Total Number Of Animals Research Articles

Meat production and quality two unique properties of young camels

(texte complet en anglais)Eighteen one-hump black (Majaheem) young camels were used to study growth rate and carcass percentage. The animals were selected and bought of similar age (about six months) and weight (around 150 kg). They were assigned randomly into three feeding groups. Each group was fed two types of rations: (A) concentrated pellets 18% crude protein at the rate of 1.5% CWT; and (B) one of three types of roughage: (a) alfalfa hay, (b) Rhodes grass hay, or (c) wheat straw treated with ammonia gas. Roughage was weighed and fed ad libitum. The experiment was ended when anirnals were about 14 months of age. Average body weights were 315, 298.8 and 291.4 kg for the three groups, respectively. Average daily gains for the three respective groups were 932, 803 and 767 g per day. Average carcass weights/kg (and carcass percentages) of each group were 180.6 (57.3%) for alfalfa, 170.7 (57.1%) for Rhodes and 168.1 (57.7%) for treated straw. Average forequarters weights/kg (and percentages to the carcass) were 98.9 (54.8%), 95.6 (56%) and 88.1 (52.4%) for the three groups, respectively. The hindquarters average weights/kg (and percentages) for the three respective groups were: 81,7 (45.2%), 75.1 (44%) and 80 (47.6%). Eight-year records (1986-1994) on carcasses of carnels, cattle and sheep were obtained from Riyadh Modem Slaughterhouse. The total number of animals killed was 3,891,301. Comparisons were made between the number of anirnals killed and the number of carcasses destroyed for each of the three species. It was found that on average for every carnel carcass destroyed 12 carcasses of cattle and 19 carcasses of sheep were destroyed. These results show clearly that camels produce the most hygienic meat for human consumption in comparison with cattle and sheep.

Parameter estimates for greasy fleece weight of Rambouillet sheep at different ages.

Variance components for greasy fleece weight in Rambouillet sheep were estimated. Greasy fleece weight was modeled either as repeated measurements on the same trait or as different traits at different ages. The original data were separated according to the age of the ewe at shearing into three classes; 1 yr, 2 and 3 yr, and older than 3 yr. An animal model was used to obtain estimates of genetic parameters with a REML algorithm. Total numbers of animals in pedigrees for the different age classes were 696, 729, and 573, respectively, and 822 for the repeated measures model across ages. The animal model included direct genetic, permanent environmental, and residual environmental random effects and fixed effects for age of ewe, shearing date as contemporary group, and number of lambs born. Days between shearings was used as a covariate. Single-trait analyses were initially done to obtain starting values for multiple-trait analyses. A repeated measures model across ages was also used. Estimates of heritability by age group were .42, .50, and .58 from three-trait (age class) analyses and for the repeated measures model the estimate was .57. Estimates of genetic correlations between fleece yields for 1 yr and 2 and 3 yr, 1 yr and >3 yr, and 2 and 3 yr and >3 yr classes were .88, .89, and .97, respectively. These estimates of genetic correlations suggest that a repeated measures model for greasy fleece weight is adequate for making selection decisions.

A long-term study of the recovery of the macrozoobenthos on large defaunated plots on a tidal flat in the Wadden Sea

The process of recovery of the macrozoobenthos community on tidal flats after disturbance by anoxia was studied by monitoring changes in the macrozoobenthos over periods of up to 4.5 year within and around eleven defaunated squares of about 120 m 2 each. Regardless of the season, nearly all species that were present in the surrounding area had settled again in the central parts of the plots within 6 months, though their numbers were generally low if only a winter half-year had elapsed. The total numbers of macrobenthic animals reached values similar to those of the surrounding areas as soon as the recovery period had included at least one summer. Numerical recovery thus proceeded much faster if it started in spring than in autumn. As opposed to species richness and total number of animals, biomass recovery needed several years, as did the recovery of the size and age structure of the long-lived species. Most species settled primarily as early postlarvae in summer, a few species ( Macoma balthica, Arenicola marina) also in high numbers as juveniles in winter. Moreover, several species showed slow colonisation in all seasons by adults transported by tidal currents or moving across the sediment. Seasonal migration abilities of the constituent species and their life stages appear to be the most important mechanism explaining the course of the recovery of the infaunal community on tidal flats. The extraordinarily successful settlement of larvae of several species within still sparsely populated plots led to (sometimes substantially) higher densities of these species within than outside the plots. Such abundance overshoots were not only frequently observed in short-lived opportunistic species (such as Pygospio elegans and Capitella capitata) but also in the juveniles of several long-lived species (such as Macoma balthica and Mya arenaria). It is concluded that inhibition outside rather than facilitation within the plots was an important cause of these abundance overshoots.

