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Applying ethology in the keeping of animals

The largest session of the ISAE2017 covers studies that use behavioural science to provide evidence on how to keep domestic animals. The session includes animals of all sizes and many different purposes – from housing of laboratory mice over working dogs to prevention of abnormal behaviour in meat and fur-producing species, and how to monitor behaviour of poultry kept in large flocks.

The session addresses the topic from various angles and seeks to answer many different research questions, all focusing on the study of domestic animal behaviour.

Besides the 15 oral presentations, the session includes 28 posters, where behavioural researchers from different regions of the world present their new results.

Examples are the physical environment of the animals (such as space allowance, flooring and use of brushes), different aspects of feeding and explorative behaviour (such as food choice, feed sorting and environmental enrichment), management of diseased and cull animals, studies focusing on raising animals in different climates, as well as validation of equipment for automatic monitoring of animal behaviour.