Do Pets Go To Heaven?,
2012
Animal Studies Repository
Do Pets Go To Heaven?, Harold Herzog
'Animals and Us' Blog Posts
If all dogs go to Heaven, what about their fleas?
Puppies And Broken Hearts,
2012
Animal Studies Repository
Puppies And Broken Hearts, Harold Herzog
'Animals and Us' Blog Posts
What science says about the healing power of pets.
Various Gaits Of African Elephant Calves,
2012
Butler University
Various Gaits Of African Elephant Calves, Elizabeth Anne Jennings
Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection
It is commonly believed that elephants exhibit only one gait, a lateral sequence walk. However, recently there have been several interesting studies on the footfall patterns of adult African elephants (Loxodonta africana). Scientists have recognized that elephants actually exhibit two patterns of locomotion: a lateral sequence walk and an amble. The amble is a slight modification of the lateral sequence gait. The present study extends this work by examining the relationship between gait and speed in African elephant calves at the Indianapolis Zoo. I collected frame-by-frame observational video data from a newborn calf born at the Indianapolis Zoo across a …
Plasticity Of Boldness In Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss: Do Hunger And Predation Influence Risk-Taking Behaviour?,
2012
University of Liverpool
Plasticity Of Boldness In Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss: Do Hunger And Predation Influence Risk-Taking Behaviour?, Jack S. Thomson, Phillip C. Watts, Tom G. Pottinger, Lynne U. Sneddon
Ethology Collection
Boldness, a measure of an individual's propensity for taking risks, is an important determinant of fitness but is not necessarily a fixed trait. Dependent upon an individual's state, and given certain contexts or challenges, individuals may be able to alter their inclination to be bold or shy in response. Furthermore, the degree to which individuals can modulate their behaviour has been linked with physiological responses to stress. Here we attempted to determine whether bold and shy rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, can exhibit behavioural plasticity in response to changes in state (nutritional availability) and context (predation threat). Individual trout were initially …
Blood Cortisol Concentrations Predict Boldness In Juvenile Mulloway (Argyosomus Japonicus),
2012
Macquarie University
Blood Cortisol Concentrations Predict Boldness In Juvenile Mulloway (Argyosomus Japonicus), Vincent Raoult, Culum Brown, Amina Zuberi, Jane E. Williamson
Sentience Collection
There is a growing interest in animal personality because individual variation is the substrate of the evolutionary process. Despite revelations that personality traits affect key fitness variables, little is known about the proximate mechanisms generating consistent behavioural differences between individuals. Boldness, the propensity to take risks, is one of the most widely studied aspects of personality in fishes. We assessed the position of juvenile Argyosomus japonicus on the ‘‘boldness–shyness’’ continuum by repeatedly recording the time taken to exit a refuge and explore a novel environment. Stress-related hormone concentrations after exposure to a mild stressor were analysed 1 month before behavioural …
Attitudes Of Canadian Beef Producers Toward Animal Welfare,
2012
University of British Columbia
Attitudes Of Canadian Beef Producers Toward Animal Welfare, J. M. Spooner, C. A. Schuppli, D. Fraser
Farm Animal Welfare Collection
Commercial beef production in western Canada involves raising cows and calves on large tracts of grassland, plus grain-based ‘finishing’ of animals in outdoor feedlots. This study used open-ended, semi-structured interviews to explore views on animal welfare of 23 commercial beef producers in this system. Although wary of the term ‘animal welfare’, participants understood the concept to encompass three well-known elements: (i) basic animal health and body condition; (ii) affective states (comfort, contentment, freedom from hunger or thirst); and (iii) the ability to live a ‘natural’ life. Participants attached importance to protecting animals from natural hardships (extreme weather, predators), yet many …
Personality Assessment In African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana),
2012
University of Southern Mississippi
Personality Assessment In African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), Kristina Marie Horback
Dissertations
