Types Of Environmental Enrichment Research Articles

Зоотехния лабораторных песчанок

For the maintenance of laboratory gerbils, which are a valuable test system in preclinical studies, it is necessary to pay attention to such zootechnical parameters as the conditions of their placement, taking into account the parameters of the microclimate, feeding rations appropriate to their needs, as well as options for providing environmental enrichment. An important process in the maintenance of this type of animal is the selection and provision of a suitable enrichment environment in order to reduce their stress and anxiety levels. In order to maintain the number of available gerbils or increase it, it is necessary to take into account their reproductive indicators, as well as species characteristics when composing parental pairs. To carry out a traditional analysis of the scientific literature on the zootechny of laboratory gerbils. The search for publications was performed in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The review included searchable publications as of September 11, 2023. In this review, the main aspects of keeping gerbils were identified, namely: optimal floor area, frequency of cell replacement, as well as features of proper animal capture, optimal microclimate conditions (permissible temperature, humidity, ventilation and lighting conditions), types of environmental enrichment, feeding and watering of animals depending on their age and physiological conditions, as well as reproductive indicators of gerbils, including features of the selection of parental pairs. When analyzing the literature data, the main recommendations on the maintenance of gerbils were collected, taking into account all zootechnical needs for their placement and reproduction.

The Scent Enriched Primate.

Zoos worldwide play an important role in both in situ and ex situ conservation via efforts such as providing breeding programmes and reintroductions into the wild. Zoo populations are crucial as a buffer against extinction. However, a mismatch between the wild and zoo environments can lead to psychological as well as physiological health issues, such as stress, boredom, diabetes, and obesity. These problems, in turn, can impact the reproductive success of individuals. Consequently, some primate species have reduced breeding success when housed in zoos compared to their wild counterparts. To prevent the onset of behavioural, physiological, and cognitive negative effects and to continually improve the welfare of their animals, zoos widely implement different types of environmental enrichment. There are many forms enrichment can take, such as feeding, puzzles and training, but sensory enrichments, including implementing the use of scents, are currently understudied. Scent enrichments are less utilized despite multiple research studies showing that they may have positive effects on welfare for zoo-housed animal species, including non-human primates. Despite being traditionally considered to be microsmatic, various lines of evidence suggest that olfaction plays a larger role in primates than previously thought. This review therefore focuses on scent-based enrichment and the specifics of captive primates.

Comparing different environmental enrichments for improving the welfare and walking ability of male turkeys.

This study investigated age-related changes in turkey welfare measures (wounds, feather quality (FQ), feather cleanliness, and footpad condition (FCON)) and walking ability (gait) as influenced by different types of environmental enrichment (EE). Tom turkeys (n = 420) were randomly assigned to: straw bale (S), platform (P), platform + straw bale (PS), pecking block (B), tunnel (T) or control (C; no enrichment) group. Welfare measures and gait were assessed at 8, 12, 16 and 19 wk and analyzed using PROC LOGISTIC with Firth bias-correction. Better wing FQ with age was observed in turkeys in S and T groups. Turkeys in the S group had better wing FQ at 16 (P = 0.028) and 19 wk (P = 0.011) vs. 8 wk. Wing FQ (P = 0.008) was better at 19 vs. 8 wk for T turkeys. FCON worsened over time for turkeys in all treatment groups except for the S group. FCON was worse at 19 vs.8 wk for P (P = 0.024), PS (P = 0.039), B (P = 0.011), T (P = 0.004) and C (P = 0.014) turkeys and was worse at 19 vs. 12 wk for B (P = 0.038), T (P = 0.015) and C (P = 0.045) turkeys. FCON was worse at 19 vs. 16 wk for T (P = 0.007) and C (P = 0.048) turkeys. FCON was also worse at 16 vs. 8 wk for B (P = 0.046) turkeys. Gait worsened with increasing age in all treatment groups. Gait was worse at 19 wk for S (P < 0.001), P (P < 0.001), PS (P < 0.001) and B turkeys (P < 0.001) vs. earlier ages, while gait in T (P < 0.001) and C turkeys (P < 0.001) worsened starting at 16 wk.

Enriching Zoo-Housed Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta): Assessing the Influence of Three Types of Environmental Enrichment on Behavior.

