Applied Animal Behaviour Science最新文献

{"title":"Companionship counts: Investigating social housing conditions and welfare in privately owned rabbits","authors":"Cecilie Ravn Skovlund ,&nbsp;Niels Munch Corneliussen ,&nbsp;Laura Benoni Kofod ,&nbsp;Isabella Thybo Mejlstrup ,&nbsp;Peter Sandøe ,&nbsp;Björn Forkman","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106864","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106864","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rabbits are among the most popular companion animals. Despite being a social species, most companion rabbits are solitary housed due to challenges with pairing and cohabitation, which may compromise their welfare. This study therefore aimed to investigate the effects of social housing (solitary vs. social) and dyadic relationships (using a Friendship Index derived from rates of allogrooming and contact) on rabbit welfare. Moreover, dyad-related factors (sex combination, age difference, life stage combination, early socialisation, and neuter status) and resource-related factors (group size, spatial availability, enrichment, raised platforms, and visual barriers) previously linked to social dynamics in farmed and laboratory rabbits, were examined for their impact on dyadic relationships. This was assessed through behavioural observations based on home-pen videos collected by owners (in the morning, 5–10 a.m., and evening, 5–10 p.m.), using behavioural welfare indicators for rabbits. Linear and generalized linear mixed effects models were used to assess welfare outcomes and relationship indices, with ‘owner’ as a random effect. Video material of 122 rabbits from 74 owners were analysed, with approximately five hours per rabbit. Socially housed rabbits spent 21 % of scans in contact and 75 % in proximity to conspecifics. Agonistic interactions were rare. Solitary rabbits expressed significantly less behavioural diversity (P = 0.02) and more awake inactivity (P = 0.04) than socially housed rabbits, indicating improved welfare for the latter group. However, solitary rabbits spent significantly more time on environmental interaction (P = 0.03), plausibly due to their inability to socialise. A higher age difference was found to be significantly associated with a reduced Friendship Index (P = 0.002). Minimising the age difference may therefore be considered for future recommendations regarding pairing of companion rabbits. No significant effects of dyadic relationships on welfare were found; however the sample was biased towards positive relationships. The large housing space available to the rabbits may have contributed to the low level of agonistic behaviour and positive dyadic relationships. In summary, statistical inferences were hindered by data homogeneity and zero-inflation, likely due to convenience sampling, along with a lack of evidence-based welfare indicators for rabbits. Future studies should investigate optimal observation times and durations, as well as assess validity, reliability, and feasibility of existing behavioural welfare indicators for rabbits. Despite methodological limitations, this study provides insights into the social environment and welfare of companion rabbits, emphasizing the benefits of social housing and the potential advantages of minimizing age differences in rabbit dyads.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"294 ","pages":"Article 106864"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145577961","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 environmental enrichment on the welfare of pigs raised under Brazilian commercial conditions with the final third of the tail docked","authors":"Ribas. J.C.R. ,&nbsp;Grajales-Cedeño J.K ,&nbsp;Ribeiro. W ,&nbsp;Pertile G ,&nbsp;Paranhos da Costa M.J.R","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106865","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106865","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Efforts have been made to reduce tail docking in pigs and increase tail length. However, insufficient knowledge is available on the effect of short docking under tropical conditions. This study aimed to assess whether it is possible to raise pigs with only the final part of the tail docked under Brazilian commercial conditions using simple environmental enrichment strategies. A total of 880 pigs of the synthetic Pietran line were randomly assigned to two treatments: NEE = control, no environmental enrichment (n = 439), and WEE = with environmental enrichment (n = 441). All piglets had the final third of their tails docked on the second day of life. Branched chains and sisal ropes were used for environmental enrichment analysis. Behavioral, health, and performance indicators were recorded during the nursery and rearing/finishing phases of the experiment. A contingency plan was implemented when a tail biting outbreak occurred. A higher percentage of pigs preferred to interact with sisal ropes than with branched chains in both phases (p &lt; 0.05). NEE pigs showed a tendency (p = 0.08) towards a higher occurrence of tail-biting during the nursery phase, leading to severe injuries. No WEE pigs exhibited severe injuries from tail biting. The contingency plan was implemented only in the NEE pens during both the nursery and rearing/finishing phases (19.05 % and 52.0 %, respectively). The selection rate of animals suitable for reproduction, final body weight, and average daily weight gain did not differ among the treatments (P &gt; 0.05). We conclude that enriching the pen during the nursery and rearing/finishing phases has beneficial effects on the welfare of pigs raised under Brazilian commercial conditions with the final third of the tail removed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"294 ","pages":"Article 106865"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145486399","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":"Predicting equine behavior from small datasets using machine learning with LLM-generated