility tests). A composite Affective Index was also calculated by integrating the behavioral measures of anhedonia and low mood into a single outcome variable. TNF-α expression was measured at baseline (pre-transfer) and 80 days post-transfer. Battery-caged hens exhibited behavioral indicators consistent with depression-like states during the first two weeks after transfer, including reduced sweetcorn intake and increased attention to threat, particularly among more fearful individuals. The Affective Index corroborated that battery-housed hens experienced more negative affective states overall, with fearful individuals being especially vulnerable. Contrary to predictions, TNF-α expression decreased in caged hens 80 days post-transfer, possibly reflecting immunosuppression due to chronic stress. These findings highlight that conventional rearing systems used in egg production can trigger depression-like states in these animals. These results support the need to critically review housing conditions in commercial production systems and to promote management strategies that minimize suffering, especially in vulnerable individuals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"297 ","pages":"Article 106908"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145882277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early maternal separation induced spatial memory deficits through hippocampal inflammation in piglets","authors":"Qi Han ,&nbsp;Baochen Xie ,&nbsp;Yuxi Shen ,&nbsp;Ting Wei ,&nbsp;Wenhui Zhang ,&nbsp;YongJian Cui ,&nbsp;Honggui Liu ,&nbsp;Shuai Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106906","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106906","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In intensive swine production, early weaning commonly occurs at 21 days of age or earlier, a critical window for neurodevelopment. Maternal separation is a well-established early-life stress paradigm in rodent models, eliciting cognitive impairments. However, the neurobiological effects of early maternal separation on brain function remain poorly understood in pigs. The present study examined the effects of maternal separation at days 7, 21, and 35 on cognitive performance. The novel object recognition and spatial memory were evaluated using the novel object recognition test and novel location recognition test, respectively. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and key molecules in the BDNF-TrkB and MAPK-CREB pathways were detected using RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. The results showed that maternal separation at days 7 and 21 induced spatial memory deficits without affecting object recognition. Histopathological analysis revealed a reduced thickness of the pyramidal cell layer in the hippocampal CA1 subfield and an elevated Iba-1-positive rate. Additionally, the expression of TrkB, CREB, and BDNF was significantly downregulated, whereas the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α was upregulated in piglet hippocampus. Furthermore, the expression of K-Ras, H-Ras, Raf1, MEK7, ERK1, and ERK2 was significantly reduced, indicating suppression of the MAPK pathway. These findings suggest that early maternal separation induced spatial memory deficits in piglets through neuroinflammation, dysregulation of the BDNF-TrkB pathway, and suppression of the MAPK-CREB pathway.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"296 ","pages":"Article 106906"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145838165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of partial cage dividers on animal welfare and social behavior in California mice (Peromyscus californicus)","authors":"Brayana L. Knollenberg ,&nbsp;Alicia F. Dye ,&nbsp;Zachary T. Oakland,&nbsp;Jasmine C. Redding,&nbsp;Brian C. Trainor","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106905","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106905","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>California mice (<em>Peromyscus californicus</em>) are an important model species for studying social behaviors that are not readily expressed in standard laboratory mouse and rat lines. Under natural conditions, this species is highly territorial, and both males and females exhibit high levels of aggression in laboratory conditions. Like other rodent species, fighting among cage-mates can create animal welfare problems for California mice. Here we tested whether the use of partial cage dividers could reduce the impact of cage-mate fighting in California mice. Partial cage dividers were made of polycarbonate and extended approximately halfway down the center of the cage. Dividers allowed individual mice to move throughout the cage and created additional complexity that may allow individuals to avoid one another. For California mice raised without dividers, males were significantly more likely than females to have tail wounds. There was a non-significant trend for a lower probability of tail wounds in male California mice raised with dividers versus control males without dividers. Effects of dividers were more evident on approach to a novel object and social approach, two behaviors that are stress sensitive. Females raised with dividers approached an empty cage more than control animals, whereas this difference was not significant in males. Dividers also reduced effects of stress on social approach in females but not males. Overall, our results suggest that raising California mice with partial cage dividers has anxiolytic effects on behavior and can have beneficial effects on animal welfare, especially for males.