Recent observations of intraspecific predation and cannibalism among polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea
Intraspecific killing has been reported among polar bears (Ursus maritimus), brown bears (U. arctos), and black bears (U. americanus). Although cannibalism is one motivation for such killings, the ecological factors mediating such events are poorly understood. Between 24 January and 10 April 2004, we confirmed three instances of intraspecific predation and cannibalism in the Beaufort […]
Effects of cage-cleaning frequency on laboratory rat reproduction, cannibalism, and welfare
Regular cage-cleaning is important for health, but for breeding rats it disrupts the nest and removes olfactory signals important for parental care. To investigate how different cage-cleaning frequencies affect breeding rats’ health and welfare, we monitored reproductive output, pup mortality, pup sex ratios, parental chromodacryorrhoea and in-cage ammonia levels for rats in a commercial breeding […]
Laying hens selected for low mortality: Behaviour in tests of fearfulness, anxiety and cognition
Feather pecking and cannibalism in chickens can lead to injury or to death of the victims, and is thus a serious welfare and economic issue in modern poultry farming. A sib selection scheme has been initiated to genetically select a low mortality line (LML), which shows decreased mortality due to cannibalism compared to a control […]
The effect of diet change on the behaviour of layer pullets
Frequent diet change has been identified as a risk factor for feather pecking in commercial flocks but the mechanism underlying this association is not known. In this experiment we simulated a commercial change of diet between high quality (HQ) 19% protein, and low quality (LQ) 15% protein, diets. Twelve pairs of birds were fed both […]
Behavioural Time-budgets and Beak Related Behaviour in Floor-housed Turkeys
The behavioural time budget of 140 turkey poults housed on litter in groups of 10-11 in small pens was recorded by individual scan sampling from 1-day-old to 12-weeks-old. Over this time period some behaviour (sitting/sleeping) remained relatively constant, some (feeding) declined and remained low, some (standing/walking, drinking) declined and rose again, while some (environmental pecking, […]
Fitness consequences of sibling egg cannibalism by neonates of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Egg cannibalism is a widely observed behaviour in nature that provides nutritional benefits without the costs of subduing prey. However, when egg cannibalism involves sibling eggs, the benefits obtained must balance inclusive fitness losses. Neonates of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, readily consume other eggs within their natal clutch. To explore the fitness consequences […]
The risk factors affecting the development of vent pecking and cannibalism in free-range and organic laying hens
Injurious pecking remains one of the biggest animal welfare and economic challenges for free-range egg producers. This prospective epidemiological study investigated the development of vent pecking (VP) and cannibalism on 62 free-range and organic UK farms (119 flocks). Flocks were visited at 25 (± 5) and 40 (± 5) weeks of age. Rates of VP […]