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All Outputs (32)

The impact of early structural enrichment on spatial cognition in layer chicks (2019)
Journal Article
Norman, K. I., Adriaense, J., & Nicol, C. J. (2019). The impact of early structural enrichment on spatial cognition in layer chicks. Behavioural Processes, 164, 167-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2019.05.008

The aim of the study was to determine whether early access to elevated structures affects spatial navigational abilities. Ninety six day-old chicks were reared in 16 pens. Eight pens were provided with A-frame perches with an attached platform and a... Read More about The impact of early structural enrichment on spatial cognition in layer chicks.

The effect of experience of ramps at rear on the subsequent ability of layer pullets to negotiate a ramp transition (2018)
Journal Article
Norman, K. I., Weeks, C. A., Pettersson, I. C., & Nicol, C. J. (2018). The effect of experience of ramps at rear on the subsequent ability of layer pullets to negotiate a ramp transition. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 208, 92-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.08.007

In commercial situations, laying hens must negotiate levels to reach resources such as food, water and litter. Providing ramps in aviary systems reduces collisions and resultant keel bone fractures in adults. We investigated whether providing ramps d... Read More about The effect of experience of ramps at rear on the subsequent ability of layer pullets to negotiate a ramp transition.

Examining affective structure in chickens: valence, intensity, persistence and generalization measured using a conditioned place preference test (2018)
Journal Article
Paul, E. S., Edgar, J. L., Caplen, G., & Nicol, C. J. (2018). Examining affective structure in chickens: valence, intensity, persistence and generalization measured using a conditioned place preference test. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 207, 39-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.07.007

When measuring animals’ valenced behavioural responses to stimuli, the Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) test goes a step further than many approach-based and avoidance-based tests by establishing whether a learned preference for, or aversion to, th... Read More about Examining affective structure in chickens: valence, intensity, persistence and generalization measured using a conditioned place preference test.

Socially-mediated arousal and contagion within domestic chick broods (2018)
Journal Article
Edgar, J. L., & Nicol, C. J. (2018). Socially-mediated arousal and contagion within domestic chick broods. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-28923-8

Emotional contagion – an underpinning valenced feature of empathy – is made up of simpler, potentially dissociable social processes which can include socially-mediated arousal and behavioural/physiological contagion. Previous studies of emotional con... Read More about Socially-mediated arousal and contagion within domestic chick broods.

Using the Five Domains Model to Assess the Adverse Impacts of Husbandry, Veterinary, and Equitation Interventions on Horse Welfare (2018)
Journal Article
McGreevy, P., Berger, J., De Brauwere, N., Doherty, O., Harrison, A., Fiedler, J., …Jones, B. (2018). Using the Five Domains Model to Assess the Adverse Impacts of Husbandry, Veterinary, and Equitation Interventions on Horse Welfare. Animals, 8(3), 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani8030041

The aim of this study was to conduct a series of paper-based exercises in order to assess the negative (adverse) welfare impacts, if any, of common interventions on domestic horses across a broad range of different contexts of equine care and trainin... Read More about Using the Five Domains Model to Assess the Adverse Impacts of Husbandry, Veterinary, and Equitation Interventions on Horse Welfare.

Behavioural and physiological responses of laying hens to automated monitoring equipment (2018)
Journal Article
Buijs, S., Booth, F., Richards, G., McGaughey, L., Nicol, C. J., Edgar, J., & Tarlton, J. F. (2018). Behavioural and physiological responses of laying hens to automated monitoring equipment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 199, 17-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.10.017

Automated monitoring of behaviour can offer a wealth of information in circumstances where observing behaviour is difficult or time consuming. However, this often requires attaching monitoring devices to the animal which can alter behaviour, potentia... Read More about Behavioural and physiological responses of laying hens to automated monitoring equipment.

Re-direction of maternal behaviour in dairy cows (2017)
Journal Article
Mandel, R., & Nicol, C. J. (2017). Re-direction of maternal behaviour in dairy cows. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 195, 24-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.06.001

In the milk producing industry, most aspects of maternal behaviour are discouraged, but milk production is actively maintained in the absence of the calf. The process of milk let down, is mediated, at least partly, by oxytocin, which has been shown t... Read More about Re-direction of maternal behaviour in dairy cows.

Social buffering in a bird (2015)
Journal Article
Edgar, J., Held, S., Paul, E., Pettersson, I., L'Anson-Price, R., & Nicol, C. J. (2015). Social buffering in a bird. Animal Behaviour, 105, 11-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.04.007

The presence of a conspecific can ameliorate an individual's stress response. This social buffering is known to be widespread in social mammals but the capacity of birds to act as social buffers has not yet been determined. We previously demonstrated... Read More about Social buffering in a bird.

Elevated arousal at time of decision-making is not the arbiter of risk avoidance in chickens (2015)
Journal Article
Davies, A. C., Radford, A. N., Pettersson, I. C., Yang, F. P., & Nicol, C. J. (2015). Elevated arousal at time of decision-making is not the arbiter of risk avoidance in chickens. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep08200

The somatic marker hypothesis proposes that humans recall previously experienced physiological responses to aid decision-making under uncertainty. However, little is known about the mechanisms used by non-human animals to integrate risk perception wi... Read More about Elevated arousal at time of decision-making is not the arbiter of risk avoidance in chickens.