Simple SummaryEnvironmental enrichments are frequently used in zoos and aquaria to enhance animal welfare by adding or changing enclosure features and providing animals with new stimuli. We tested three types of enrichments on a zoo-housed group of Lemur catta to assess the integrated effect of enrichment items and environmental and individual factors on the animals’ behavior. We collected data from June to September 2013 using the continuous animal sampling method for a total of 107 hours of observation. We observed the lemurs across five conditions (i.e., baseline, food-related, physical, auditory enrichments and no enrichment provided). We found that enrichments decreased stress-related behaviors, whereas the other behavioral patterns were mainly influenced by environmental and individual parameters. Our results confirmed the importance of applying multivariate research methods to properly evaluate enrichment programs and provided the hosting institution with key information to improve the lemurs’ husbandry and care.Environmental enrichment is a management tool used to promote positive animal welfare by stimulating species-specific behaviors and providing animals with opportunities to exert choice and control over the environment. Our study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of three enrichment types and environmental/individual factors (i.e., individual age and rank position) on the behavior of six adult Lemur catta hosted at Pistoia Zoo (Italy). We collected data from June to September 2013 using a within-subject experimental design consisting of five conditions: Baseline, Food-based enrichment, Physical enrichment, Auditory enrichment and No enrichment provided. We conducted six 30-minute observation sessions per sampling day (total = 107 h). We recorded the animals’ behavior via 2-minute focal animal sampling per individual per observation period and analyzed data with Generalized Linear Models. The study group only performed normal species-specific behaviors. Enrichments decreased stress-related behavioral patterns, whreas environmental and individual factors influenced the other recorded behaviors. Our study confirmed the usefulness of employing an integrated methodological approach to enrichment assessment for enhancing captive lemur care.

An Evaluation of the Uses of Different Environmental Enrichments on a Broiler Farm with the Help of Real-Time Monitoring via a Farmer-Assistant System

Modern broilers are usually raised in barren environments in large enclosed halls. Various environmental enrichment elements such as perches, elevated platforms, and similar structures were proposed for these barns with the aim of improving the welfare and well-being of the birds. This study compares and evaluates three different types of environmental enrichment. In 2 identical barns, 8100 Ross 308 broilers were housed divided between a control group (CG) and a trial group (TG). In the TG, three types of environmental enrichment (perches, elevated platforms, and a combined structure) were used. A real-time monitoring device (FAS = farmer-assistance system) suspended from the ceiling was used in combination with single photographs to count the number of birds on the enrichment elements. In addition, the body weights of individual birds and their foot pad dermatitis (FPD) scores were collected at days 14, 21 and 28 in both barns. No differences in these parameters were seen between TG and CG. Birds showed highest preference for the elevated platforms (average 31.93 kg/m2), followed by the combined structure (average 21.36 kg/m2) and the perches (0.35 kg/m2). Overall, this study shows that Ross 308 broiler birds significantly prefer elevated platforms over combined structures or simple perches.

The Influence of Different Types of Environmental Enrichment on the Performance and Welfare of Broiler Chickens and the Possibilities of Real-Time Monitoring via a Farmer-Assistant System

The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of environmental enrichment on the growth performance, litter and/or air quality as well as animal welfare indicators of broilers. Control groups (CG) and trial groups (TG) were housed under identical conditions during six fattening runs, with the TG having three types of environmental enrichment and a Farmer-Assistant System (FAS). A representative number of 50 birds were weighed and litter samples were taken at d 14, 21 and 28. Additionally, the same broilers were examined for foot pad dermatitis (FPD) on those days. The average bodyweight of the birds in the CG was significantly lower (1671 g) only at d 28 compared to TG (1704 g); at d 14, d 21 and d 33 at the slaughterhouse, no significant differences were observed. The dry matter content in the litter did not significantly differ between CG and TG. Birds housed in CG had significantly higher FPD scores at d 14 (1.24) and d 21 (2.19) compared to those housed in TG (0.73 and 1.52, respectively). No effects on air quality parameters, such as CO2 and NH3, were seen between the groups. Overall, our study shows no negative influences of environmental enrichment on growth performance, litter and air quality.

Possibilities of reducing fearfulness and stress in horses by prophylactic methods and behavioural therapies

The aim of this review was to present the possibilities of minimizing fearfulness and stress in horses by various prophylactic and therapeutic methods. The teaching techniques mentioned in the article (imprint training, habituation, desensitization, counterconditioning) can be successfully used not only during the early development of human-horse interaction, but also during the therapeutic treatment of undesired and stereotypic behaviours. Horses’ activity in the paddock and/or stable can be increased by different types of environmental enrichment (feeding, social, sensory, occupational and physical enrichment). Such environmental variety has a positive influence on equine welfare and can prevent the development of problematic behaviour. Animals living in a highly enriched environment and properly interacting with humans react with lower intensity to environmental stimuli. All these factors have a positive effect on the quality of the human-horse relationship, making the everyday maintenance and use of horses easier and safer.