explanations","authors":"Oleksandra Topal ,&nbsp;Inna Novalija ,&nbsp;Dunja Mladenić ,&nbsp;Elena Gobbo ,&nbsp;Manja Zupan Šemrov","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106863","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106863","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding horse fearfulness is crucial for building strong human–animal relationships, influencing training methods, task selection, and predicting reactions to new stimuli. This interdisciplinary study aimed to identify key characteristics for predicting a horse’s fearfulness. Using classical machine learning, we analyzed anatomical, kinematic, and housing-related data from 49 horses, with fear scores obtained through a standardized behavioral test. To ensure an unbiased evaluation, the leave-one-out cross-validation method was applied. The study’s main contributions are: (1) an iterative feature selection approach that reduces the number of required measurements while maintaining prediction accuracy; (2) a unique dataset on Lipizzan horses, revealing that head and body anatomical characteristics are critical for assessing fearfulness; (3) identification of the Decision Tree algorithm as the most accurate machine learning method for modeling fearfulness; (4) integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate clear, interpretable textual explanations of the Decision Tree, improving the understanding of key predictive features. This study bridges behavioral science and artificial intelligence, offering a novel AI-driven approach to equine behavior analysis, with practical applications in horse training, selection, and welfare management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 106863"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145475477","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":"First step after submitting your paper: The preliminary checks done by the editors","authors":"Péter Pongrácz,&nbsp;Irene Camerlink","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106823","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106823","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106823"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145424616","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":"Corrigendum to “Deck height did not affect behavioural measures of ‘natural movements’ and ‘adequate ventilation’ during 8 h and 23 h transport of weaner pigs” [Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 290 (2025) 106714]","authors":"Cecilie Kobek-Kjeldager ,&nbsp;Line D. Jensen ,&nbsp;Leslie Foldager ,&nbsp;Marianne Kaiser ,&nbsp;Karen Thodberg ,&nbsp;Mette S. Herskin","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106793","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106793","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106793"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145412776","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":"Preface for the 50th anniversary year jubilee issue","authors":"Irene Camerlink,&nbsp;Péter Pongrácz","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106812","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106812","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106812"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145412775","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":"Development of the Ethogram of Feline Social Interactions (EFSI) to study intraspecific interactions between cats in multicat households","authors":"Morgane J.R. Van Belle ,&nbsp;Noema Gajdoš Kmecová ,&nbsp;Christel P.H. Moons ,&nbsp;Frank A.M. Tuyttens ,&nbsp;Daniel S. Mills","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106862","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106862","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As tension between housecats can have considerable impact on feline and caregiver welfare, gaining insight into the social behaviour within multicat households is valuable. A standard scientific approach to study behaviour in animals involves video-based behavioural observations using an ethogram. We aimed to develop an ethogram of the intraspecific social behaviour of adult cats in multicat households. The development of the ethogram included (a) selection of behavioural elements relevant for the study of feline social behaviour in multicat households and assessment of consensus across experts (face and content validity), and (b) testing intra- and inter-observer reliability when the ethogram is used for video-based behavioural coding. The Ethogram of Feline Social Interactions (EFSI) consists of four behavioural groups, twenty-three behaviours, and three modifier groups which collectively provide descriptions of feline behaviour during social interactions. Results of the item-based reliability analysis between two observers were around or above the 0.8 acceptance threshold for Krippendorff’s alpha. Videos are provided online to support other researchers or behavioural professionals in using EFSI. The ethogram is intended to facilitate accurate recording of intraspecific social behaviour by professionals as well as lay people. It is therefore not only useful for studies on sociality in companion cats, but potentially also for monitoring social tension in multicat households by veterinary behaviourists and caregivers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 106862"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145475476","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":"Color preference of zebrafish (Danio rerio) differs in midday and midnight","authors":"Amir Farshad Shadman","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106860","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106860","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to examine whether zebrafish exhibit different color preferences during the day and night under controlled laboratory conditions. Twenty adult zebrafish (3 months old, 1:1 male/female ratio) were housed under a 14:10 h light/dark cycle and tested using a glass plus maze. Four light colors—yellow (647 nm), blue (467 nm), green (532 nm), and red (660 nm)—were presented with equal irradiance (2.25 ± 0.04 µW/cm²). Fish were video-recorded at two time points: midday (12 PM) and midnight (12 AM). Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and mixed-model analysis, confirmed significant differences in color preference patterns between day and night (P &lt; 0.001). Yellow was consistently the most preferred color, followed by blue &gt; green &gt; red during the day, whereas at night, yellow remained dominant, but the order altered to red &gt; blue &gt; green. These findings highlight that while zebrafish maintain a consistent preference for yellow regardless of time, their ranking of other colors shifts between day and night. According to this study, when evaluating aquatic species' preferences for light colors, experimental conditions should consider the circadian rhythm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 106860"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145425516","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":"Burying and smelling – A comparative analysis of fecal and urinary elimination behaviors in neutered adult cats","authors":"Elisa Kefalás Trocon ,&nbsp;Giovanne Ambrosio Ferreira ,&nbsp;Gelson Genaro","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106859","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106859","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined elimination behaviors in neutered domestic cats (<em>Felis catus</em> L., 1758), with a focus on burying effort, olfactory inspection, and spatial patterns of feces and urine deposition. Sixty adult cats (26 males, 34 females), housed in a semi-natural shelter, were observed over 299 h throughout one year. Behavioral data were collected using the event sampling method, quantifying forelimb movements and the duration of burying both before and after excreta deposition. Cats consistently invested more behavioral effort in burying feces than urine (p &lt; 0.0001), with females showing greater post-defecation investment than males (e.g., movements: females = 25.95; males = 15.30; p = 0.0041). Feces were predominantly deposited in peripheral zones, away from resting and feeding areas, whereas urine showed a more homogeneous spatial distribution (χ² &gt; 48, p &lt; 0.0001). Olfactory inspection occurred significantly more often following defecation than urination in both sexes (χ² &gt; 261, p &lt; 0.0001). These findings support the hypothesis that feces play a distinct communicative role and that excreta management is shaped by context-sensitive behavioral adjustments. The results contribute to the understanding of the ecological and social underpinnings of elimination behaviors in domestic cats, with potential applications for ethology, animal welfare, and scent-marking research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 106859"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145425515","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":"Gas bubble venting: A novel behavioral indicator of stress in juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)","authors":"Mikkel Gunnes,&nbsp;Evelina A.L. Green,&nbsp;Inger Lise Andersen,&nbsp;Øyvind Øverli","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106857","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106857","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reliable, non-invasive behavioral indicators of stress are essential for improving real-time welfare monitoring in aquaculture, yet few validated markers are currently available for assessing the welfare of farmed fish. This study aimed to identify novel stress-related behaviors in Atlantic salmon (<em>Salmo salar</em>). To this end, dominant–subordinate relationships were induced through repeated dyadic interactions between size-matched pairs of territorial juvenile fish over four days, followed by an overnight interaction (n = 10 pairs), with 12 fish kept in isolation as controls. Behavioral observations were focused on traits with potential for automated detection and revealed a distinct multi-trait behavioral syndrome in socially subordinate individuals: reduced feed intake (p = 0.04), higher vertical positioning in the water column (p &lt; 0.001), and more frequent release of gas bubbles from the swim bladder (p = 0.02). Among these traits, bubble release emerged as a novel, conspicuous and sensitive indicator of acute stress. Frequency of bubble release correlated positively with the number of aggressive acts received from dominant fish (p = 0.018), though not with plasma cortisol levels (p = 0.10). Nonetheless, cortisol was significantly elevated in subordinate fish compared to controls (p = 0.003) but not compared to dominant fish (p = 0.14). This observation suggests that bubble release may serve as a more sensitive marker of acute social stress than physiological stress responses such as cortisol. Given the conspicuous nature and clear visual signature of bubble release, follow-up studies should explore the potential for automated detection using computer vision or bioacoustic methods. Such monitoring could enable earlier identification of stressed individuals in fish farming, supporting more proactive and individualized welfare assessments. Vertical positioning was also influenced by social status and may represent an additional visually accessible trait linked to stress, although further research is needed to assess its general applicability. In summary, this study suggests potential extensions to the current repertoire of non-invasive welfare indicators for farmed fish and provides a foundation for continued research into behavioral welfare monitoring in Atlantic salmon.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"293 ","pages":"Article 106857"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145425512","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}