Applied Animal Behaviour Science最新文献

{"title":"Preference for complex environments in larval zebrafish","authors":"Elia Gatto ,&nbsp;Christian Agrillo ,&nbsp;Marco Dadda ,&nbsp;Angelo Bisazza","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106788","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106788","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental complexity is increasingly recognized as a critical factor for animal welfare and cognitive development across vertebrates. While adult zebrafish (<em>Danio rerio</em>) show a strong preference for complex environments, little is known about the importance of environmental complexity in larval stages. This study investigated the preference for enriched environments in zebrafish larvae and the sensory modalities underlying this behavior. In Experiment 1, we assessed the preference for complex environments in larvae aged 4, 5, and 6 days post-fertilization (dpf). Results showed that larvae consistently preferred an environment containing objects of varying shape and color over a barren environment. The preference for the enriched environment was not immediately apparent upon introduction but became evident within the first 90 min, reaching its peak the following day. This pattern likely reflects an initial neophobic response to novel objects, which temporarily counteracted the attraction to environmental enrichment. In Experiment 2, larvae also preferred a sector enriched with photographic representations of objects. However, a direct comparison with real objects in Experiment 3 revealed that the photographs were less effective in attracting larvae. Larvae did not show attraction to transparent objects, which minimized visual input while stimulating the lateral line and olfactory systems. Monochromatic (white) objects were also ineffective in eliciting a response. These findings suggest that zebrafish larvae can perceive and respond to environmental complexity within 24 h after hatching, emphasizing the need to reassess husbandry practices and research protocols to align with their preferences and level of neural development at hatching.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106788"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144865166","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":"Owner presence versus absence during cat veterinary examinations: cat responses and owner attitudes","authors":"Lauren V. Hare ,&nbsp;Sina Marsilio ,&nbsp;Ilana Halperin ,&nbsp;Anastasia C. Stellato ,&nbsp;Carly M. Moody","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106792","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106792","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>It is well known that physical examinations are stressful for cats and their owners, and thus there is a need for evidence-based strategies to reduce stressors in the veterinary environment. Research suggests that owner presence compared to absence reduces fear and stress in dogs during physical examinations, although little research has examined the impact of owner presence and absence on cat welfare. Thus, the aims of this research were to assess: 1) the effect of owner presence versus absence on their cat’s responses during a mock physical examination, and 2) assess participant attitudes on common veterinary practices. Cat owners (N = 33) completed a pre-appointment questionnaire and participated in two mock veterinary examinations with their cat, one with them present and one absent. Appointment order was counter-balanced, and cat responses were recorded during the appointments. During the mock examinations, cats displayed an increased rate of vocalizations when their owner was absent versus present during the habituation (IRR: 3.23, p = 0.0035) and physical examination (IRR: 3.18, p = 0.007) phases of the examinations. No other cat response effects were detected. The questionnaire results indicate that participants perceive themselves (p &lt; 0.0001) and their cat (p &lt; 0.0001) as more comfortable when they are present versus absent during their cat’s examination. Participants indicated they strongly agree to being present compared to absent during invasive procedures (i.e., blood or urine collection) in the examination room (p &lt; 0.0001) and treatment area (p = 0.002). Participating cat owners also rated themselves as more comfortable when a familiar versus unfamiliar veterinarian (p &lt; 0.0001) or non-veterinarian staff member (p &lt; 0.0001) takes their cat to the treatment area without them. Cat response results indicate that owner separation may have a mild negative impact on cat stress. We recommend owners be provided a choice to be present during their cat’s examination and procedures. When cats need to be separated from their owner, it is recommended to have a familiar person take their cat to the treatment area; however, more research is needed to replicate these results on a wider scale for greater generalizability. Overall, increased consideration of the human-cat relationship and interactions may help improve veterinary appointment-related client satisfaction and reduce stress for cats and their owners.