Animal welfare and environmental enrichment in the domestic breeding and ornamental rearing of geese and mallards

The concept of animal welfare has been widely studied and discussed in recent years. This is a science, which seeks an improvement in the quality of life of animals, ensuring that they have the right to their 5 basic freedoms respected. Animal welfare practices seek to have animals express their natural behavior, even when they are in captivity, ensuring their physical and psychological health. Such techniques help in the adaptation of the animal to the environment, especially in captive animals and in breeding. There is a direct relationship between the implementation of animal welfare practices and the ability of them to adapt and have a good quality of life in the environment in which it was inserted. The growing increase in ornamental bird breeding and as pets has revealed the need to study and ensure welfare practices in the rearing of these animals. One of the techniques used to ensure animal welfare is the implementation of different types of environmental enrichments. Environmental enrichment seeks through different techniques and materials to provide more attractive and stimulating environments to animals, allowing interaction between animals and animal-environment, enabling them to enjoy and explore the environment, optimizing the available spaces, providing opportunities for the development of behaviors and natural abilities of the species, reducing the stress caused by space limitation and absence of stimuli. The objective of this work was to relate animal welfare in the implementation of environmental enrichment in two breeding stake of geese and mallards, one for ornamental and domestic purposes, birds being reared as pets. In particular describe the creation, report the implementation of three types of environmental enrichment: food, physical and social, and response of birds after the implementation of this technique of animal welfare promotion. The results of the implementation of food, physical and social environmental enrichment, to improve the well-being of birds, were verified in both breedings, obtaining a positive result. There was an improvement in the behavior of the animals, which is closer to the natural in both groups, attesting to improvement in quality of life and providing physical and psychological well-being to birds.

Refinement as ethics principle in animal research: Is it necessary to standardize the Environmental enrichment in laboratory animals?

The Environmental enrichment technique, although scientifically recognized for raising the level of animal welfare, has led to the questioning of its influence on the results of experimental research. Thus, the goal is to promote reflection about the need for standardization of these procedures. For that, documents and experimental analysis were done, in order to quantify and characterize the types of environmental enrichment used and to evaluate the effect of that in the social behavior of Rattus norvegicus. Data from the document review confirmed the hypothesis that the researchers have used a variety of methods, not demonstrating a concern for standardization and prior assessment of its effects on the search results. Demand was corroborated in the experimental study in which, although there was available a simple object acting as refuge promotes behavioral improvements, the presence of the co-specific, as well as characteristics of the micro and macro environment can compromise the homogeneity of the sample. The data from this study endorse the need for validation procedures of environmental enrichment for specific proposals, to investigative data comparison, are possible and contribute to the refinement of the search to reduce the number of animals targeted for this purpose.

Effects of environmental complexity on behaviour in fast-growing broiler chickens

Modern broiler chickens spend a great proportion of their time resting, which poses a major threat to their welfare due to the increased risk of contact dermatitis and the incidence and severity of leg problems. Provision of environmental enrichment or manipulation of existing resources in the environment may increase the activity level of broilers and simultaneously improve their welfare. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different types of environmental complexity on broiler behaviour. Five types of enrichment (elevated platforms with/without ramps, vertical panels, straw bales, roughage), three types of manipulations of the environment (two groups with differing increased distances between resources and one with reduced stocking density) and one control group were arranged in a randomised block design consisting of six blocks, each with 10 pens. Depending on the treatment, a flock of 422–497 broilers was housed in each pen. Fifty broilers from each pen were randomly marked and acted as focal birds for the investigation of behaviour on days 6, 13, 20, 27 and 34 of age using scan sampling with instantaneous recording. The percentages of broilers performing active behaviour and which active behaviour they were performing, as well as the use of enrichment, were investigated. Activity increased in the first two weeks of age when the distance between feed and water was increased, whereas the performance of specific active behaviour varied between treatments and ages. Compared to the control group, foraging behaviour increased when the broilers had access to maize roughage. In contrast, access to straw bales did not increase foraging, nor was any effect found on locomotion or standing. At days 6 and 27, reduced stocking density positively affected locomotion. Broilers used the platforms more frequently for standing, resting and performing locomotive behaviour, whereas foraging was performed more frequently on the maize roughage compared to any of the other types of enrichment investigated. Provision of elevated platforms also promoted the performance of comfort behaviour, indicating an improvement of welfare. The present study illustrated that the various types of environmental enrichment or manipulations of existing resources in the environment have different effects on the activity and behaviour of broilers. To decide on the applicability of the various types of environmental enrichment and environmental manipulations investigated, the effect on health, welfare and production parameters should be taken into consideration in addition to the results gained in the present study.

