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Ulans A, Brooks GC, Jacobs L. Environmental complexity impacts anxiety in broiler chickens depending on genetic strain and body weight. Sci Rep 2024; 14:17535. [PMID: 39080356 PMCID: PMC11289402 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67965-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The objective was to assess the impact of environmental complexity on affective state (anxiety) in fast- and slow-growing broilers (Gallus gallus domesticus) as they gain weight. Six hundred fast-growing broilers (Ross 708; "fast-growers") and 600 slow-growing broilers (Hubbard Redbro Mini; "slow-growers") were raised in 24 pens with simple (standard; SE) or complex (permanent and temporary enrichments; CE) environments. Six birds/pen underwent the attention bias test on day 23 (fast-growers only), 28-29, 35-36, 42-43, and 56-57 (slow-growers only), with individuals only tested once (n = 576). Proportion of birds feeding, time spent vigilant and latencies to eat and step were recorded. Greater vigilance and longer latencies indicate more anxiety. Slow-growers fed more (p = 0.001), were less vigilant (p = 0.003), and stepped sooner than fast-growers (p = 0.007). For both strains, likelihood of feeding was unrelated to weight in SE, but decreased with increasing weight in CE (p = 0.048). Birds in CE stepped sooner than birds in SE (p = 0.030). Vigilance increased with body weight (p = 0.024). These results indicate that affective state (anxiety) can change as birds gain weight, depending on environmental complexity and genetic strain. Overall, slow-growers showed reduced anxiety compared to fast-growers, across housing treatments or weights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Ulans
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - George C Brooks
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Leonie Jacobs
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
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Velasco VV, Ochiai T, Tsudzuki M, Goto N, Ishikawa A. Quantitative trait loci mapping of innate fear behavior in day-old F2 chickens of Japanese Oh-Shamo and White Leghorn breeds using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing. Poult Sci 2024; 103:103228. [PMID: 37989001 PMCID: PMC10667749 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the genetic mechanisms that underlie innate fear behavior is essential for improving the management and performance of the poultry industry. This study aimed to map QTL associated with innate fear responses in open field (OF) and tonic immobility (TI) tests, using an F2 chicken intercross population between 2 behaviorally distinct breeds: the aggressive Japanese Oh-Shamo (OSM) and the docile White Leghorn T-line (WL-T). Genome-wide QTL analysis for the OF and TI traits was conducted using 2,109 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers obtained through restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq). While several suggestive QTL were identified for TI and OF traits at genome-wide 20% significance threshold levels, the analysis revealed 2 significant QTL for 2 OF traits (total distance and maximum speed) at genome-wide 5% significance threshold levels. These significant QTL were located between 12.34 and 30.49 megabase (Mb) on chromosome 1 and between 40.02 and 63.38 Mb on chromosome 2, explaining 6.75 to 7.40% of the total variances. These findings provide valuable insights for the poultry industry, particularly in refining chicken management strategies and informing targeted breeding efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Takayuki Ochiai
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Masaoki Tsudzuki
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan
| | - Naoki Goto
- Hendrix Genetics BU Layers, Boxmeer 5831 CK, The Netherlands
| | - Akira Ishikawa
- Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan.
