| Destructible
Toys as Enrichment for Captive Chimpanzees
Linda Brent , Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research Adam
Stone, The U.T. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Requests
for reprints should be sent to Linda Brent, Department of Laboratory
Animal Medicine, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research,
P.O. Box 28147, San Antonio, TX 78228-0147.
The use of destructible objects or toys as enrichment for nonhuman
primates has had promising results in terms of increased use
and positive behavioral effect. The purpose of this project
was to determine the use and durability of a number of inexpensive,
destructible toys provided one at a time or several at once.
Nine singly caged chimpanzees were provided with eight different
toys made of plastic, vinyl, or cloth and the frequency of use
of the toys was determined during 15 min trials twice per day.
The toy was removed when it was destroyed or when it was not
contacted during four trials. The chimpanzees contacted the
toys for an average of 11 times per trial, and the use of the
individual toys was significantly higher when provided one at
a time rather than all at once. Use of the toys was fairly stable
over time, and the toys remained in the cages an average of
3.2 days. The durability of the toys was related to the type
of toy, i.e., more flexible cloth and vinyl toys lasted longer
than rigid plastic toys. The destructible toys were used significantly
more often than other permanent cage toys or televisions. Toy
use was not related to age, level of abnormal behavior or use
of existing permanent toys or television. The implications of
the results were related to the management of an environmental
enrichment program, and indicate that the provision of flexible,
inexpensive toys one at a time can be an effective method of
enrichment for captive chimpanzees.
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Unrelieved Pain and Distress in Animals: An Analysis of USDA
Data on Experimental Procedures
Martin L. Stephens, Philip Mendoza, Adrianna Weaver, and Tamara
Hamilton The Humane Society of the United States
Requests for reprints should be sent to Martin L. Stephens,
Animal Research Issues Section, The Humane Society of the United
States, 2100 L Street, NW, Washington, D.C., 20037, USA. E-
mail: MartinLS@ix.netcom.com.
Pain and distress are core issues in the field of animal experimentation
and in the controversy that surrounds it. We sought to add to
the empirical base of the literature on pain and distress by
examining government data on experimental procedures that caused
unrelieved pain and distress (UPAD) in animals. Of the species
regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), most
of the approximately 100,000 animals subjected to UPAD during
the year analyzed (1992) were guinea pigs and hamsters. Most
of these animals were used in industry laboratories for various
testing procedures, primarily vaccine potency testing. We discuss
the limitations of the USDA data and recommend changes to the
current reporting system. By identifying experimental procedures
that cause UPAD in large numbers of USDA-regulated animals,
the present analysis can be viewed as a means of identifying
priorities for research and development of alternatives methods
(replacements, reductions, and refinements).
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Development of a New Production System for Weaned and Growing
Pigs
Bjarne Bjerg, Klaus S. Vestergaard, and Jørgen Pedersen,
The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen,
Denmark
Correspondence
and requests for reprints and correspondence should be sent
to Bjarne Bjerg, Department of Animal Science and Animal Health,
The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, 13 Bülowsvej,
DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark. Internet: BB@KVL.DK.
The design of modern housing systems for
farm animals calls for cooperation between scientists within
different disciplines. This article describes the design of
a new production system for weaned and growing pigs, as well
as the analyses and working processes behind its development.
The aim of the study was to develop an economically competitive
system that also provided better welfare for the animals and
a healthier environment for the workers. Analyses were carried
out with emphasis on behavioral needs and building design and
economy. The resulting system, the "safari system,"
consists of a number of "straw flow" pens of increasing
size. Pigs are moved to larger and larger pens each week until
slaughter. The main advantage is that pigs are not mixed during
the growth period and that they are given more space, especially
toward the end of the growth period when their space demand
is high. Furthermore, the provision of straw for comfort and
exploration and of wallow basins for cooling in the pens for
the larger pigs were considered significant welfare improvements.
An analysis revealed that the safari system would be economically
competitive in comparison to traditional intensive systems.
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ABNORMAL BEHAVIOUR IN CAGED BIRDS KEPT AS PETS: A REVIEW
Caroline S. van Hoek, Carel ten Cate, Institute of Evolutionary
and Ecological Sciences (EEW) Section of Ethology, P.O. Box
9516, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands, Tel.: 31 (0)71 5275040,
Fax: 31 (0)71 5274900, E-mail: TENCATE@RULSFB.LEIDENUNIV.NL
There
is a limited number of studies dealing with abnormal behaviour
in caged birds kept as pets. However, these studies demonstrate
the presence of abnormal behaviour in both song birds and parrots.
Ethological studies on birds as well as studies on domestic
birds and birds kept in zoos indicate that deviating rearing
and keeping conditions, comparable to the way pet birds are
reared and treated, may lead to behavioural distortions. Together
these data indicate that behavioural abnormalities occur among
both wild-caught and domesticated pet birds. The severity and
magnitude of these abnormalities is probably underestimated,
and there is a need for systematic studies on the nature, origin,
variability, species- specificity and reversibility of behavioural
problems in pet birds. Abnormal behaviour in caged birds may
to some extent be prevented and reduced by environmental enrichment.
However, most enrichment studies are anecdotal and not based
on a thorough analysis of the behavioural abnormalities, which
may lead to measures resulting in a reduction of symptoms rather
than in reducing the underlying causes. Although it is likely
that several of these problems may be reduced by different ways
of rearing and keeping birds, the current insights in the causal
mechanisms underlying abnormal behaviour of domesticated and
wild-caught pet birds are limited, as well as the possibilities
to prevent or cure abnormal behaviour. Therefore, further research
will be necessary in order to formulate directives concerning
environmental conditions of caged birds kept as pets.
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