Improving leg health in broiler chickens: a systematic review of the effect of environmental enrichment

AbstractLeg problems are highly prevalent in modern broiler production and provision of environmental enrichment could be a strategy to improve leg health. Different types of environmental enrichment have undergone evaluation. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of the effect of environmental enrichment on leg health in broiler chickens. The evaluation of leg health included measures of the entire leg and foot, and behavioural, pathological and physical measures. Six types of environmental enrichment were selected for inclusion: light programme, intensity of light, stocking density, perches, straw bales and separation of resources. For each type, a systematic literature search was performed. The review included 62 studies; 56 randomised trials and six cross-sectional studies. An assessment of the methodological quality of all 56 randomised trials was performed with some reporting deficits regarding occurrence of blinding, randomisation and reliability of measures. Provision of perches and increased intensity of light only displayed limited effectiveness in improving leg health and both mainly affected contact dermatitis. In contrast, there was evidence that a lowered stocking density and a dark/light schedule could improve leg health. Few studies have been carried out on the effect of straw bales and separation of resources. The few studies done have, however, shown that both types of enrichment can be effective in improving leg health. In conclusion, identifying and providing the optimal types of enrichment for broilers will reduce leg problems and increase mobility, thereby improving the welfare of the birds.

Behavioral assessment of shelter dogs submitted to different methods of environmental enrichment

ABSTRACT: Environmental enrichment is a dynamic process consisting of a set of activities designed to meet the ethological and psychological needs of animals. It stimulates the natural behavior of each animal species improving the well-being of the individual and avoiding the development of stereotyped behaviors. The present study aimed to assess the potential benefits that four different types of environmental enrichment would bring to the quality of life of shelter dogs. Twenty dogs were observed for 6 hours daily for 5 consecutive days in the first week in order to assess and document their behavior patterns in an experimental kennel. Between the second to the fourth week, 3 forms of game and 1 type of food enrichment were used in the first 4 days of each week. On the fifth day of each week, behavioral patterns were recorded and later compiled and analyzed according to the Tukey test. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in behaviors associated with lying down, standing up, and licking. Based on our findings, we concluded that the use of environmental enrichment methods through different types of games and toys in shelters decreased signs of depression and stereotyped behavior of kennelled dogs. Results of the present study showed that these tools may help improve life quality of these animals.

Application of infrared thermography to assess the effect of different types of environmental enrichment on the ocular, auricular pavilion and nose area temperatures of weaned piglets

The objective of this study was to evaluate through the infrared thermography the surface temperature of the lacrimal caruncle (ocular), auricular pavilion and nose area of weaned piglets in relation to different types of environmental enrichment (EE). A total of 64 weaned piglets were monitored. The piglets were housed under two distinct conditions: a condition without disruption of the social order (SO), and a condition in which the social order was disrupted (DSO). After defining these two conditions, four different EE treatments were evaluated: control (C), suspended ropes (SR), aromatized bottles (AB), and pet toys and balls (PTB). Thermographic images of the lacrimal caruncle, auricular pavilion and nose area of each piglet were taken at 30 and 90 min, and then at 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 h post-weaning. The piglets housed under the SO condition with no type of EE (Control) maintained lower temperature levels in the lacrimal caruncle (P < 0.05) through the first 48 h post-weaning; 24 and 48 h post-weaning, the piglets housed under the DSO condition with EE in the form of PTB presented the highest temperature in all three regions (P < 0.05); 96 and 120 h, the piglets under the DSO condition with no type of EE (Control) had the highest temperature (P < 0.05) in the lacrimal caruncle while those housed under the SO model with EE in the form of AB had a higher temperature in the nose compared to the other treatments. Infrared thermography (IRT) can be used as an effective tool to evaluate temperature differences in recently-weaned piglets due to the effects of environmental enrichment and social structure.