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Zhao S, Cui W, Yin G, Wei H, Li J, Bao J. Effects of Different Auditory Environments on Behavior, Learning Ability, and Fearfulness in 4-Week-Old Laying Hen Chicks. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3022. [PMID: 37835629 PMCID: PMC10572013 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental enrichment can improve animal welfare. As a method of environmental enrichment, the effect of different auditory stimulations on the behavior response and welfare of laying hen chicks has yet to be investigated. Therefore, this study was aimed at exploring the impact of various auditory exposures on the behavior, learning ability, and fear response of 4-week-old laying hen chicks. A total of 600 1-day-old chicks were randomly assigned to five different groups: C (control group), LM (Mozart's String Quartets, 65 to 75 dB), LN (recorded ventilation fans and machinery, 65 to 75 dB), HN (recorded ventilation fans and machinery, 85 to 95 dB), and HM (Mozart's String Quartets, 85 to 95 dB). The experiment was conducted from day 1 until the end of the experiment on day 28. Groups LM and LN were exposed to music and noise stimulation ranging from 65 to 75 dB. Groups HN and HM, meanwhile, received noise and music stimulation ranging from 85 to 95 dB. The control group (C) did not receive any additional auditory stimuli. During the experimental period, continuous behavioral recordings were made of each group of chicks from day 22 to day 28. On day 21, the PAL (one-trial passive avoidance learning) task was conducted. On days 23 and 24, OF (open field) and TI (tonic immobility) tests were performed, and the levels of serum CORT (corticosterone) and DA (dopamine) were measured. The results indicated that exposure to music and noise at intensities ranging from 85 to 95 dB could reduce comforting, preening, PAL avoidance rate, the total number of steps and grid crossings of OF, and the concentration of DA in 4 WOA chicks (p < 0.05), increase the freezing times of OF (p < 0.05); 65 to 75 dB of noise stimulation could reduce preening and total number steps of OF in 4 WOA chicks (p < 0.05), increase the freezing times of OF (p < 0.05); and 65 to 75 dB of music exposure could reduce the concentration of CORT in 4 WOA chicks (p < 0.05). Therefore, 65 to 75 dB of music exposure could produce positive effects on chicks and showed relatively low CORT level, whereas 85 to 95 dB of music and noise exposure could reduce comforting and preening behavior, impair learning ability, and increase the fear responses of chicks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China; (S.Z.); (W.C.); (G.Y.)
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Weiguo Cui
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China; (S.Z.); (W.C.); (G.Y.)
| | - Guoan Yin
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing 163319, China; (S.Z.); (W.C.); (G.Y.)
| | - Haidong Wei
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China;
| | - Jianhong Li
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China;
| | - Jun Bao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
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Tiemann I, Becker S, Fournier J, Damiran D, Büscher W, Hillemacher S. Differences among domestic chicken breeds in tonic immobility responses as a measure of fearfulness. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14703. [PMID: 37033722 PMCID: PMC10081456 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background One priority for animal welfare is for animals to experience less fear, especially during human contact. For domestic animals, breeds that are less fearful may provide genetic resources to develop strains with improved welfare due to lower susceptibility to fear. Genetic predispositions inherited in these breeds might reflect the large diversity of chicken breeds. The goal of the present study was to systematically test a diverse group of chicken breeds to search for breeds that experience less fear. Methods Nineteen chicken breeds from commercial hybrid lines, native layer-type, meat-type and dual-purpose breeds, ornamental breeds as well as bantam breeds were tested in a standardized tonic immobility (TI) test. Chickens were manually restrained on their back, and the time to first head movement and first leg movement, the duration of TI, as well as the number of attempts needed to induce TI were measured. Results The TI response differed among chicken breeds (p ≤ 0.001) for naïve, mature hens. The median number of attempts required to induce TI ranged from 1 to 2 and did not differ significantly among breeds. Median durations were much more variable, with Lohmann Brown showing shortest durations (6 s, 12 s, 58 s for time to first head movement, first leg movement and total duration of TI, respectively). In contrast, medians reached the maximum of 600 s for all three measures in German Creepers. Repeated tests on the same individuals did not affect attempts needed to induce TI nor TI durations. Breeds clustered into two main groups, with layer-type native breeds and ornamental breeds having longer TI durations, and bantam, dual-purpose and meat-type native breeds having shorter TI durations. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence for substantial variation of fearfulness among breeds. This variation could be linked to the intended use during the breed's specific history. Knowledge and quantitative measurement of these behavioural responses provide the opportunity to improve welfare through selection and future breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Tiemann
- Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Senta Becker
- Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jocelyn Fournier
- Department of Animal & Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Daalkhaijav Damiran
- Department of Animal & Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Wolfgang Büscher
- Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sonja Hillemacher
- Institute of Agricultural Engineering, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Davis AK, Ladd RRE, Smith F, Shattuck A. Sex-specific effects of a parasite on stress-induced freezing behavior in a natural beetle-nematode system. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281149. [PMID: 36917578 PMCID: PMC10013888 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Some animals react to predation threats or other stressors by adopting a freezing posture in an attempt to avoid detection, and the duration of this behavior usually corresponds with individual personality, such that timid individuals freeze longer. Despite decades of research on this or related behaviors (thanatosis), never has the impact of parasitism been considered. Parasites could prolong the duration, if hosts are less motivated to move (i.e. lethargic), or they could reduce it, if hosts are motivated to forage more to compensate for energy drain. We examined this behavior within a natural beetle-nematode system, where hosts (horned passalus beetles, Odontotaenius disjunctus) are parasitized by a nematode, Chondronema passali. We exposed beetles (n = 238) to four stressors in our lab, including noise, vibration, light and inversion, and recorded how long they adopt a frozen stance. Afterward, we determined nematode burdens, which can range from dozens to hundreds of worms. Beetles tended to freeze for 20 seconds on average, with some variation between stressors. We detected no effect of beetle mass on the duration of freezing, and this behavior did not differ in beetles collected during the breeding or non-breeding season. There was a surprising sex-based difference in the impact of nematodes; unparasitized females remained frozen twice as long as unparasitized males, but for beetles with heavy nematode burdens, the opposite was true. From this we infer that heavily parasitized females are more bold, while males with heavy burdens would be more timid. The explanation for this finding remains elusive, though we can rule out many possibilities based on prior work on this host-parasite system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew K. Davis
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Richard R. E. Ladd
- Biological Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Farran Smith
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States of America
| | - Anna Shattuck
- Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
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Brown AA, Sobotik EB, House GM, Nelson JR, Archer GS. Differences in fear response strategy and stress susceptibility amongst four different commercial layer strains reared cage free. Front Physiol 2022; 13:943471. [PMID: 36051908 PMCID: PMC9424751 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.943471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Different commercial lines of laying hens may show varying levels of fearfulness in response to stressful events or situations. It is important to understand the differences in fear response and stress susceptibility. In this study, four commercial laying hen lines reared from hatch to 32 weeks of age in a cage free system Strains consisted of a brown egg laying line (Hyline Brown; HB) and three white egg laying lines (W36, W80, and LSL). Sixty hens from each strain were used. Each hen was assessed for fearfulness using the following tests: isolation (ISO), emergence (EMG), inversion (INV), and tonic immobility (TI). Stress was assessed based on physical asymmetry (ASYM), corticosterone (CORT) concentrations, and heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (HL). At 3 weeks of age, the W80 birds exhibited more vocalizations during ISO and a shorter duration to emerge than other lines except the HB birds during EMG. Conversely the W36 birds had fewer vocalizations during ISO and emerged quicker than other birds except the LSL during EMG. At 16 weeks of age, the LSL and the W36 bird demonstrated greater fear in TI than the HB. At 30 weeks of age, the observed fear response strategies of each strain changed from previous age and differences were observed between lines (p < 0.05). At both 16 and 30 weeks of age the HB birds had the highest (p < 0.05) stress indicators (CORT, HL, and ASYM). Furthermore, they had a higher CORT after acute stressor (p < 0.05). Commercial lines of laying hens show clear variation in their stress response strategy and stress susceptibility. Brown egg laying hens tend to actively avoid perceived threats whereas white egg laying hens use passive avoidance. Brown egg laying hens also have higher levels in the measures of stress susceptibility than white egg laying hens. Understanding of individual strain response to fearful stimuli and other stressors is important knowledge to appropriately determine welfare differences between strains of layers as the baseline measures are often different.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Gregory S. Archer
- Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