Decision rules for small vaccine experiments with binary outcomes based on conditional and expected power and size of the Fisherexact test

Vaccine experiments with a binary outcome typically use a small number of animals for financial and ethical reasons. The choice of a design, characterized by the total number of animals and the allocation of animals to treated and control groups, needs to be based on an assessment of change in expected size and power, with corresponding changes in the nominal significance level. This paper shows how an analysis of the conditional and the expected size and power of the Fisher-exact test, given predicted values for the proportions of success in control and treated groups, can lead to appropriate decision rules.

The value of titration experiments: a reply to Moody et al. (1996)

Behavioural ecology has been remarkably successful as a discipline, in part because much of the theory that has been developed is readily testable through manipulative experiments in the laboratory and the ®eld. Although the preferred currency for most theories is ®tness, it has usually been possible to incorporate modi®cations or simplifying assumptions that allow the use of more readily observed, surrogate measures of ®tness. Admittedly this does require some compromise, but in the grand tradition of behavioural ecology this trade-o€ is easy to solve: the bene®ts outweigh the costs. Moody et al. (1996) (henceforth referred to as MHM), explored the role that risk dilution will have on the results of experiments that investigate predation risk ± foraging trade-o€s. Assuming that the probability of being killed by a predator is inversely related to the number of animals feeding at a site, they developed a model that incorporates risk dilution into ideal free distributions (IFDs) under predation risk. Due to risk dilution, their model suggests that patch choice decisions will be a€ected not only by the presence of predators and relative food availability, but also by the total number of animals. Their suggestions are very useful in advancing our theoretical understanding of this problem. However, we disagree with their critical assessment of the use of the IFDs as an experimental tool to quantify decisions involving con icting demands. In 1989, Abrahams and Dill (henceforth referred to as AD) published a paper that described an experimental technique that could be used to quantify the energetic equivalence of the risk of predation and, more importantly, presented the results of experiments that tested its validity. The approach is based upon a continuous-input IFD. With this type of IFD, when food is the only parameter that describes patch quality, the spatial distribution of the foragers will match the spatial distribution of their food. A large number of authors have demonstrated that under experimental conditions, animals closely conform to an IFD (for a review see Milinski and Parker 1991). Incorporation of an additional patch parameter (i.e. the risk of predation) should result in a change in the spatial distribution of animals that re ects the relative change in patch quality. Di€erences in individual intake rates will then provide a measure of the assessed value of this parameter from the animals' perspective, and can be determined empirically. This approach describes our ®rst experiment. Our second experiment then tested a prediction (derived from the results of the ®rst experiment) concerning how much additional food must be added to the dangerous patch in order for the foragers to consider it equivalent to the safe patch. To make this prediction, we assumed a linear relationship between energy and ®tness. This was not intended to describe the actual relationship between these two parameters, but to make it possible to interpret deviations in the spatial distribution with respect to the relationship between energy and ®tness. For example, if more animals than we predicted used the dangerous location after the addition of extra food, then we concluded that the ®tness bene®ts of the patch increased by more than the manipulated energy bene®ts. Conversely, if the addition of extra food resulted in fewer animals than predicted using the dangerous location, then we concluded that the ®tness bene®ts of the patch increased by less than the manipulated energy bene®ts. These experiments demonstrated that even with the linearity assumption, we could fairly accurately predict the amount of additional food that must be added to a dangerous patch to o€set the risk of predation. MHM were critical of this approach for three reasons: (1) our calculations did not incorporate risk dilution; (2) the relationship between ®tness and energy should have no in uence on the calculations necessary to Behav Ecol Sociobiol (1998) 44: 147±148 O Springer-Verlag 1998

Evaluation of a Mark-Resighting Technique for Woodland Caribou in Newfoundland

We evaluated properties of the Petersen mark-resight technique for estimating the population size of 6 woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) herds in Newfoundland. Our objective was to determine the robustness and efficiency of a novel marking technique for estimating population size of caribou where sightability bias is marginal. We marked caribou with pressurized oil-alkyde paint applied from a helicopter. Resighting surveys were conducted 2-3 weeks later. Data from 15 radiocollared animals indicated populations were closed and marks were not lost. The probability of resighting a marked individual was independent of group size, which indicated heterogeneity in sighting probabilities had a marginal effect on the reliability of population estimates. Thus, most of the fundamental assumptions of the Petersen estimate were supported. Although we could not assess accuracy of this method, the degree of precision was dependent primarily on the number of marked animals resighted. Increasing the initial number of marked individuals did not significantly reduce the width of confidence intervals unless the total number of animals resighted also was increased. However, due to the efficiency of marking many animals in a short period, more effort can be allocated to resighting surveys without increasing costs. We believe this technique should provide a cost-effective method for obtaining precise population estimates of woodland caribou and other large mammals where sightability bias is low.