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106792"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144890803","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":"The behavioral and physiological responses of juvenile large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) to different types of predator stimuli","authors":"Bowen Feng ,&nbsp;Qiming Jia ,&nbsp;Tianhao Zhu ,&nbsp;Xinhui Yu ,&nbsp;Ming Fang ,&nbsp;Zhiyong Wang ,&nbsp;Kai Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106789","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106789","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Predator recognition is crucial for the survival of fish, enabling effective anti-predator responses and avoids survival disadvantages caused by inappropriate reactions. Thus, incorporating predator recognition training into stock enhancement programs can enhance post-release survival rates of juvenile fish by reinforcing these innate survival mechanisms. While chemical cues are often emphasized in fish anti-predator studies, the roles of visual cues and multimodal sensory integration remain understudied in marine fish. To clarify the recognition mechanism of predator signals by juvenile large yellow croaker (<em>Larimichthys crocea</em>), this study systematically compared the effects of stimulus type (visual, chemical, coupled) and stimulus level (low, medium, high) on anti-predator behavior and plasma cortisol levels. The behavioral analysis results showed that the main effect of stimulus type was significant (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001), and visual cues mainly triggered immediate anti-predator behavior. The induced freezing time was significantly higher than that of other stimuli (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), and the freezing time and the vertical movement time decreased significantly with the increase in visual cue (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). The physiological results indicated that there was an interaction effect between stimulus type and stimulus level in cortisol levels (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.001). Under the low-level of coupled cues, cortisol levels were significantly higher (34.57 ± 0.71 ng/mL, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) than those under single-modal cue (visual: 21.12 ± 4.37 ng/mL, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01; chemical: 23.73 ± 1.84 ng/mL, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05), demonstrating that low-level coupled cues can synergistically enhance physiological stress responses. These findings highlight the important role of visual cues in predator recognition in the multi-sensory integration mode of juvenile <em>L. crocea</em>. These results provide a theoretical basis for sensory training of proliferated and released species, especially by incorporating coupled cue training into proliferation plans aimed at increasing population numbers. By synergistically enhancing the young fish's perception of predation risks, it has application value for optimizing breeding practices and improving the survival rate of released fish.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106789"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144861258","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":"Geolocation tracking to monitor spatial distribution and habitat selection of cows, horses and sheep grazing in mountainous areas","authors":"Roger Vidal-Cardos,&nbsp;Emma Fàbrega,&nbsp;Antoni Dalmau","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106776","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106776","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies offer an opportunity to monitor livestock, enhancing farmers’ decision-making for improved control, better animal performance, and reduced environmental impact through proper management of pasture areas. The objective of this study was to assess the potential of data provided by commercial geolocation collars, along with open data resources such as information on natural habitats, topography, and vegetation, to detect grazing preferences of mountain livestock. We monitored 240 animals from three different herds and species (140 cows, 50 horses, and 50 sheep) during the grazing season (6 months) using geolocation collars in the Alt Pirineu Natural Park (80,000 ha), located in Catalonia, Spain. Animal distributions were analysed spatially and temporally across different seasonal periods (Spring: May-Jun, Summer: Jul-Aug and Autumn: Sep-Oct). Geolocation data were used to assess livestock preferences and avoidances regarding different types of terrain, land cover, and vegetation, estimated using Jacob’s selection index (JSI), a metric indicating whether animals use a particular area more or less than expected based on its availability. Additionally, we examined the influence of these environmental factors and the distance to water sources on animal distribution, and we identified high-density grazing hotspots. Results indicated that cows and horses positively selected areas with lower altitudes (JSI = 0.29 and 0.17, &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt; &lt; 0.05) and gentler slopes (JSI = 0.38 and 0.22, &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt; &lt; 0.05), whereas sheep preferred higher altitudes (JSI = 0.10, &lt;em&gt;p&lt;/em&gt; &lt; 0.05). Only cows showed a preference for areas with bare or dispersed vegetation. In general, all three species selected land covers such as open forests, meadows, wetlands, and water points, but changed depending on the season and species. The distance to water was greater for cows and sheep, particularly during the summer, whereas only horses showed a strong dependence on proximity to water sources. Finally, we identified and compared high-density grazing hotspots among the three species. These findings reveal not only interesting heterogeneity in distribution patterns among species sharing the same area, but also clear seasonal differences. In conclusion, data automatically collected from geolocation collars demonstrate strong potential for studying livestock grazing preferences, particularly in remote or hard-to-access mountainous areas. This information improves our understanding of livestock-environment interactions without requiring physical presence and can be effectively applied to support extensive grazing management.