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Fear behaviour in turkey poults of fast and slow growing breeds. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Zhao S, Xu C, Zhang R, Li X, Li J, Bao J. Effect of prenatal different auditory environment on learning ability and fearfulness in chicks. Anim Biosci 2022; 35:1454-1460. [PMID: 34991195 PMCID: PMC9449402 DOI: 10.5713/ab.21.0470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Early environmental enrichment in life can improve cognition in animals. The effect of prenatal auditory stimulation on learning ability and fear level in chick embryos remained unexplored. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of prenatal auditory stimulation on the learning ability and fear level of chicks. Methods A total of 450 fertilized eggs were randomly divided into 5 groups, including control group (C), low-sound intensity music group (LM), low-sound intensity noise group (LN), high-sound intensity noise group (HN) and high-sound intensity music group (HM). From the 10th day of embryonic development until hatching, group LM and group LN received 65 to 75 dB of music and noise stimulation. Group HN and group HM received 85 to 95 dB of noise and music stimulation, and group C received no additional sound. At the end of incubation, the one-trial passive avoidance learning (PAL) task and tonic immobility (TI) tests were carried out, and the serum corticosterone (CORT) and serotonin (5-HT) concentrations were determined. Results The results showed that compared with the group C, 65 to 75 dB of music and noise stimulation did not affect the PAL avoidance rate (p>0.05), duration of TI (p>0.05) and the concentration of CORT (p>0.05) and 5-HT (p>0.05) in chicks. However, 85 to 95 dB of music and noise stimulation could reduce duration of TI (p<0.05) and the concentration of CORT (p<0.05), but no significant effect was observed on the concentration of 5-HT (p>0.05) and PAL avoidance rate (p>0.05). Conclusion Therefore, the prenatal auditory stimulation of 85 to 95 dB can effectively reduce the fear level of chicks while it does not affect the learning ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chunzhu Xu
- College of life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Runxiang Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Xiang Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jianhong Li
- College of life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jun Bao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin 150030, China
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Zhao S, Zhang R, Li C, Li Y, Li J, Xu C, Bao J. The Effect of Short-term Classical Music stimulus on Behavior and Tonic Immobility Reaction of Pullets. J APPL ANIM WELF SCI 2021:1-7. [PMID: 34696632 DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2021.1983724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of short-term stimulation of classical music on the behavior of pullets and to explore whether classical music as an auditory enrichment factor reduces the fear level in pullets. One hundred and twenty 10-weeks'old Roman white pullets were randomly divided into two treatments of which one group was exposed to classic music (M), and another one was the control group (N). The music was played during 8:00-18:00 every day for 7 consecutive days. The behavior of the focal animals was observed from 11:00 to13:00 every day for 7 days. The results showed that during the observation period, the pullets in group M had more comforting (P < .05) and preening (P < .05), but less aggressive (P < .01) and feather-pecking (P < .01) behaviors than those in group N. No significant difference was found in other behaviors and the duration of tonic immobility between the two groups. Therefore, auditory enrichment as a means of environmental enrichment can increase the welfare level of pullets to a certain extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Runxiang Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chun Li
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yutao Li
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jianhong Li
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chunzhu Xu
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jun Bao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.,Key Laboratory of Chicken Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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Ishikawa A, Sakaguchi M, Nagano AJ, Suzuki S. Genetic Architecture of Innate Fear Behavior in Chickens. Behav Genet 2020; 50:411-422. [PMID: 32770288 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-020-10012-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The genetic architecture of innate fear behavior in chickens is poorly understood. Here, we performed quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis of innate responses to tonic immobility (TI) and open field (OF) fears in 242 newly hatched chicks of an F2 population between the native Japanese Nagoya breed and the White Leghorn breed using 881 single nucleotide polymorphism markers obtained by restriction site-associated DNA sequencing. At genome-wide 5% significance levels, four QTL for TI traits were revealed on chromosomes 1-3 and 24. Two of these loci had sex-specific effects on the traits. For OF traits, three QTL were revealed on chromosomes 2, 4 and 7. The TI and OF QTL identified showed no overlaps in genomic regions and different modes of inheritance. The three TI QTL and one OF QTL exerted antagonistic effects on the traits. The results demonstrated that context-dependent QTL underlie the variations in innate TI and OF behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Ishikawa
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan.
