Development of a methodology to measure fearfulness in horses

Conference (1997)

Effects of castration on fear reactions of male sheep.

in Applied Animal Behaviour Science (1996), 47

Les réactions de peur chez les ovins domestiques. Quantification et facteurs de variation.

Conference (1996)

Influence des conditions climatiques sur l'utilisation d'un abri par des taurillons au pâturage.

Conference (1996)

Les réactions de peur chez les animaux d'élevage: quantification, facteurs de variation et effets sur le bien-être et la productivité.

in Annales de Médecine Vétérinaire (1996), 140

Use of shelter by grazing bulls: effect of climatic factors

in Animal Science (1995), 60

The time spent under a shelter by eight grazing fattening bulls of the Belgian Blue breed in each of 3 years consecutively for a total of 48 days was recorded using a time-lapse recorder with infrared ... [more ▼]

The time spent under a shelter by eight grazing fattening bulls of the Belgian Blue breed in each of 3 years consecutively for a total of 48 days was recorded using a time-lapse recorder with infrared illumination. During one grazing period, data were collected over 35 days (experiment 1). Observations were divided into 166 h with rain (20%) and 674 h without precipitation (80%). The average occupation rates were 15.4 (s.e. 29.1)% for the hours with rain and 4.5 (s.e. 14.8)% for the hours without precipitation (P < 0.001). The effect of intensity and duration of rain on the occupation rate was significant from 0.4 l/m(2) or from 2 h. Experiment 2 (13 days of observation) examined the influence of temperature and solar radiation on the use of shelter. The occupation rates were 21 (s.e. 23)% during the daylight hours (07.00 to 19.00 h), 6 (s.e. 8)% during the night (19.00 to 07.00 h) and 14 (s.e. 14)% during a 24-h period. The occupation rate between 07.00 and 19.00 h was significantly correlated to the mean daily temperature (r = 0.75), the maximum daily temperature (r = 0.86) and the direct solar radiation time (r = 0.60). When the maximum daily temperature exceeded 20 degrees C, the use of the shelter increased from 10 to 49% of the daylight hours. There was no significant difference between the live-weight gains of animals from the observed group and those of other bulls on an adjacent pasture without shelter. Nevertheless, these observations suggest that a shelter may improve the welfare of grazing cattle. [less ▲]

Effects of an enriched environment on fear reactions in sheep.

Conference (1995)

Influence de la pluie sur l'utilisation d'un abri par des taurillons au pâturage

in Annales de Médecine Vétérinaire (1994), 138

The time spent under a shelter by 8 grazing fattening bulls of the Belgian Blue breed was recorded during 35 days using a time-lapse recorder with IR illumination. The observation period was divided into ... [more ▼]

The time spent under a shelter by 8 grazing fattening bulls of the Belgian Blue breed was recorded during 35 days using a time-lapse recorder with IR illumination. The observation period was divided into 166 hours with rain (20 %) and 674 hours without precipitation (80 %). An occupation rate was calculated for each hour as the sum of the time spent under the shelter by each of the 8 bulls divided by 480 (8 animals x 60 minutes). The average occupation rates were 15.4 +/- 29.1 % for the hours with rain and 4.5 +/- 14.8 % for the hours without precipitation (P<0.001). The occupation rate was significantly influenced by intensity and duration of the rain : the occupation rate being higher during rainfall than with dry weather when the intensity of the rain was at least 0.4 l/m2 and the duration more than 2 hours. There was no significant difference between the live weight gain of the animals with a shelter and of other bulls grazing on an adjacent pasture without shelter. Our observations suggested however that a shelter may improve the welfare of the animals. [less ▲]

Fear reactions of ewes to photographic images

in Behavioural Processes (1994), 32

Un bon chien pour bien vivre. Comment le choisir, l'accueillir, l'éduquer.

Article for general public (1994)