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Simple summary&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies, such as geolocation collars, help farmers monitor animals more effectively and manage pastures sustainably. In this study, we tracked 240 animals (cows, horses, and sheep) in a mountainous natural park in Catalonia","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106776"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827118","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":"The maternal-offspring relationship in tailed and docked ewes and their lambs","authors":"Jocelyn M. Woods,&nbsp;Sarah J.J. Adcock","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106775","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106775","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maternal behavior in the hours after lambing is critical for establishing the lamb–dam bond. In rodents, early-life pain alters maternal behavior, but it is unclear whether routine painful procedures like tail docking have similar long-term effects in sheep. We tested whether neonatal tail docking in female lambs altered (1) their maternal behavior and their offspring’s behavior after lambing and (2) behavioral and physiological stress responses to separation. Polypay ewe lambs were tail docked using the rubber ring method between 24 and 36 h of age (n = 11) or left undocked (n = 10). At approximately 13 months of age, they gave birth to singleton (n = 6) or twin (n = 15) litters. Between 30 and 60 min after the last lamb’s birth, the ewe and her lamb(s) were moved to an individual maternity pen, where behaviors were video recorded for 2 h. Between 6 and 12 h after lambing, the lambs were separated from their dam for 15 min, with video recordings taken from 15 min before separation until 15 min after reunion. Eye temperatures of ewes and lambs were assessed using infrared thermography immediately before and after separation as indicators of physiological stress. For all video recordings, we analyzed the duration the ewe spent eating, pacing, lying, and grooming her lamb(s), as well as the duration the lambs spent wagging their tail, nursing, and lying. Transitions from lying to standing were also recorded for ewes and lambs in the 2-hour postnatal period. All models included the dam’s tail docking status as a fixed effect with litter size (singleton vs twin) as a factor covariate; separation models also included observation period (before, during, and after separation). We found no significant effect of the dam’s tail docking status on maternal and offspring behavior following lambing or on their responses to separation. However, lambs of undocked ewes tended to spend more time lying in the postnatal period compared to lambs of docked ewes. Behavioral changes during and after separation – including increased pacing and reduced eating in ewes during separation, and increased grooming and nursing following reunion – suggest that separation was stressful, regardless of the ewe’s tail docking status. No differences were observed in eye temperatures before and after separation. Overall, we did not find evidence to suggest that neonatal tail docking impairs the ewe’s ability to bond with or care for her lambs later in life.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106775"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144810137","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":"Conditioning ostrich males to routine semen collection does not compromise their reproductive performance in a natural mating system","authors":"Nelleke Lotz ,&nbsp;Pfunzo Tonny Muvhali ,&nbsp;Kennedy Dzama ,&nbsp;Maud Bonato","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106774","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106774","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Studies have reported variation in semen quality between ostrich males, implying that selecting males based on superior semen characteristics could improve flock fertility. However, semen collection requires conditioning ostrich males to humans, which may allegedly interfere with natural courtship behaviour, hindering reproductive success. This study aimed to evaluate the reproductive success of ostrich males trained for semen collection using the dummy female method when placed in a natural mating system. Twelve males previously trained for semen collection and 12 untrained males were selected and paired with females for the duration of a natural mating season. Behavioural observations were conducted on the pairs, while eggs produced by the paired-off females were collected for artificial incubation. Fertility of eggs, hatchability and chick production were recorded as measures of reproductive performance. Males trained for semen collection did not interact differently with their female partners compared to untrained males, except for hissing, where trained males hissed more at their mates than untrained males. In addition, untrained males performed their territorial booming call more often than trained males. Neither copulation attempts nor successful copulations differed between trained and untrained males. No significant differences were recorded between the two groups of males in terms of fertility