Refinement Database

Database on Refinement of Housing, Husbandry, Care, and Use of Animals in Research

This database, created in 2000, is updated every four months with newly published scientific articles, books, and other publications related to improving or safeguarding the welfare of animals used in research.

Tips for using the database:

  • This landing page displays all of the publications in the database.
  • Use the drop-down menus to filter these publications by Animal Type, Setting, and/or Topic.
  • Clicking on a parent category (e.g., Rodent) will include publications relating to all the items in that category (e.g., Chinchilla, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, etc.).
  • You may also add a keyword to further narrow your search.
  • Please note that at this time, only publications dated 2010 or later (with some exceptions) can be filtered by Animal Type and Topic, and only publications dated 2020 or later (with some exceptions) can be filtered by Setting. Most publications older than 2010 can only be searched by keyword. 
Nicol, C. J. 1992. Effects of environmental enrichment and gentle handling on behaviour and fear responses of transported broilers. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 33, 367-380.

Enriched/handled birds were more active in their home pens than control animals. ..The most fearful birds were those which had been enriched [fabric squares, plastic rings, grass, perches, etc.] and handled, whilst the least fearful...

Minton, J. E., Coppinger, T. R., Reddy, P. G. et al. 1992. Repeated restraint and isolation stress alters adrenal and lymphocyte functions and some leukocyte differentiation antigens in lambs. Journal of Animal Science 70, 1126-1132.

Repeated restraint and isolation stress alters adrenal and lymphocyte functions and some leukocyte differentation antigens in lambs.

McClure, D. E., Thomson, J. I. 1992. Cage enrichment for hamsters housed in suspended wire cages. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 31(4), 33 (Abstract).

Golden Syrian hamsters (n=99) were housed individually in suspended wire cages so that spilled food and excreta could be removed. After 8 days, the hamsters developed bizarre aggressive behavior which consisted of growling, hissing, aggressive...

Lynch, J. J., Hinch, G. N., Adams, D. B. 1992. The Behavior of Sheep: Biological Principles and Implications for Production. CAB International and CSIRO Australia, Melbourne, Australia.
Lay, D. C., Friend, T. H., Randel, R. D. et al. 1992. Does maternal deprivation affect a calf's physiological and behavioral reactions to later stress? Journal of Animal Science 70(Supplement 1), 162 (Abstract).

Calves separated from their dams at 21 days of age were found to show a significantly higher stress response [cortisol, heart rate] to later stress than those left with their dams until weaning.

Laburn, H. P., Mitchell, D., Goelst, K. 1992. Fetal and maternal body temperatures measured by radiotelemetry in near-term sheep during thermal stress. Journal of Applied Physiology 72, 894-900.

Using implanted radiotelemeters, we have measured amniotic temperature and fetal lamb and pregnant ewe body temperatures continuously over the last 34 days of gestation and during conditions of thermal stress. Body temperature of the fetus...

Kuljis, R. O. 1992. Vibrissaeless mutant rats with a modular representation of innervated sinus hair follicules in the cerebral cortex. Experimantal Neurology 115, 146-150.

Specialized areas in the cerebral cortex are essential to mediate the various sensory modalities and are crucial to their recovery in disease. We recently observed that prenatal photoreceptor cues are not indispensable for the development...

Krohn, C. C., Munksgaard, L., Jonasen, B. 1992. Behaviour of dairy cows kept in extensive (loose housing/pasture) or intensive (tie stall) environments. I. Experimental procedure, facilities, time budgets - diurnal and seasonal conditions. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 34, 37-47.

Twelve dairy cows were placed in a stimuli-rich environment, a 'dairy cow park', for 2.5 years. .. During summer the cows spent 17.2 h outdoors each day, mostly at pasture. .. During summer, the cows...

Jones, R. B., Williams, J. B. 1992. Responses of pair-housed male and female domestic chicks to the removal of a companion. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 32, 375-380.

Male and female domestic chicks were housed in same-sex pairs until they were tested at 11 days of age. One chick was then removed from each established pair. .. Social separation induced an overall increase...

Jones, R. B., Waddington, D. 1992. Modification of fear in domestic chicks, Gallus gallus domesticus, via regular handling and early environmental enrichment. Animal Behaviour 43, 1021-1033.

Regular gentle handling and environmental enrichment reduced fear responses to people. The implications of reduced fearfulness and other potential benefits of handling and enrichment procedures are discussed.

Jensen, P., Stangel, G. 1992. Behaviour of piglets during weaning in a semi-natural enclosure. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 33, 227-238.