Modification of body composition by altering the dietary lysine to energy ratio during rearing and the effect on reproductive performance of gilts

AbstractFifty-four lean genotype crossbred gilts were allocated at 118 days of age among three diets with different protein concentrations to give lysine: energy (g/MJ digestible energy) ratios: high (0·9), medium (0·6) and low (0·3) given twice daily at 2·9 × maintenance energy. At 160 days of age, gilts were treated with exogenous gonadotropin (PG600™) and animals were examined daily for signs of oestrus. Animals were slaughtered after the second oestrus, if they had shown behavioural oestrus, or at the age of 212 days. Reproductive tracts were recovered for counting of corpora lutea and albicantia. L gilts were lighter than M or H gilts at puberty induction (80, 95, 97 (s.e. 0·73) kg for L, M, H respectively, P < 0·001), with greater backfat thickness (10·8,10·0, 9·2 (s.e. 0·21) mm P2,P < 0·001), lesser longissimus muscle depth (57·4, 65·9, 64·3 (s.e. 0·77) mm, P < 0·001) and poorer food conversion ratio during rearing (3·87, 2·48, 2·42 (s.e. 0·098) kg food per kg gain, P < 0·001). There was no statistically significant difference in the total number of animals that responded to the puberty induction, although L had a greater latency to oestrus than H. Ovulation rate at this induced oestrus was significantly lower in L gilts than in M or H gilts (12·5, 17·3, 21·5 (s.e. 1·32), P < 0·02). A lower proportion ofL, compared with M or H gilts showed spontaneous ovulation in a subsequent cycle (0·15, 0·75, 0·77, %2 = 12·72, P < 0·005). It proved possible, by means of low protein (lysine) diets, to increase body fat reserves in breeding gilts but protein restriction in the rearing phase negatively affected aspects of reproductive performance.

分離漁獲装置付き２階式小型底曳網の分離効果

A two-level beam trawl was developed with a square-mesh separator panel in it to separate marketable fish and shrimp from non-commercial crabs and smaller fish. The net-mouth of the lower cod-end in the two-level trawl gear was covered with a square-mesh net panel as a separator. Fishing experiments of the gear were conducted with a chartered trawler off Shimonoseki city in October 1995. Two square-mesh net panels of 40 and 50mm mesh bars were used in the fishing experiments. The net mouth openings of the upper and lower cod-end associated with the efficiency of the separator were measured. The total number of animals caught in 7 hauls was nearly 2, 300. Separation efficiencies defined as the ratio of the catch in the upper cod-end to the total catch of 11 species were compared by two mesh bar sizes. Non-commercial crabs passed through the separator panel and then entered in the lower one, while shrimp were caught in the upper cod-end although its body was enough small to pass through the separator. Separation efficiencies of the main 6 species plotted versus bodysize indicate that the separator has size-selectivity to some extent. Thus, the gear was useful to catch fish of marketable size and shrimp in the upper cod-end.

Effects of food level on performance and behaviour of sows in a dynamic group-housing system with electronic feeding