Conducta del Puma Andino Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) en cautiverio Bajo un Programa de Enriquecimiento Ambiental en el Parque Zoológico «Taraccasa» (Apurímac, Perú)

Se aplicó un programa de enriquecimiento ambiental a pumas (Pumas concolor) del Parque Zoológico Taraccasa en Abancay (Apurímac, Perú) con el objetivo de monitorear cambios de conducta. Se observaron cuatro pumas (tres hembras, un macho) de 3 a 9 años de edad. Se utilizaron cuatro tipos de enriquecimiento ambiental: físico (taburetes de madera, troncos), alimenticio (carne de equino, alimento balanceado de gatos), sensorial (costales con esencias aromáticas y especias, orines de zorros y venados), y social (pelotas con piel de equino). El estudio consideró la etapa previa al enriquecimiento ambiental (24 días) y la etapa durante el enriquecimiento ambiental (24 días). Se registraron las conductas entre 09:00 a 12:00 y entre 16:00 a 18:00 con cámara de video. Las conductas individuales con incremento significativo fueron el cuidado corporal, locomoción, observación, exploración, búsqueda (p&lt;0.001) y disminución de un comportamiento anormal como el pacing (p&lt;0.001), mientras que en las conductas grupales que incrementaron la aproximación y marcaje (p&lt;0.001) y disminuyó la persecución (p&lt;0.001). Se concluye que el programa de enriquecimiento ambiental aplicado a los pumas tuvo un efecto positivo, al aumentar los comportamientos de actividad y sociales normales y disminuir la estereotipia.

Environmental enrichment choices of shelter cats

Choices made by cats between different types of environmental enrichment may help shelters to prioritize how to most effectively enrich cat housing, especially when limited by space or funds. This study investigates the environmental enrichment use of cats in a choice test. Twenty-six shelter cats were kept singularly in choice chambers for 10days. Each chamber had a central area and four centrally-linked compartments containing different types of environmental enrichment: 1) an empty control, 2) a prey-simulating toy, 3) a perching opportunity, and 4) a hiding opportunity. Cat movement between compartments was quantitatively recorded using a data-logger. Enriched compartments were visited significantly more frequently during the light period than during the dark period. Cats spent a significantly greater percentage of time in the hiding compartment (median=55%, IQR=46) than in the toy compartment (median=2%, IQR=9), or in the empty control compartment (median=4%, IQR=4). These results provide additional evidence to support the value of a hiding box to cats housed in a novel environment, in that they choose hiding relative to other types of environmental enrichment.

Does enrichment improve reptile welfare? Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) respond to five types of environmental enrichment

Animal welfare is a high priority for pet owners and accredited zoos and aquariums. Current approaches to measuring welfare focus on identifying consensus among behavioral and physiological indicators of positive and negative emotions. Environmental enrichment is a common strategy used to improve the welfare of captive animals. In enrichment programs, knowledge of an animal’s ecology and individual history are applied to modify the animal’s current environment and management to increase environmental complexity, make the environment more functional or natural, and increase behavioral opportunities. While enrichment techniques for primates and large mammals are well-studied, reptile enrichment has received little attention to date despite a few promising studies. In this study, we monitored the responses of 16 leopard geckos to five types of enrichment (Thermal, Feeding, Olfactory, Object, and Visual) using a repeated-measures design. We measured both specific behaviors we expected to change in response to each enrichment type and four behavioral indicators of welfare: exploratory behavior, species-specific behaviors (behavioral thermoregulation and hunting), behavioral diversity, and abnormal repetitive behaviors. We found geckos interacted with all five types of enrichment at above-chance levels (i.e., no 95% CIs for engagement time overlapped with 0s). Geckos spent more time interacting with Thermal and Feeding enrichment than the other types (F(4,60)=49.84, p<0.001). Thermal, Feeding, Olfactory, and Object enrichments (but not Visual enrichment) changed specific relevant behaviors (e.g., Thermal enrichment altered thermoregulatory behaviors, Wilk’s lambda=0.25, F(3,13)=13.39, p<0.001) and improved behavioral indicators of welfare (e.g., behavioral diversity, Wilks’ lambda=0.30, F(12,178)=12.31, p<0.001). These results suggest that geckos respond to environmental enrichment, that their responses are predictable based on their ecology, and that environmental enrichment improves gecko welfare. As in mammals and birds, enrichments that address behavioral needs (here: thermoregulation and feeding) appear more effective than enrichments that simply provide novel stimuli to increase exploration. The extent to which our results can be generalized to other reptile species awaits further study, but we suggest that enrichment should be more widely used to improve reptile welfare.

