Novel object test in farmed fallow deer (Dama dama)–The impact on appearance, diurnal rhythm and behaviour in the foraging area
The fallow deer (Dama dama) represents a typical example of a species in the early stage of domestication, where selection for tameness is not yet complete. In contrast to fully domesticated species, there is still a lack of studies on the behaviour of deer under farm conditions and their response to changes in their environment. […]
Is risk taking during foraging a personality trait? A field test for cross-context consistency in boldness
During foraging, animals have to balance the risk of predation with the energy gain. The amount of risk animals take for a given resource depends on their energy budget but is expected also to vary between individuals of different personality types. We tested whether individuals of free-ranging grey mouse lemurs, Microcebus murinus, forage risk-sensitively and […]
Reliability of Fear Assessment in Growing Pigs Exposed to a Novel Object Test in Commercial Conditions
ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to assess the reliability and feasibility of a novel object test assessing fear in pigs in commercial conditions. A total of 18 commercial farms were visited, and 321 pens housing 4,220 growing pigs were assessed. Three balloons were used as a novel stimulus. Measures were (a) the time it […]