AbstractEvidence from studies of group-housed sows in unbedded systems indicates that hunger may be a cause of increased aggression between animals. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of food level on performance, aggression and skin damage in a deep-straw system. Sixteen groups offive gilts were introduced over 8 months to one of two dynamic groups in a deep-straw yard (2·35 m2per sow) receiving different food levels from an electronic sow-feeding system: high (H: 3·0 kg and 38 MJ/day) and low (L: 1·6 kg and 20 MJ/day). Seventy second-parity sows were returned to the same treatments in the same subgroups. The behaviour of the animals was recorded throughout both pregnancies using a time sampling technique. Severity of skin damage was recorded as a number from 0 to 4 for each of nine areas, the average of which being the ‘damage score’. The total number of animals in each dynamic group was maintained at around 30, through the use of additional sows. As expected, H sows were heavier than L sows but no effect offood treatment was found on litter size or performance. L sows were more active (Lv.H; standing: 41v.31% of total observation time respectively, F114 = 7·65,P< 0·05) and showed more straw manipulation than H sows (Lv.H: 17v.10% respectively, F 3 34 = 18·4,P< 0·001). No differences between treatments were found either in number of aggressive interactions (Lv.H: 3·6v.3·8 interactions per sow per observation day, F, u = 0·82, P > 0·05), or in damage score (Lv.H: 0·24v.0·28; Flu = 0·27; P > 0·05).However, introduction of new animals did influence aggression, with sows being more involved in aggressive interactions on the day they were introduced, than on other sow's introduction days and on no introduction days (Tukey,P< 0·05). Average skin lesions per experimental sow were also higher in the days immediately following introduction. It can be concluded that in a sequential feeding system with plentiful straw, aggression is not influenced by the level offeeding. In these systems, the major factor giving rise to aggression is the introduction of new sows to the resident group.

An Evaluation of Some Marking and Trapping Techniques Currently Used in the Study of Anuran Population Dynamics

An Evaluation of Some Marking and Trapping Techniques Currently Used in the Study of Anuran Population Dynamics

Prolongation of life span in hypertensive rats by dietary interventions. Effects of garlic and linseed oil.

The effects of long-term dietary application of garlic (dried powder, 0.5% in weight of standard chow; G group) or linseed oil (2.5%; L group) as well as a combination of both interventions (L + G group) on the life span of hypertensive rats (SHR SP) was investigated. A further group fed with standard chow served as control (C). The dietary interventions were started at the age of three weeks. Besides regular measurements of the systolic arterial blood pressure (oscillometrically at the tail artery) as well as of heart rate and body weight, autopsy and histological investigations were performed. Both diets, and particularly their combination, prolonged life span significantly (mean values (days) C: 434.5 +/- 23.5; G: 453.2 +/- 16.2; L: 470.0 +/- 26.2; L + G: 494.8 +/- 39.2). There was no significant interaction of the factors garlic and linseed oil. Systolic blood pressure as measured during the compensatory stage (data used until the 39th week of life) was significantly lowered by both garlic (mean -5.8 mm Hg), linseed oil (mean -6.3 mm Hg), and their combination (mean -11.3 mm Hg). The animals died as a consequence of congestive left and right ventricular failure with ventricular hypertrophy, dilatation, myocardial fibrosis and cellular infiltration, left ventricular atrial thrombosis (in most cases), and terminal pneumonia. On the other hand, arteriosclerotic plaques and signs of cerebral stroke could not be detected. Except for the degree of hypertrophy, which was lower in the treated groups, no differences were obvious regarding the morphological findings at the time of death. There was a significant positive correlation between mean blood pressure and the degree of left ventricular hypertrophy. Furthermore, a significant negative correlation between mean blood pressure and ventricular hypertrophy on the one hand and survival on the other hand was obvious provided the total number of animals was considered, however, not within the individual groups. The same applies to the relation between the reduction of left ventricular hypertrophy and life span. The relatively slight hypotensive effect of both dietary interventions as well as the results of previous investigations speaks in favor of a substantial influence of factors independent of blood pressure. In view of controversial results and interpretations in international literature, the mechanisms involved need further study.

APPLICATION OF MARK–RECAPTURE MODELS TO ESTIMATION OF THE POPULATION SIZE OF PLANTS

Mark-recapture models have been widely used in ecology to estimate pop- ulation sizes of animals. In contrast, estimation of plant population size has usually been assumed to be much easier. However, detection of individuals is difficult for perennial plants, such as the rare prairie plant Mead's milkweed ( Asclepias meadii), which does not produce aboveground parts every year and lives in dense vegetation where nonflowering stems are hard to observe. In these cases, a count of the number of plants observed in a particular year may greatly underestimate the true population size, just as a count of animals in traps does not adequately estimate the total number of animals in an area. Using a family of closed population models (CAPTURE), we applied mark-recapture methodology to estimate population size of A. meadii. Over a 4-yr period, a total of 129 patches (aggregated collections of stems) was observed, with 124 flowering in at least one year. In any one year, however, the number of flowering patches ranged from 15 to 105. Using model M th of CAPTURE with these data, the estimated number of patches capable of flowering was 219. Although the confidence interval is broad (95% confidence interval of 175-302), these results emphasize that the observed number of patches in any one year, or even over a 4-yr period, underestimates the actual population size.