The following study assessed personality in twelve African elephants using both observational behavior coding and standardized trait rating methods, thus demonstrating consistent individual differences across time and contexts. During the summer of 2010 and 2011, over 640 hours of behavioral data were collected onsite at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, CA. Four coding-based personality traits were determined after analysis: PLAYFUL, CURIOUS, TOLERANT, and, AGGRESSIVE. This data was then compared to survey ratings completed by the animal keeper staff during both summers. Four rating-based personality traits resulted from this analysis: PLAYFUL, CURIOUS, TIMID, and, AGGRESSIVE. All eight composite …
Characterization Of The Vasotocin Receptor Subtype 4 (Vt4r) In The Brain And Pituitary Gland Of The Chicken, Gallus Gallus,
2012
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Characterization Of The Vasotocin Receptor Subtype 4 (Vt4r) In The Brain And Pituitary Gland Of The Chicken, Gallus Gallus, Rajamani Selvam
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
The present study investigated the distribution of the vasotocin subtype four receptor (VT4R) in brain and pituitary gland of the chicken, Gallus gallus. The anterior pituitary cell types associated with the VT4R were also determined. Two polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbit against a cocktail of peptides, 15 amino acids from the amino terminal region and 17 amino acids from the carboxy terminal region of VT4R receptor. The antibody was validated utilizing the Western blot and immunocytochemistry. A single band at 47KDa utilizing membrane protein extracts of chicken brain and pituitary tissues was shown for the VT4R antibody. A peptide …
Effects Of Management Strategies And Molecular Breeding Values On Cattle Performance And Carcass Traits,
2012
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Effects Of Management Strategies And Molecular Breeding Values On Cattle Performance And Carcass Traits, Benjamin Collins Williamson
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Forty-eight Gelbvieh x Angus steers (265 ¡À 40 kg) were utilized to determine the relationships among molecular breeding values (MBV), steer performance, and carcass traits. Body weight (BW), hip height (HH), hip width (HW), exit velocity (EV; rate at which steers exited the squeeze chute and traversed 1.8 m) and body ultrasound measurements of steers were recorded at d 0, 93 and 154 of grazing mixed stockpiled endophyte-infected and -free tall fescue. Tissue samples were collected for genomic profiling (Igenity, Merial Limited, Duluth, GA). Steers were transported to the Oklahoma State U fed for 159 d, harvested and carcass parameters …
In Defense Of (Some) Meat,
2012
Animal Studies Repository
In Defense Of (Some) Meat, Harold Herzog
'Animals and Us' Blog Posts
My contribution to the New York Times "defense of meat-eating" contest.
An Hsus Report: Food Safety Risks Associated With U.S. Horse Slaughter,
2012
WellBeing International
An Hsus Report: Food Safety Risks Associated With U.S. Horse Slaughter, The Humane Society Of The United States
Impact of Animal Agriculture
Meat originating from U.S. horses may contain residues from substances banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union for use in animals intended for consumption. Phenylbutazone, for example, is commonly administered to U.S. horses and has been associated with life-threatening reactions in humans. Requiring a thorough drug history for each U.S. horse intended for human consumption may help circumvent human health risks.
Social Effects On Vocal Ontogeny In An Ungulate, The Goat, Capra Hircus,
2012
Queen Mary University of London
Social Effects On Vocal Ontogeny In An Ungulate, The Goat, Capra Hircus, Elodie F. Briefer, Alan G. Mcelligott
Sentience Collection
Vocal plasticity is the ability of an individual to modify its vocalizations according to its environment. Humans benefit from an extreme form of vocal plasticity, allowing us to produce a wide range of sounds. This capacity to modify sounds has been shown in three bird orders and in a few nonhuman mammal species, all characterized by complex vocal communication systems. In other mammals, there is no evidence for a social impact on vocal development. We investigated whether contact calls were affected by social environment and kinship during early ontogeny in goats, a highly vocal and social species. To test the …
Using Grizzly Bears To Assess Harvest-Ecosystem Tradeoffs In Salmon Fisheries,
2012
University of California, Santa Cruz
Using Grizzly Bears To Assess Harvest-Ecosystem Tradeoffs In Salmon Fisheries, Taal Levi, Chris T. Darimont, Misty Macduffee, Marc Mangel, Paul C. Paquet, Christopher C. Wilmers
Aquaculture and Fisheries Collection
Implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) requires a clear conceptual and quantitative framework for assessing how different harvest options can modify benefits to ecosystem and human beneficiaries. We address this social-ecological need for Pacific salmon fisheries, which are economically valuable but intercept much of the annual pulse of nutrient subsidies that salmon provide to terrestrial and aquatic food webs. We used grizzly bears, vectors of salmon nutrients and animals with densities strongly coupled to salmon abundance, as surrogates for ‘‘salmon ecosystem’’ function. Combining salmon biomass and stock-recruitment data with stable isotope analysis, we assess potential tradeoffs between fishery yields and …
The Effect Of Neutering On The Risk Of Urinary Incontinence In Bitches – A Systematic Review,
2012
Royal Veterinary College
The Effect Of Neutering On The Risk Of Urinary Incontinence In Bitches – A Systematic Review, W. Beauvais, J. M. Cardwell, D. C. Brodbelt
Endocrinology Collection
An increased risk of urinary incontinence in bitches has often been associated with previous ovariohysterectomy but remains controversial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the strength of evidence for an association between neutering or age at neutering and urinary incontinence in bitches and to estimate the magnitude of any effect found. A systematic review of peer‐reviewed original English analytic journal articles was conducted, based on Cochrane guidelines (Higgins and Green 2009) Of 1,853 records screened, seven studies were identified that examined the effect of neutering or age at neutering on the risk of urinary incontinence but …
Food Safety Risks Associated With U.S. Horse Slaughter,
2012
WellBeing International
Food Safety Risks Associated With U.S. Horse Slaughter
Agribusiness Reports
Meat originating from U.S. horses may contain residues from substances banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union for use in animals intended for consumption. Phenylbutazone, for example, is commonly administered to U.S. horses and has been associated with life-threatening reactions in humans. Requiring a thorough drug history for each U.S. horse intended for human consumption may help circumvent human health risks.
A Blood Sport For The Rich And Famous?,
2012
Animal Studies Repository
A Blood Sport For The Rich And Famous?, Harold Herzog
Competitive Animal Racing Collection
A new report finds horse racing carnage is getting worse.
Whip Use By Jockeys In A Sample Of Australian Thoroughbred Races—An Observational Study,
2012
University of Sydney
Whip Use By Jockeys In A Sample Of Australian Thoroughbred Races—An Observational Study, Paul D. Mcgreevy, Robert A. Corken, Hannah Salvin, Celeste M. Black
Competitive Animal Racing Collection
The use of whips by jockeys is an issue. The current study viewed opportunistic high-speed footage of 15 race finishes frame-by-frame to examine the outcomes of arm and wrist actions (n = 350) on 40 horses viewed from the left of the field. Any actions fully or partially obscured by infrastructure or other horses were removed from the database, leaving a total of 104 non-contact sweeps and 134 strikes. For all instances of arm actions that resulted in fully visible whip strikes behind the saddle (n = 109), the outcomes noted were area struck, percentage of unpadded section making contact, …
Horse Racing: Cruelties We Condone And Cruelties We Condemn,
2012
Animal Studies Repository
Horse Racing: Cruelties We Condone And Cruelties We Condemn, Harold Herzog
Competitive Animal Racing Collection
Why the deaths of HBO's "Luck" horses were predictable.
Chimpanzee Personhood: Supporting Scientific Documentation,
2012
The Humane Society of the United States
Chimpanzee Personhood: Supporting Scientific Documentation, Jonathan Balcombe
Sentience Collection
The aim of this document is to provide scientific support for granting chimpanzees and bonobos the legal status of persons. The studies summarized here have been selected because they show these species to have levels of awareness, cognition, emotionality and virtue that rivals that of their hominid cousins, Homo sapiens. Chimps, like other great apes, have long-term relationships, grieve the loss of a loved-one, can solve complex puzzles, display a sense of justice, and can learn hundreds of signs and put them together in logical sentences.
Tool Use In Fishes,
2012
Macquarie University
Tool Use In Fishes, Culum Brown
Sentience Collection
Tool use was once considered the sole domain of humans. Over the last 40 years, however, it has become apparent that tool use may be widespread across the animal kingdom. Pioneering studies in primates have shaped the way we think about tool use in animals, but have also lead to a bias both in terms of our expectations about which animals should be capable of using tools and the working definition of tool use. Here I briefly examine tool use in terrestrial animals and consider the constraints of the current working definition of tool use in fishes. Fishes lack grasping …
