Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Melissa N. Hempstead, Taylor M. Lindquist, Jan K. Shearer, Leslie C. Shearer, Paul J. Plummer
Summary: There is a rapid expansion of dairy goat farming in the Midwestern United States, but limited information is available for producers in this region. This study surveyed 30 dairy goat farms to gain insight into husbandry practices related to health, welfare, and production and to identify areas for future research. The study highlighted the need for research in areas such as pain relief for husbandry practices, education and training programs, early kid management, and hoof trimming.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Lisa Kalnins, Oliver Krueger, E. Tobias Krause
Summary: This study proposes a novel plumage scoring system for small songbirds, using the example of the Zebra Finch, and compares it with the traditional fat score. The results show that the plumage score has higher reliability and can be taught to other observers. This scoring method may be an important tool for assessing the well-being of captive animals.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Melissa N. Hempstead, Taylor M. Lindquist, Jan K. Shearer, Leslie C. Shearer, Vanessa M. Cave, Paul J. Plummer
Summary: This study conducted welfare assessment of lactating dairy goats on 30 farms in the Midwestern US and identified the most prevalent welfare issues, offering valuable information for improving commercial dairy goat welfare in the region.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Abbie Loader, Paul Rose
Summary: This study observed the flock position and association preferences of juvenile Greater Flamingos and Caribbean Flamingos in zoos using photography records. The results showed that juvenile Greater Flamingos preferred to associate with individuals of their own age and were mostly positioned at the periphery of the flock, while juvenile Caribbean Flamingos did not segregate themselves from adults. Therefore, it is recommended to provide spacious enclosures in zoos to allow young flamingos to separate from adults and avoid the negative effects of high aggression rates.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Ria van Dyke, Melanie Connor, Amy Miele
Summary: A survey of veterinarians in New Zealand revealed that most veterinarians believe that a multimodal approach is the most effective method for managing perioperative pain in calves, while also identifying barriers that may hinder the use of pain management on-farm. Demographic differences were found to influence veterinary perceptions towards perioperative pain management, but overall there is considerable support among veterinarians for improving pain mitigation in calves and strengthening minimum provisions for calf welfare.
Article
Infectious Diseases
J. Jeffrey Root, Jeremy W. Ellis, Susan A. Shriner
Summary: The study experimentally manipulated the flock size of European starlings to assess the potential of influenza A virus transmission to bobwhite quail. It provided evidence that even relatively small flocks of starlings can collectively transmit the virus to highly susceptible gallinaceous bird species. Future research should assess if starlings can transmit IAVs to other poultry species commonly found in backyard or free-range settings.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Mona F. F. Giersberg, T. Bas Rodenburg
Summary: Cage-free housing for pullets and laying hens is gaining popularity worldwide. This paper provides a comprehensive review of different cage-free rearing systems for pullets, including floor systems, multi-tier systems, systems with access to covered verandas or free-range areas, and organic systems. It emphasizes the importance of researching the health and welfare status of pullets during the rearing period, as most studies focus on the later laying period. The paper also highlights the need for further research on free-range and organic housing systems, as well as evaluating the environmental, economic, and food safety aspects of cage-free rearing for pullets.
WORLDS POULTRY SCIENCE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Saskia Neubert, Alexandra von Altrock, Michael Wendt, Matthias Gerhard Wagener
Summary: The keeping of llamas and alpacas is becoming increasingly popular, leading to an increasing need for veterinarians to provide consultation on individual animal treatment or herd care and management. A survey showed that the majority of owners keep South American camelids as hobby animals, while also using them for wool production and breeding. Vaccination and deworming are carried out on more than 80% of farms, with the most common diseases being endo- and ectoparasites.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Clifford Warwick, Catrina Steedman, Mike Jessop, Rachel Grant
Summary: Simple Summary Definitions and usage of the terms short-term, temporary, and transitional are pivotal to animal husbandry and welfare. English Government guidance regarding acceptable short-term, temporary, or transitional accommodation for animals varies widely from <1 day to 3 months; whereas independent scientific criteria and guidance typically use periods of hours to several days. Stipulations regarding acceptable short-term accommodations, notably among English Government guidance, are highly inconsistent and lack scientific rationale. The definitions and use of the terms short-term, temporary, and transitional (for both formal and other guidance) should be limited to precautionary time frames within one circadian cycle, i.e., periods of <24 h. At >= 24 h, all animals at all facilities should be accommodated in conditions that are consistent with long-term housing, husbandry, and best practices. The terms short-term, temporary, and transitional are related but can have different contexts and meanings for animal husbandry. The definitions and use of these terms can be pivotal to animal housing and welfare.
