Effects of social experience on calf behaviour

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The welfare of animals, especially those used in food production, has become an area of increasing social concern. A research priority cited repeatedly by agricultural and other animal-user groups is the development of methodology for a more objective assessment of animal well-being. My proposal involves developing methods for the scientific study of animal welfare, that can later be applied to socially and economically important issues in housing and management of farm animals. One of the most important conceptual innovations in animal welfare science over the past 5 years has been to use changes in cognitive functioning to provide insights into affective states. Borrowing on experimental approaches designed to assess depression in humans, and more recently modified for use in laboratory animals, my research will test the effects of changes in affective states (such as those associated with social isolation) on how animals respond to ambiguous stimuli.