of eggs, hatchability and chick production. These results indicate that training males for semen collection does not alter their performance under a natural pair-mating system, suggesting that semen collection for quality evaluation before selection as breeding stock could be a viable method for improving flock fertility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106774"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771418","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":"Species and behavioral patterns of wild birds invading a cow barn in the subtropical region: A case study in the central region of Okinawa-jima Island, Japan","authors":"Takeshi Eto ,&nbsp;Tomonori Yara ,&nbsp;Tomoyuki Namihira ,&nbsp;Yoshimi Imura","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106772","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106772","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wild birds can spread infectious diseases to livestock over wide areas. Therefore, measures to prevent wild birds from entering livestock barns are crucial. However, there is little scientific data on wild bird and livestock interactions in livestock barns. In this study, we conducted a visual survey of the species composition of wild birds flying into the sanitation control zone of a livestock farm located in central Okinawa-jima Island, Japan. Additionally, wild bird species and their behavioral patterns entering a cow barn from September to February were also surveyed. In this study, more than 20 species of wild bird visited the sanitation control zone, with resident breeders visiting more often than migratory birds. The diets of wild birds indicated a wide range of feeding habits. A total of five wild bird species entered the cow barn during the study period, which was much fewer than the number of species that visited the sanitation control zone. Rock doves were the most frequent visitors in the cow barn, and had the most diverse behavioral patterns and direct contact with cattle. The frequency of birds entering the feed trough and walking inside the cattle pen, where interactions with cattle may occur, varied with the time of day, suggesting that the amount of compound feed and cattle dung used as feed resources may be influential. Migratory birds were also observed among the wild birds visiting the sanitation control zone and entering the barn, suggesting seasonality in the arrival of wild birds. Wild birds that visited livestock farms more frequently did not necessarily invade or enter the cow barns. The difference between the frequency of visits to the farm and their entry into the barn may be related to the dietary habits of wild birds, environmental preferences, habituation to humans and domestic animals, and learning about husbandry and management. This study quantified and clarified species-specific behavioral patterns of wild birds invading the barn in a subtropical island. Future research based on the ecology of wild birds could provide information that will lead to the evaluation of quarantine risks on livestock farms and the formulation of specific countermeasures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106772"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771427","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":"Gait tracking in dogs using DeepLabCut: A markerless machine learning approach for controlled settings","authors":"Harry Gill ,&nbsp;James Charles ,&nbsp;Robyn Grant ,&nbsp;James Gardiner ,&nbsp;Karl Bates ,&nbsp;Charlotte Brassey","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106769","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106769","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Analysing locomotion is critical for assessing canine health and diagnosing musculoskeletal conditions, yet traditional motion capture methods for dog gait analysis remain impractical in many clinical and industry settings. Markerless deep-learning approaches, such as DeepLabCut (DLC), offer a promising alternative, but their performance in gait analysis, particularly across diverse dog breeds, remains largely untested. In addition, the ability to automate aspects of gait parameter extraction from the resulting dataset, an important requirement for industry practitioners, is also widely untested. In this study, we trained a bespoke neural network on a 2100 training frames, for 2D markerless tracking on eight dog breeds and developed a scripted workflow for semi-automated gait parameter extraction. We calculated several temporal and kinematic variables, including duty factor and joint ranges of motion, comparing values of a widely studied breed (Labrador Retrievers) to literature data. Our model’s performance aligned with previous DLC studies, performing strongly on well-defined landmarks (E.g. nose, eye, carpal, tarsal), whilst struggling with less morphologically discrete locations (E.g. shoulder, hip). ANOVA results from our mixed model revealed a significant effect of body part on tracking performance (p = 0.003), yet no significant effect of breed (p = 0.828) and a small interaction effect between breed and body part (p = 0.049). Our semi-automated workflow successfully extracted gait parameters across our study breeds, though performance was highly dependent on the quality of underlying tracking data. Duty factor and stifle range of motion measures from our labradors showed good overlap with literature values, yet the broader distribution in our data highlighted important limitations in cross-study comparisons. These results suggest that a markerless deep-learning approach could provide a viable