The findings of the present study generally show that weaning in a semi-natural situation is the result of a gradual process without any dramatic changes to the piglets regarding activity budgets or social relationships.

Hutson, G. D. 1992. A comparison of operant responding by farrowing sows for food and nest-building materials. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 34, 221-230.

Operant responding for food completely overshadows operant responding for other potential reinforcers both before and after farrowing [because, obviously, food-restricted sows have an extremely high motivation to obtain food]. .. Any potential welfare problems caused...

Hubrecht, R. C., Serpell, J. A., Poole, T. B. 1992. Correlates of pen size and housing conditions on the behaviour of kennelled dogs. Applied Animal behaviour Science 34, 365-383.

Behavioral data were collected from solitary and group-housed dogs [of different breeds] from animal shelters and laboratories. Solitary dogs were more inactive and spent more time in non-social repetitive locomotory behaviour categories. Dogs housed in...

Horrell, I. 1992. Effects of environmental enrichment on growing pigs. Animal Production 54, 483 (Abstract).

Environmental enrichment [chains, foot-ball, tire, straw, concrete block] for group-housed pigs increased daily weight gains and decreased belly-nosing.

Hetts, S., Clark, J. D., Calpin, J. P. et al. 1992. Influence of housing conditions on beagle behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 34, 137-155.

Single-housing for prolonged periods is likely to be deleterious to the dog and is associated with an increased incidence of behavioral disorders. Pair-housed dogs barked less, slept more and exhibited less stereotypic behaviour than single-housed...

Hemsworth, P. H., Barnett, J. L. 1992. The effects of early contact with humans on the subsequent level of fear of humans in pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 35, 83-90.

Early positive contact with people reduces subsequent fear of humans.

Hemsworth, P. H., Barnett, J. L., Coleman, G. J. 1992. Fear of humans and its consequences for the domestic pig. In: The Inevitable Bond: Examining Scientist-Animal Interactions. Davis, H. , Balfour, D. (eds), 264-284. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.

The welfare of pigs is at risk due to high levels of fear, resulting from aversive experiences with humans.

Fuste, A., Vidal, J. 1992. Antibody response to rat erythrocytes and some behaviors in two strains of mice after social isolation. Journal of General Psychology 120, 165-176.

Social isolation (of adult mice) influenced emotional behavior [under frightening conditions], but not the antibody response [to rat erythrocytes].

Fraser, A. F. 1992. The Behaviour of the Horse. CAB International , Wallingford, UK.

Excellent description of species-typical behavior.

Ford, N. B. 1992. Captive care and handling of snakes. In: The Care and Use of Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish in Research. Schaeffer, D. O., Klienow, K. M., Krulisch, L. (eds), 67-71. Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW), Bethesda, MD.

This review is designed to give basic information on the correct maintenance of snakes in research colonies. In particular, it should be helpful to researchers and animal technicians that have not had much experience with...

Fenske, M. 1992. Body weight and water intake of guinea pigs: influence of single caging and an unfamiliar new room. Journal of Experimental Animal Science 35, 71-79.

No changes in body weight are observed if adult male guinea pigs are removed from their groups and kept singly in their home enclosure. In contrast, subjects markedly lose weight and show a marked reduction...

Duncan, E. T., Appleby, M. C., Hughes, B. O. 1992. Effects of perches in laying cages on welfare and production of hens. British Poultry Science 33, 25-35.

Caged hens spent 25 to 50% of the light period and around 85% of the dark period roosting on perches. Perches with a rectangular cross-section caused less damage to the feet of birds than those...

Duncan, I. J. H. 1992. The effects of the researcher on the behavior of poultry. In: The Inevitable Bond: Examining Scientist-Animal Interaction. Davis, H. , Balfour, D. (eds), 285-294. Cambridge Press, Cambridge, UK.
DeLuca, A. M., Kranda, K. C. 1992. Environmental enrichment in a large animal facility. Lab Animal 21(1), 38-44.

The cats' favorite toys contained catnip. ... Cats in single cages often expressed physiological signs of boredom like psychogenic alopecia and polyphagia with resultant obesity. Although we gave these cats a variety of playthings, the...

Church, J. S., Tennessen, T., Webster, A. B. 1992. Environmental enrichment influences on body weight, feathering, food condition and behaviour of caged white leghorn hens. Journal of Animal Science 70(Supplement 1), 175 (Abstract).

Novel objects, providing a diversity of tactile, visual, and auditory stimuli, hung in front of one row of caged within reach of the caged hens, improved foot and feather conditions. Enriched hens were more confident...