Commingled grazing as a risk factor for trichomonosis in beef herds

Objective To evaluate commingled grazing on public lands as a risk factor for Tritrichomonas foetus infection in beef herd bulls. Design Case-control study. Sample Population Based on 1994 data from the mandatory ldaho bull testing program, all 65 infected herds (case herds), 78 randomly selected test-negative herds that tested < 10 nonvirgin bulls, and 81 randomly selected test-negative herds that tested > 10 nonvirgin bulls (control herds). Procedure Managers of government-owned grazing lands in Idaho identified producers who had grazing permits for an allotment under their jurisdiction in 1993 and for that allotment recorded the number of animals the producer was permitted to graze on the allotment, the number of herds with grazing permits, the total number of animals permitted, and the dates on which grazing began and ended. The number of bulls tested, number of times tested, and test results were collated from the testing database. Results The relative sensitivity of bacterial culture of preputial smegma was 81%. The attributable fraction of T foetus infection associated with commingled grazing was 33%, and the odds ratio of infection was 9.0 for herds commingled with ≥ 14 other herds. The total number of animals permitted on an allotment, the use of public lands, and type of public lands used were not significantly associated with infection status. Clinical Implications These results suggest that to control the spread of trichomonosis, the number of herds commingling on a grazing allotment should be minimized and commingled herds should be managed collectively. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 1996;209:643-646)

A case-control study on the association of selected risk factors with the occurrence of bovine tuberculosis in the Republic of Ireland

We did a case-control study on the association between the occurrence of bovine tuberculosis in herds in the East Offaly area and a number of possible risk factors: herd size, the purchasing of cattle, the herd history, the status of contiguous herds, distance to the nearest badger sett, and animal factors such as age, breed and animal type. The characteristics of 100 herds that had a confirmed outbreak of tuberculosis at a herd test in 1988 were compared with those from an equal number of herds that passed at least one tuberculin test during that year. The study base consisted of 1379 herds mainly from the eastern part of County Offaly. The data were analysed at both herd and animal levels. Factors that were associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis breakdowns at the herd level were (i) the total number of animals in the herd and (ii) the restriction of a contiguous herd for tuberculosis within a period of 6 months prior to or following the herd under study. A number of factors were associated with an animal having an increased risk of failing a tuberculin test. After adjusting for all other variables in the model, cows, heifers and bullocks were 10.3, 14.8 and 8.0 times, respectively, more likely to fail a tuberculin test than calves. Cattle that had teen purchased since the previous herd test were less likely to fail a tuberculin test compared with cattle that had been present at the time of the preceding herd test.

A case-control study on the association of selected risk factors with the occurrence of bovine tuberculosis in the Republic of Ireland

We did a case-control study on the association between the occurrence of bovine tuberculosis in herds in the East Offaly area and a number of possible risk factors; herd size, the purchasing of cattle, the herd history, the0 status of contiguous herds, distance to the nearest badger sett, and animal factors such as age, breed and animal type. The characteristics of 100 herds that had a confirmed outbreak of tuberculosis at a herd test in 1988 were compared with those from an equal number of herds that passed at least one tuberculin test during that year. The study base consisted of 1379 herds mainly from the eastern part of County Offaly. The data were analysed at both herd and animal levels. Factors that were associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis breakdowns at the herd level were (i) the total number of animals in the herd, and (ii) the restriction of a contiguous herd for tuberculosis within a period of 6 months prior to or following the herd under study. A number of factors were associated with an animal having an increased risk of failing a tuberculin test. After adjusting for all other variables in the model, cows, heifers and bullocks were 10.3, 14.8 and 8.0 times, respectively, more likely to fail a tuberculin test than calves. Cattle that had been purchased since the previous herd test were less likely to fail a tuberculin test compared with cattle that had been present at the time of the preceding herd test.

Evolution of the Census Methods and Pellet Group Counts of Deer

Deer populations have specific characteristics, including population size (total number of animals) or density (animals per unit area) and recruitment rates. Interactions between birth and death rates lead to changes in population size and density. On the other hand, deer populations prefer some parts of their habitats to others. In many cases, information about the changes or trend of the population and habitat preference is easier to obtain than absolute estimates by comparing pellet counts in different times or in different areas. And among the indirect counts pellet-group counts have widely being used. In this report, methods of some direct (drive count and aerial count) and pellet-group count techniques, evolution in the pellet counts and main points in practices of pellet count techniques were discussed.

Analysis of animal pharmacokinetic data: performance of the one point per animal design.

