Stress response, peripheral serotonin and natural antibodies in feather pecking genotypes and phenotypes and their relation with coping style
Feather pecking (FP), a serious welfare and economic issue in the egg production industry, has been related to coping style. Proactive and reactive coping styles differ in, among others, the stress response, serotonergic activity and immune activity. Yet, it is unknown whether genetic lines divergently selected on FP (i.e. FP genotypes) or individuals differing in […]
Paternal behavior in rodents
The literature on paternal behavior in rodents includes reports of many species; however, paternal behavior appears more prevalent among muroid and hystricomorph rodents than in the sciurids. Many reports of paternal behavior are based on small numbers of animals observed under special conditions. Where systematic studies have been conducted, the most salient feature of rodent […]
Predicting feather damage in laying hens during the laying period. Is it the past or is it the present?
Feather damage due to severe feather pecking (SFP) in laying hens is most severe during the laying period. However, SFP can develop at an early age and is influenced by early rearing conditions. In this study we assessed the risk factors during the rearing and laying period for feather damage at 40 weeks of age, […]