| | - Marina Sakaguchi
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
| | - Atsushi J Nagano
- Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukoku University, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2194, Japan
| | - Sae Suzuki
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan
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Tonic Immobility and Open Field Responses in Nagoya, White Leghorn, and White Plymouth Rock Chicks. J Poult Sci 2020; 57:183-191. [PMID: 32733151 PMCID: PMC7387945 DOI: 10.2141/jpsa.0190085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate fear responses to tonic immobility (TI) and open field (OF) were evaluated in newly hatched chicks of three breeds with distinct breed origin and genetic relationships. The breeds studied were Nagoya (NAG), a native Japanese breed; White Leghorn (WL), a representative of layers; and White Plymouth Rock (WPR), a parental breed of common broilers. The TI test revealed that WL was the most sensitive to extensive fear evoked by the TI test among the three breeds, followed in order by WPR, and NAG. In contrast, the OF test revealed that NAG was the most sensitive to mild fear evoked by the OF test, followed in order by WPR, and WL. The different fear responses between NAG and WL were supported by minimal phenotypic correlations between TI and OF traits in each breed. These results demonstrated that NAG and WL breeds exhibit extreme and opposite responses to TI and OF fears.
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Hanas AK, Guigueno MF, Fernie KJ, Letcher RJ, Ste-Marie Chamberland F, Head JA. Assessment of the effects of early life exposure to triphenyl phosphate on fear, boldness, aggression, and activity in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) chicks. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 258:113695. [PMID: 31841763 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP) is an organophosphate ester (OPE) used as a flame retardant (FR) and plasticizer. TPHP has previously been shown to disrupt behaviour in fish and mammals, but to our knowledge, this is the first study on the behavioural effects of TPHP in birds. Early life stage Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were exposed to nominal doses of 0 ng/g (vehicle-control), 5 ng/g (low dose), 50 ng/g (mid dose), and 100 ng/g (high dose) TPHP, both as embryos (via air cell injection prior to incubation) and as chicks (via daily gavage until 5 days post-hatch). The low dose reflects TPHP levels recorded in wild avian eggs, but actual environmental exposure levels may be higher given that TPHP is known to be rapidly metabolized in birds. We previously reported that the chicks exposed to TPHP in this study experienced reduced growth and resting metabolic rate, and sex-specific changes in thyroid function. The current study focuses on behavioural endpoints. We found that high-TPHP chicks exhibited less neophobia than vehicle-controls, and low-TPHP chicks exhibited more aggression towards conspecifics. No differences were observed in the responses of Japanese quail chicks to activity or tonic immobility (fear response) tests. These data add weight of evidence to previous findings suggesting that TPHP, among other OPEs, can disrupt ecologically-relevant behaviours in exposed vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley K Hanas
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Mélanie F Guigueno
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9, Canada; Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada
| | - Kim J Fernie
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9, Canada; Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Burlington, Ontario, L7S 1A1, Canada.
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | | | - Jessica A Head
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9, Canada
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Moroi S, Nishimura K, Imai N, Kunishige K, Sato S, Goto T. Rapid behavioral assay using handling test provides breed and sex differences in tameness of chickens. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01394. [PMID: 31456336 PMCID: PMC6790303 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Japanese indigenous chicken breeds are often used to improve meat quality rather than broilers in the Jidori industry. There are sometimes severe crowding accidents caused by many birds frightened by environmental stimuli. To prevent the economic loss, the chickens need to be more gentle, tame, and imperturbable. METHODS In this study, a new handling test for tameness in adult chickens in individual cages was performed with 100 birds from each sex of Shamo, Rhode Island Red, Nagoya, Australorp, and Ukokkei, as well as 10 hens of F1 hybrid between Shamo and Rhode Island Red, to measure both active and passive tameness. We counted the number heading toward human hands (heading) and retreating in other directions (avoiding) in both active and passive tameness phases, as well as the number of steps taken (step) during the handling test. RESULTS Male chickens exhibited higher avoidance behavior than females. Nagoya females displayed the lowest level of avoidance behavior, which implies passive tameness. In terms of active tameness, a variety of phenotypes can be obtained in different combinations of breed and sex. These results suggested the handling test will be good method for rapid screening of individual differences in tameness. In addition, there were heterosis effects on avoidance and locomotive behaviors. Since F1 is often used in the Jidori industry, the breeders should be tested not only for meat production but also for tameness. CONCLUSIONS In the future, combining both the behavioral screening and the population genomics will establish typical evidence about mechanisms of tameness and domestication in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saki Moroi