Paper or Plastic? Exploring the Effects of Natural Enrichment on Behavioural and Neuroendocrine Responses in Long-Evans Rats.

Enriched environments are beneficial to neurobiological development; specifically, rodents exposed to complex, rather than standard laboratory, environments exhibit evidence of neuroplasticity and enhanced cognitive performance. In the present study, the nature of elements placed in the complex environment was investigated. Accordingly, rats (n=8 per group) were housed either in a natural environment characterised by stimuli such as dirt and rocks, an artificial environment characterised by plastic toys and synthetic nesting materials, a natural/artificial environment characterised by a combination of artificial and natural stimuli or a laboratory standard environment characterised by no enrichment stimuli. Following exposure to emotional and cognitive behavioural tasks, including a cricket hunting task, a novel object preference task and a forced swim task, brains were processed for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-, neuronal nuclei (NeuN)- and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) immunoreactivity. Baseline and stress foecal samples were collected to assess corticosterone (CORT) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Natural environment animals exhibited shorter diving latencies and increased diving frequencies in the second forced swimming task, along with higher DHEA/CORT ratios, and higher GFAP immunoreactivity in the hippocampus. The type of environmental enrichment did not influence levels of BDNF immunoreactivity in the CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus of the hippocampus; however, natural environment animals exhibited higher levels of NeuN immunoreactivity in the retrosplenial cortex, an area involved in spatial memory and other cognitive functions. These results suggest that, in addition to enhancing behavioural and endocrinological variables associated with resilience, exposure to natural stimuli might alter plasticity in brain areas associated with cortical processing and learning.

The effects of three types of environmental enrichment on the behaviour of captive Javan gibbons (Hylobates moloch)

Studies on a large variety of species have shown that enrichment can be successfully used to encourage natural behaviours, to decrease rates of abnormal behaviour and to improve welfare in captive animals. However, whether or not a specific enrichment device is enriching depends on the species and its circumstances in captivity. In this study, we investigate the effect of three different enrichment devices (a novel object, an olfactory and a food-based enrichment) on the behaviours of four groups of captive zoo-housed Javan gibbons (Hylobates moloch). This species is endangered in the wild, and captive populations form an important resource in ongoing conservation efforts. We investigated how three different enrichment devices affect gibbon activity budgets and stress related behaviours. We further assessed to what extent gibbons habituated to these devices over two periods of five consecutive exposure days. We found that gibbons engaged on average 0.08 times per minute with the foraging device, 0.03 times per minute with the novel object and 0.02 times per minute with the olfactory enrichment. All three enrichment devices were found to significantly increase the frequency of foraging behaviours, while the novel object and the foraging box were also found to increase rates of singing behaviour. No change in the already low rates of stress-related behaviours was found following exposure to enrichment devices and habituation to the devices was generally absent. We conclude, that all three enrichment devices offer a species-appropriate, practical and inexpensive form of environmental enrichment for captive Javan gibbons, which may enhance the wellbeing of captive groups.

Influence of different types of environmental enrichment on the behaviour of finishing pigs in two different housing systems: 3. Hanging toy versus rootable toy of the same material

This study aimed to assess the effects of (1) environmental enrichment with either straw bedding or a plastic toy and (2) the way in which the plastic toy was presented on the behaviour of finishing pigs in two different housing systems. One thousand and twenty four (Large White × Landrace) × Large White pigs were housed contemporarily in either a straw-based (ST) or fully slatted (FS) building from 35 kg to slaughter at 104 kg. In each building, half of the pens received additional environmental enrichment in the form of a hanging plastic toy. The remaining pens in the ST house were enriched only by the straw bedding. In the FS house, the remaining pens were provided with a rootable toy of the same plastic material presented on the floor of the pen. There was no significant effect of housing system on the level of manipulation of the hanging toy. Within the FS system, the level of manipulation of the hanging toy tended to be higher than that of the plastic toy presented on the floor ( P = 0.052). Neither form of additional environmental enrichment provided a comparable level of occupation to that of straw bedding. In the absence of straw, more investigatory behaviours were directed towards both pen-mates ( P < 0.001) and pen components ( P < 0.001). Further study is required to identify functional forms of environmental enrichment in slatted systems to occupy pigs and prevent them from performing adverse behaviours.

P.1.d.001 Comparison of effects of different types of environmental enrichment on behaviour of C57/BL mice in plus-maze-test

P.1.d.001 Comparison of effects of different types of environmental enrichment on behaviour of C57/BL mice in plus-maze-test