A simulation study was carried out to determine the impact of various design factors on the accuracy and precision with which population pharmacokinetic parameters are estimated in preclinical pharmacokinetic studies. A drug given by intravenous bolus injection and having mono-exponential disposition characteristics was assumed. The factors investigated were (i) number of animals sampled at specified times with one observation taken per animal, (ii) error in observed concentration measurements, and (iii) doubling the number of observations per animal while varying the number of animals. Data were analyzed with the NONMEM program, and the least number of animals per time point (where each animal supplied one concentration-time point) required for accurate and precise parameter estimation was determined. The one observation per animal design yielded biased and imprecise estimates of variability, and residual variability could not be estimated. Increasing the error in the concentration measurement led to a significant deterioration in the accuracy and precision with which variability was estimated. Obtaining a second sample from each animal practically eliminated bias and facilitated the partitioning of interanimal variability and residual intraanimal variability, by introducing information about the latter. Doubling the total number of observations per animal required using half (i.e., 50) the total number of animals required for accurate and precise parameter estimation with the one sample per animal design.

The guinea pig maximization test--with a multiple dose design.

The guinea pig maximization test (GPMT) is usually performed with one moderately irritant induction dose of the allergen and gives a qualitative assessment-hazard identification-of the allergenicity of the chemical. We refined the GPMT by applying a multiple dose design and used 30 guinea pigs in a test divided into a control group and 5 test groups of 5 animals. Each group was treated with different induction concentrations of the allergens: formaldehyde, cinnamic aldehyde, propyl paraben, lidocaine, mercaptobenzothiazole or chlormethylisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone. The test results were analysed using a logistic multidose response model. The precision of the results depends only on the total number of animals, the dose design and the response pattern. The maximal sensitization rate for a chemical was determined, and the intracutaneous induction concentration that sensitized 50% of the animals (EC50) (or another percentage) was estimated. Further studies are needed to prove the validity of this idea. However, improvements in protocols for the GPMT are needed to reduce interlaboratory variability in results and to reduce the number of animals used for allergenicity tests.

The influence of colonic temperature changes in anaesthetised rats on tail skin temperatures and repeated testing of tail-flick latencies

Tail-flick (TF) response latencies were measured in pentobarbitone-anaesthetized rats and variations with time, body and tail temperatures and 5 tail stimuli positions analysed with a mixed model analysis of variance. Variation with time was not significant. Highly significant differences (P < 0.001) were found between tail-flick latencies (TFU) for tail temperatures and stimulus position. The most proximal tail position showed significantly different relationships for TFL with time and body temperature from other positions. The method described allows multiple TFU to be measured in 1 animal with the potential of reducing the total number of animals in an experiment. Tail stimuli positions from proximal to distal sites showed a variation in response from 4.3 sec (95% Cl: 4.2, 4.4) to 6.7 sec (95% Cl: 6.6, 6.9). Rat tail stimulus position should therefore be standardised to allow reproducible measures of TFL and body temperature maintained within normal limits. TFLs were found to be abnormal at body temperatures above 39°C.

Comparison of daytime use between platform types, materials, ceilings and experiences in juvenile blue foxes ( Alopex lagopus)

The current European recommendations require that each weaned fox shall be provided with a resting platform in its cage. In the present study, daytime platform use between two platform types (wooden side-U ( n = 58) vs. wooden corner flat ( n = 38)), materials (wood ( n = 112) vs. net ( n = 38)), ceilings (23 cm ( n = 112) vs. 30 cm ( n = 36)) and pre-weaning platform experiences (experience ( n = 58) vs. no-experience ( n = 54)) were compared in juvenile blue foxes ( Alopex lagopus) (total number of animals, n = 264). The statistical analyses were based on the mixed-model approach to the repeated measurements. The type comparison indicated that platform type significantly affected the amount of its use. The wooden side-U was highly preferred by the test animals but use of the wooden corner flat was minimal. Net proved to be a suitable platform material because use of net platforms was not substantially lower than that of the corresponding wooden ones and furthermore, foxes' faeces do not accumulate on them. In both material groups platform use declined similarly from the beginning of August until mid-November. The low ceiling was slightly prefered by females over the high ceiling even after the effect of weight on platform use had been eliminated. In males no such preference was observed. Pre-weaning platform experience increased post-weaning platform use significantly in the wooden corner flat group but not unambiguously in the wooden side-U group. The present results support the conclusion that the recent recommendations of European Convention should be subjected to reconsideration in order to provide more specific guidelines.