Review
Veterinary Sciences
Monika Burns
Summary: The use of common marmosets in biomedical research has increased in recent years, but there is a need for additional guidelines on their care and use. This manuscript reviews relevant publications and provides comprehensive guidance to promote optimal health and welfare of marmosets in biomedical research settings.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Fisheries
Zonghang Zhang, Wuhan Lin, Yunqi Li, Xianyu Yuan, Xianqing He, Hancheng Zhao, Jiezhang Mo, Jianqing Lin, Liangliang Yang, Bo Liang, Xiumei Zhang, Wenhua Liu
Summary: In recent years, the issue of fish welfare in aquaculture systems has gained significant attention. Environmental enrichment (EE) has shown great potential for improving fish welfare, but there are discrepancies in the results of different studies. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying the effects of physical enrichment (PE) on fish welfare. PE has been shown to have positive effects on fish captive welfare, but its impact on disease resistance and reproductive success is limited. For fish post-release fitness, PE has potential for improving natural behaviors and individual fitness, but the results are mixed. The positive impact of PE on fish mental state has been consistently reported. This review provides valuable insights and recommendations for future research and practical application of EE strategies in the aquaculture industry and hatchery release projects.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Renee S. Willis, Emma J. Dunston-Clarke, Leah R. Keating, Patricia A. Fleming, Teresa Collins
Summary: There is significant societal concern for animal welfare in the Australian live export industry, with industry workers displaying a strong understanding and positive attitude towards animal welfare concepts. Workers from various roles within the industry demonstrated a commitment to improving animal welfare and agreed that livestock should be treated with respect. Despite some minor variations in beliefs or attitudes based on industry roles, the majority of workers shared similar views on the importance of animal welfare.
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Gabriel M. Dallago, Kevin M. Wade, Roger I. Cue, J. T. McClure, Rene Lacroix, Doris Pellerin, Elsa Vasseur
Summary: This paper explores the metrics used to measure dairy cow longevity and its status in high milk-producing countries, emphasizing the relationship between longevity, age at first calving, length of productive life, and profitability. Increasing cow longevity can reduce health costs, increase profitability, improve animal welfare, and contribute to a more sustainable dairy industry.
Article
Ecology
Alexander Hutfluss, Eira Bermudez-Cuamatzin, Alexia Mouchet, Mark Briffa, Hans Slabbekoorn, Niels J. Dingemanse
Summary: Predictable behavior, such as stable singing in bird songs, can be favored in certain ecological contexts. However, the costs associated with producing stable phenotypes imply that selection should also favor plasticity in stability when beneficial. The study found evidence for plasticity in stability in male great tits' songs, specifically in the minimum frequency and phrase length. Food supplementation increased stability in minimum frequency, but this effect was only observed in one year and in interaction with unknown ecological factors. Additionally, stable singers did not have higher reproductive success.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sabrina Brando, Lillian Basom, Meredith Bashaw, Caitlin Druyor, Ellen Fonte, Roger Thompson
Summary: Coercion and non-voluntary procedures can lead to fear and maladaptive behaviors in captive animals, affecting animal welfare. Positive reinforcement training has been shown to reduce fear responses and encourage voluntary cooperation in various species. Individualized target training can facilitate voluntary movement of captive animals, benefiting both animals and caretakers.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Clare Andrews, Jonathon Dunn, Daniel Nettle, Melissa Bateson
Summary: Individual differences in interval timing imprecision, specifically fixed and proportional components, are linked to impulsivity, with greater fixed imprecision associated with more impulsive choices and greater proportional imprecision associated with fewer impulsive choices. This study suggests that understanding the role of timing imprecision in impulsivity may help clarify contradictory observations in the literature.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Oluwaseun S. Iyasere, Melissa Bateson, Andrew P. Beard, Jonathan H. Guy
Summary: The experiment showed significant differences in temperature, behavior, and feed intake of broilers exposed to high temperature and humidity environments. Providing additional drinkers helped reduce temperature changes but increased heat loss.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL WELFARE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Daniel Nettle, Shahinaz M. Gadalla, Tsung-Po Lai, Ezra Susser, Melissa Bateson, Abraham Aviv
Summary: Research indicates that longitudinal study designs are more effective than cross-sectional studies in testing the impact of environmental or disease exposures on telomere length, reducing measurement errors. Results demonstrate that SB has greater statistical power than qPCR when measuring telomere length changes.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
O. S. Iyasere, M. Bateson, A. P. Beard, J. H. Guy