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"296 ","pages":"Article 106905"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Humans can accurately categorise negative but not positive emotional facial expressions in horses","authors":"Romane Phelipon ,&nbsp;Gaëlle Lefort ,&nbsp;Olivier Galland ,&nbsp;Benoît Piégu ,&nbsp;Noémie Hennes ,&nbsp;Elodie Briefer ,&nbsp;Léa Lansade","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recognising emotional facial expressions plays a key role in communication, both within and between species. Many non-human animals, including horses, discriminate and react to emotional human facial expressions. This raises the question of whether humans also consider some animals’ facial expressions when determining their emotional states. To address this, the present study aimed to assess human ability to categorise horses’ facial expressions according to their valence (positive/negative) and arousal (high/low), across eight distinct situations likely to elicit emotions (e.g., social isolation, going to a food bucket), and whether prior experience referring to the level of contact with horses improved this ability. An online task, in the form of a quiz, was conducted in which human participants were asked to categorise photographs of horses’ facial expressions based on perceived emotional valence and arousal. Results showed that participants (n = 930) performed well in the valence categorisation of expressions displayed in situations likely to elicit negative emotions (e.g., social isolation: 90 % of correct categorisation, sudden stimulus: 91 %), and that experience with horses improved performance in these cases. However, participants had greater difficulty in categorising the valence of facial expressions emitted in positive contexts (e.g., grooming: 42 %, going to a food bucket: 59 %), and experience, based on their level of contact, did not consistently enhance performance. Low arousal context (resting in the sun: 93 %) was well recognised, while categorisation accuracy for high arousal contexts (e.g., going to a food bucket: 55 %, sudden stimulus: 96 %) was more variable. These findings suggest that humans have a limited ability to recognise horses’ emotional states based on facial expressions, particularly for positive emotions, highlighting the need for increased awareness and caution when interpreting them. Accurate recognition of animals’ emotional facial expressions is therefore crucial, as it contributes directly to the broader assessment of their welfare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"296 ","pages":"Article 106901"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Roughage feeding patterns of dairy cows in a cow-calf contact system with automatic milking","authors":"Coenraad L. van Zyl ,&nbsp;Eddie A.M. Bokkers ,&nbsp;Yannick J.M. Aarts ,&nbsp;Jacinta D. Bus ,&nbsp;Bas Kemp ,&nbsp;Hanna Eriksson ,&nbsp;Ariëtte T.M. van Knegsel","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dairy cows in contact with their calves can spend time engaging in maternal behaviors, which may affect their feeding patterns. This study aimed to evaluate the roughage feeding behavior patterns of dairy cows with minimum 12 weeks of full calf contact (<strong>FC</strong>) across the nursing (0–12 weeks in milk; <strong>WIM</strong>), gradual weaning (13–14 WIM) and post-separation periods (15–17 WIM), and compared with that of conventionally managed cows with no contact (<strong>NC</strong>) with their calves. Primiparous- and multiparous Swedish Holstein and Swedish Red cows were allocated to the FC (n = 18) or the NC (n = 20) treatment based on parity, dam breed, calf breed (dairy or beef mix), and calf sex. The NC cows were separated from their calves on average 13.5 h post-parturition. NC and FC cows shared roughage, lying (containing cubicles and concentrate feeders), and milking areas in the barn, whereas FC cows could additionally enter a contact area (containing cubicles and concentrate feeders) to be with their calves. All cows were milked in the same automatic milking unit and had ad libitum access to a partial mixed ration provided in 20 individual roughage bins with scales and automated individual visit registration. During the 0–12 WIM period, FC cows consumed more roughage per day than NC cows (40.2 vs. 36.2 kg/d, <em>P</em> = 0.033) and per meal (6.8 vs. 5.7 kg/meal, <em>P</em> = 0.007). During this period, number of daily meals, feeding rate, feeding duration per day and meal, number of feeder visits per day and per meal, and meal duration did not differ between treatment groups. Both FC and NC cows primarily visited the roughage bins directly following milking. However, during the 0–12 WIM period, FC cows more often returned directly to the area where the calves were housed than NC cows returned directly to their resting area (7.3 vs 3.2 % of occasions, P &lt; 0.001). During the 13–14 WIM period, FC cows increased their feeding rate by 4 % (<em>P</em> = 0.012), while maintaining a similar roughage intake as NC cows. None other feeding pattern variables differed from NC cows. During the 15–17 WIM period, physical separation of the calves did not substantially alter the roughage feeding patterns in the dams. In conclusion, dairy cows with calf contact in the current system were able to maintain their roughage intake, while the use of functional areas of the barn differed slightly during the nursing period compared with conventional cows.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"296 ","pages":"Article 106902"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145789200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}