- Department of Life and Food SciencesObihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary MedicineObihiroJapan
| | - Kenji Nishimura
- Department of Life and Food SciencesObihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary MedicineObihiroJapan
| | - Nana Imai
- Department of Life and Food SciencesObihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary MedicineObihiroJapan
- Present address:
Graduate School of Biosphere ScienceHiroshima UniversityHigashi‐HiroshimaJapan
| | - Kyoko Kunishige
- Agricultural Research DepartmentAnimal Research CenterHokkaido Research OrganizationSapporoJapan
| | - Shun Sato
- Agricultural Research DepartmentAnimal Research CenterHokkaido Research OrganizationSapporoJapan
| | - Tatsuhiko Goto
- Department of Life and Food SciencesObihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary MedicineObihiroJapan
- Research Center for Global AgromedicineObihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary MedicineObihiroJapan
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Hewlett SE, Nordquist RE. Effects of Maternal Care During Rearing in White Leghorn and Brown Nick Layer Hens on Cognition, Sociality and Fear. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9070454. [PMID: 31323729 PMCID: PMC6680883 DOI: 10.3390/ani9070454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Both genetic background and maternal care can have a strong influence on cognitive and emotional development. To investigate these effects and their possible interaction, White Leghorn (LH) and Brown Nick (BN) chicks, two hybrid lines of layer hen commonly used commercially, were housed either with or without a mother hen in their first five weeks of life. From three weeks of age, the chicks were tested in a series of experiments to deduce the effects of breed and maternal care on their fear response, foraging and social motivation, and cognitive abilities. The LH were found to explore more and showed more attempts to reinstate social contact than BN. The BN were less active in all tests and less motivated than LH by social contact or by foraging opportunity. No hybrid differences were found in cognitive performance in the holeboard task. In general, the presence of a mother hen had unexpectedly little effect on behavior in both LH and BN chicks. It is hypothesized that hens from commercially used genetic backgrounds may have been inadvertently selected to be less responsive to maternal care than ancestral or non-commercial breeds. The consistent and strong behavioral differences between genetic strains highlights the importance of breed-specific welfare management processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susie E Hewlett
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Rebecca E Nordquist
- Behavior and Welfare in Farm Animals Research Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584CL Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Ferrante V, Mugnai C, Ferrari L, Marelli SP, Spagnoli E, Lolli S. Stress and reactivity in three Italian chicken breeds. ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/1828051x.2016.1185978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Short copy number variations potentially associated with tonic immobility responses in newly hatched chicks. PLoS One 2013; 8:e80205. [PMID: 24282524 PMCID: PMC3839970 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 09/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tonic immobility (TI) is fear-induced freezing that animals may undergo when confronted by a threat. It is principally observed in prey species as defence mechanisms. In our preliminary research, we detected large inter-individual variations in the frequency and duration of freezing behavior among newly hatched domestic chicks (Gallus gallus). In this study we aim to identify the copy number variations (CNVs) in the genome of chicks as genetic candidates that underlie the behavioral plasticity to fearful stimuli. Methods A total of 110 domestic chicks were used for an association study between TI responses and copy number polymorphisms. Array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) was conducted between chicks with high and low TI scores using an Agilent 4×180 custom microarray. We specifically focused on 3 genomic regions (>60 Mb) of chromosome 1 where previous quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis showed significant F-values for fearful responses. Results ACGH successfully detected short CNVs within the regions overlapping 3 QTL peaks. Eleven of these identified loci were validated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) as copy number polymorphisms. Although there wkas no significant p value in the correlation analysis between TI scores and the relative copy number within each breed, several CNV loci showed significant differences in the relative copy number between 2 breeds of chicken (White Leghorn and Nagoya) which had different quantitative characteristics of fear-induced responses. Conclusion Our data shows the potential CNVs that may be responsible for innate fear response in domestic chicks.
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