Selective breeding programmes in domestic and laboratory animals generally focus on
physiological and/or anatomical characteristics. However, selection may have an (unintended) …

Animal models play a central role in all areas of biomedical research. The process of animal
model building, development and evaluation has rarely been addressed systematically, …

The replicability of results derived from studies in rodents might be influenced by stress caused
by inappropriate housing conditions. Here we compared the experimental behaviour and …

Animal welfare is a multifaceted issue that can be approached from different viewpoints,
depending on human interests, ethical assumptions, and culture. To properly assess, safeguard …

To start milk production, dairy goats need to give birth at least once. While most female kids
are reared to become the next generation of dairy goats, only a small proportion of male kids …

Simple summary Intensive farming systems are confronted with a number of animal welfare
issues such as injuries from horns in cattle and feather pecking in poultry. To solve these …

Shelter dogs are exposed to a variety of stressors. Among non-invasive techniques, hair
cortisol concentration (HCC) is suggested an easy to collect biomarker for giving insight into …

Emotional states are known to affect cognitive processes. For example highly anxious
individuals interpret ambiguous stimuli more negatively than low anxious people, an effect called …

Recently, a debate has emerged on the use and necessity of standardization in experimental
testing using animal subjects. The difficulties encountered when trying to reconcile …

Transportation of laboratory rodents unavoidably causes stress. Nevertheless, very little is
known about the effects of transportation and how long it takes for the animal to recuperate. In …