Summary: With the increase in global warming, future heat waves are predicted to have higher frequency, intensity, and duration. A study on broiler chickens found that high heat stress had the greatest impact on various parameters, followed by moderate heat stress, while the control group showed the lowest levels.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Jackie Shinwell, Melissa Bateson, Daniel Nettle, Gillian Pepper
Summary: This study aimed to identify the dietary intake correlates of food insecurity in UK adults. The findings showed that food insecure participants had a less diverse diet with fewer distinct foods per meal, and more variable time gaps between meals. These associations were consistent with a recent US study, highlighting the importance of temporal irregularity in dietary intake as a component of food insecurity.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Melissa Bateson, Clare Andrews, Jonathon Dunn, Charlotte B. C. M. Egger, Francesca Gray, Molly Mchugh, Daniel Nettle
Summary: Food insecurity-induced weight gain results from animals increasing their energetic efficiency, rather than increasing their food consumption.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Clare Andrews, Erica Zuidersma, Simon Verhulst, Daniel Nettle, Melissa Bateson
Summary: Birds exposed to food insecurity respond adaptively by storing more energy, but at the expense of somatic maintenance and repair. This is manifested in increased body weight and fat scores, as well as slower feather regrowth and reduced erythrocyte telomere lengths.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katarina C. Stuart, William B. Sherwin, Jeremy J. Austin, Melissa Bateson, Marcel Eens, Matthew C. Brandley, Lee A. Rollins
Summary: During the Anthropocene, habitat loss, climate change, species migration and invasion have significantly affected the Earth. This study focused on the common starling and found evidence of parallel and divergent evolutionary changes between the native and invasive populations, highlighting the importance of adaptation in both ranges. Including historical samples in genetic studies of invasion proved valuable in understanding the evolutionary mechanisms of species' persistence or perish in new or changing environments.
Correction
Biology
O. S. Iyasere, M. Bateson, A. P. Beard, J. H. Guy
Summary: Due to global warming, there is expected to be an increase in the frequency, intensity, and duration of heat waves. This study found that exposure to high heat stress had significant effects on both core and surface body temperatures of broiler chickens. The duration of exposure to heat stress was a critical factor in determining the magnitude of these effects.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Melissa Bateson, Ryan Nolan
Summary: Birds such as European starlings respond to environmental challenges by changing weight rapidly, but traditional laboratory studies involving frequent weighing can cause stress and lack ecological validity. A novel technology utilizing smart feeders allows for continuous recording of foraging behavior and body mass in a more natural setting, improving data quality and potentially enhancing understanding of weight regulation in birds. The social foraging system enables refined data collection on operant foraging behavior and body mass, providing insights into individual variation in daily energy requirements and potential for improving mass regulation understanding in starlings and other species.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Katarina C. Stuart, Richard J. Edwards, Yuanyuan Cheng, Wesley C. Warren, David W. Burt, William B. Sherwin, Natalie R. Hofmeister, Scott J. Werner, Gregory F. Ball, Melissa Bateson, Matthew C. Brandley, Katherine L. Buchanan, Phillip Cassey, David F. Clayton, Tim De Meyer, Simone L. Meddle, Lee A. Rollins
Summary: This study presents the genome assembly and transcriptome data of the European starling, providing valuable resources for population genetic and evolutionary research. The researchers used multiple techniques to generate high-quality genome assemblies and demonstrated the effectiveness of a new tool. This work expands our understanding of avian genomes and offers tools for evaluating and improving genome quality.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Liat Morgan, Rune Isak Dupont Birkler, Shira Shaham-Niv, Yonghui Dong, Tal Wachsman, Lior Carmi, Boris Yakobson, Lihi Adler-Abramovich, Hagit Cohen, Joseph Zohar, Melissa Bateson, Ehud Gazit
Summary: This study investigated the acute systemic impact of major psychological stress on the body using a pig model. The results showed that major psychological stress led to decreases in several important molecular levels, which may be implicated in the pathology of human psychological disorders and neurodegenerative disease. The study provides important insights into the acute effects of psychological stress on the metabolome and suggests potential biomarkers for stress-related disorders.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Biology
Melissa Bateson, Gillian V. Pepper
Summary: Food insecurity is associated with obesity among women in high-income countries. The insurance hypothesis explains this paradoxical association by suggesting that humans have evolved mechanisms to increase fat storage in response to unpredictable access to food. Exposure to food insecurity may lead to increased adiposity through a combination of short-term hyperphagia, increased retained metabolizable energy, and reduced energy expenditure. However, these adaptations may come with trade-offs such as increased disease risk and accelerated aging.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Zoology
Giulia Ciminelli, Claire Witham, David Massey, Melissa Bateson
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Zoology
David Massey, Claire Witham, Melissa Bateson
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY
(2023)