alternative to traditional motion capture for canine gait analysis, offering potential applications for both clinical and industry settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106769"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757933","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":"Sex- and age-based differences in behavioural patterns and gut microbiota composition in captive Malayan tigers (Panthera tigris jacksoni)","authors":"Nurfarah Ain Limin ,&nbsp;Mohd Shafiq Aazmi ,&nbsp;Siti Nurfatiha Najihah Fakhrul Hatta ,&nbsp;Hartini Ithnin ,&nbsp;Nik Mohd Zamani Awang ,&nbsp;David Magintan ,&nbsp;Nur Nadiah Md Yusof","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106771","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106771","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Captivity often disrupts the expression of natural behaviour, leading to stereotypies among captive animals, which is particularly concerning for endangered species such as the Malayan tiger. This study analysed behavioural patterns, faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) concentration, and gut microbiota composition in captive Malayan tigers, aiming to explore the relationships among these parameters associated with sex, age, and observation session over six weeks at a rescue centre in Perak, Malaysia. Results showed a significant interaction between sex and age (p &lt; 0.001) for stereotypic pacing, with young male tigers pacing for a significantly longer duration than older males and young females. Sex and age significantly influenced activity levels, with male tigers significantly less active than females (p = 0.017), and older tigers were significantly less active than younger individuals (p &lt; 0.001). Resting behaviours were more prevalent in the afternoon (p = 0.007) and among older tigers (p = 0.007). Notably, young females rested significantly longer than young males during morning sessions, while older females rested longer than young males across sessions (p = 0.011). Grooming duration was significantly longer in females than in males (p = 0.007), with all tigers spent significantly more time grooming in the afternoon (p &lt; 0.001). No significant difference was found in the concentration of FGM between sex, age or their interaction. The gut microbiota of females exhibited greater richness and evenness (Chao1, p &lt; 0.001, Observed, p = 0.004), while males had a higher number of unique ASVs, indicating distinct microbial taxa but lower overall diversity. Comparative metagenomic analysis highlighted significant sex-based differences in gut microbiota composition at phylum (R² = 0.5108, p = 0.0300) and genus levels (R² = 0.5801, p = 0.0200), with no notable age variation. These findings demonstrate the presence of sex- and age-based differences in behavioural, physiological stress markers, and gut microbiota composition in captive Malayan tigers. Thus, supporting the development of tailored sex- and age-based management strategies is needed to improve the welfare and inform conservation efforts for this critically endangered majestic species in captivity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106771"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144757934","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":"Tactile stimulation by humans: Do pigs prefer scratching or stroking?","authors":"Marietta Amann ,&nbsp;Susanne Waiblinger ,&nbsp;Paul H. Hemsworth ,&nbsp;Lena Lidfors ,&nbsp;Janina Weißenborn ,&nbsp;Stephanie Lürzel","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106768","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106768","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scratching and stroking are tactile interactions used to improve the animal-human relationship and reduce stress in pigs. Both interactions resemble behaviours from the behavioural repertoire of pigs and have been applied in previous studies. To investigate the relative efficacy of these tactile interactions in eliciting positive emotions, we examined pigs’ preferences for one of these interactions. Twelve recently inseminated gilts habituated to human contact were trained to discriminate between two handlers standing in two different locations in their home pen. One handler was providing stroking, the other one scratching. After 5 weeks of training, the pigs were tested for their preference. According to the preference index calculated based on the time the pigs spent being stroked and scratched, they did not significantly prefer one type of contact (p = 0.182, preference index median = 0.09, with −1 indicating an absolute preference for stroking and 1 an absolute preference for scratching). There was no significant difference between how often the pigs chose to approach the scratching or the stroking handler (p = 0.115, median scratching = 3.0, median stroking = 1.5), and neither did they approach one of them significantly earlier than the other (day 1: p = 0.126, median of difference between latency to approach scratching handler and latency to approach stroking handler = −55 s; day 2: p = 0.148, median of difference between latencies = −27 s). We did not find evidence for a general preference of one type of contact over the other. To improve the animal-human relationship, it might thus be most efficient to offer both types of tactile contact and adjust the contact depending on the pig’s behaviour indicative of enjoyment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106768"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144738002","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}