Infant development in two aquarium bottlenose dolphins
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430140207.abs The behavioral development of two aquarium bottlenose dolphin calves, one male (born to a primiparous mother) and one female (born to a multiparous mother), was examined. From birth to 9 weeks of age, a total of 558.7 h of nursing and behavioral data were collected using focal sampling methods. Data from both calves […]
Genetic parameters for birth difficulty, lamb vigour and lamb sucking ability in Suffolk sheep
This study investigates the genetic basis of lamb vigour (defined as neonatal lamb activity and sucking ability) and lambing difficulty as potential traits to be included in selection programmes to improve ewe and lamb welfare. Scores for lamb birth difficulty, vigour and sucking ability were collected shortly after birth on 1,520 lambs born in 2006 […]
Effect of a birth on the behavior of a family group of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at Dublin Zoo
Elephants in the wild live in herds of related females from several generations. Zoos, therefore, tend to house elephants in female groups, consisting where possible of related individuals. This type of group structure is very beneficial as it allows group members to experience events such as births in the group, and means that natural social […]
Onset of sentience: The potential for suffering in fetal and newborn farm animals
Sentience and consciousness are prerequisites of suffering. Thus, animals must have sufficiently sophisticated neural mechanisms to receive sensory information and to transduce this information into sensations, and they must also be conscious to be able to perceive those sensations. Moreover, those sensations must be sufficiently noxious or aversive to cause suffering. The neural apparatus of […]