Animal Welfare Research Group
Animal Welfare Research Group
Faculty of Veterinary Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences
OVERVIEW
We use multidisciplinary approaches to advance knowledge in animal welfare. This mainly involves studies of health, behaviour, physiology, stress, neuroendocrinology, and epigenetics with relevance for motivation, cognition, and emotions. We use both experimental and epidemiological methods and emphasize veterinary and biomedical perspectives. Ongoing research projects focus on welfare in fish, pigs, poultry and sheep.
PUBLICATIONS
2021
Veit, C., Janczak, A.M., Ranheim, B., Vas, J., Valros, A., Sandercock, D.A., Piepponen, P., Dulgheriu, D., Nordgreen, J., 2021. The Effect of LPS and Ketoprofen on Cytokines, Brain Monoamines, and Social Behavior in Group-Housed Pigs. Front Vet Sci 7.
2020
Stubsjøen SM, Moe RO, Bruland K, Lien T, Muri K. 2020. Reliability of observer ratings: Qualitative Behaviour Assessments of shelter dogs using a fixed list of descriptors. Veterinary and Animal Science 10, 100145
Kittelsen KE, Jensen P, Christensen JP, Toftaker I, Moe RO, Vasdal G. 2020. Prevalence of keel bone damage in red jungle fowls (Gallus gallus gallus) – a pilot study. Animals, 10, 1655
Kittelsen KE, Moe RO, Hansen TB, Toftaker I, Christensen JP, Vasdal G. 2020. A descriptive study of keel bone fractures in hens and roosters from four non-commercial laying breeds housed in a live poultry gene preservation bank. Animals 10(9), 1655
Janicke Nordgreen, Sandra A. Edwards, Laura A. Boyle, J. Elizabeth Bolhuis, Christina Veit, Amin Sayyari, Daniela E. Marin, Ivan Dimitrov, Andrew M. Janczak and Anna Valros. 2020. A proposed role for pro-inflammatory cytokines in damaging behaviour in pigs. Front. Vet. Sci. | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00646
Muri K, Tufte PA, Grahame Coleman, Moe RO. 2020. Exploring work-related characteristics as predictors of Norwegian sheep farmers’ affective job satisfaction. Sociologia Ruralis, Vol 60, Number 3, July 2020, https://doi.org/10.1111/soru.12299
Marchewka J, Vasdal G, Moe RO. 2020. Associations between welfare measures on farm and slaughterhouse data in commercial flocks of turkey hens (Meleagris gallopavo). Poultry Science, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2020.05.036
Vasdal G, Marchewka J, Moe RO. 2020. Associations between animal-based measures at 11 weeks and slaughter data at 20 weeks in turkey toms (Meleagris gallopavo). Poultry Science, under revision. 10.1016/j.psj.2020.05.036
2019
Granquist EG, Vasdal G, de Jong IC, Moe RO. 2019. Lameness and its relationship with health and production measures in broiler chickens. Animal, 1-8, doi:10.1017/S1751731119000466
Marchewka J, Vasdal G, Moe RO. 2019. Identifying welfare issues in turkey hen and tom flocks applying the transect walk method. Poultry Science 98 (9); 3391-3399 https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez211
Vasdal G, Granquist EG, Skjerve E, de Jong I, Berg L, Michel V, Moe RO. 2019. Associations between carcass weight uniformity and production measures on farm and at slaughter in commercial broiler flocks. Poultry Science 98:4261–4268 http://dx.doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez252
Diaz-Lundahl S, Hellestveit S, Stubsjøen SM, Phythian CJ, Moe RO, Muri K. 2019. Intra– and inter-observer reliability of qualitative behaviour assessments of housed sheep in Norway. Animals 9, 569; doi:10.3390/ani9080569
Muri K, Stubsjøen SM, Vasdal G, Moe RO and Granquist EG. 2019. Associations between qualitative behaviour assessments and measures of leg health, fear and mortality in Norwegian broiler chicken flocks. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 211, 47-53 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.12.010
Vas J, Chojnacki RM, Andersen IL 2019. Search behavior in goat (Capra hircus) kids from mothers kept at different animal densities throughout pregnancy. Frontiers in Veterinary in Veterinary Science, DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00021
Munsterhjelm C., Nordgreen J., Aae F., Heinonen M., Valros A., Janczak AM. Sick and grumpy: Changes in social behaviour after a controlled immune stimulation in group-housed gilts. Physiology & Behavior 2019 (198), 76-83. (electronic version https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.09.018)
2018
Baciadonna, L., Düpjan, S, Briefer EF, Padilla de la Torre, Monica; Christian Nawroth. Looking on the bright side of livestock emotions– the potential of their transmission to promote welfare. 2018 Frontiers in Veterinary Sciences 5, 218
Nordgreen J., Munsterhjelm C., Aae F., Popova A., Boysen P., Ranheim B., Heinonen M., Raszplewicz J., Piepponen P., Lervik A., Valros A., Janczak AM. The effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on inflammatory markers in blood and brain and on behavior in individually-housed pigs. Physiology & Behavior 2018 (195), 98-111.
Baciadonna, L., Düpjan, S, Briefer EF, Padilla de la Torre, Monica; Christian Nawroth. Looking on the bright side of livestock emotions– the potential of their transmission to promote welfare. 2018 Frontiers in Veterinary Sciences 5, 218
Vasdal G, Moe RO, de Jong I, Granquist EG. 2018. The relationship between fear of humans and lameness in broiler chicken flocks. ANIMAL, 12:2, 334-339 doi: 10.1017/S1751731117001434
Vasdal G, Vas J, Newberry RC, Moe RO. 2018. Effects of environmental enrichment on activity and lameness in commercial broiler production. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 1088-8705 (Print) 1532-7604 (Online) https://doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2018.1456339
Moe RO, Bohlin J, Flø A, Vasdal G, Erlandsen H, Guneriussen E, Sjökvist EC, Stubsjøen SM. 2018. Effects of subclinical footpad dermatitis and emotional arousal on surface foot temperature recorded with infrared thermography in turkey toms (Meleagris gallopavo). Poultry Science 0:1–9, http://dx.doi.org/10.3382/ps/pey033
Moe RO, Flø A, Bohlin J, Vasdal G, Erlandsen H, Guneriussen E, Sjökvist EC, Stubsjøen SM. 2018. Experimental factors affecting the within- and between-individual variation of plantar foot surface temperatures in turkeys (Meleagris gallopovo) recorded with infrared thermography. Infrared Physics and Technology 92; 381–386.
Kittelsen KE, Granquist EG, Aunsmo AL, Moe RO, Tolo E. 2018. An evaluation of welfare indicators for different broiler catching methods. Animals 8, 141; doi:10.3390/ani8080141
Heimberg CK, Jespersen A, Moe RO. 2018. Tail tip lesions in mink (Neovison vison): Effects of an additional hammock in multilevel cages. Animals 8, 214; doi:10.3390/ani8110214
2017
Padilla de la Torre, M & McElligott, A.G. Vocal communication and the importance of mother-offspring relations in cattle. 2017 Animal Behaviour and Cognition 4, 522-525
Muri K and Stubsjøen SM. 2017. Inter-observer reliability of Qualitative Behavioural Assessments (QBA) of housed sheep in Norway using fixed lists of descriptors. Animal Welfare 26, 427-435
Pértille F, Brantsæter M, Nordgreen J, Coutinho LL, Janczak AM, Jensen P and Guerrero-Bosagna C. 2017. DNA methylation profiles detected in red blood cells of adult hens correlate to their rearing conditions. Journal of Experimental Biology
Munsterhjelm C and Nordgreen J, Aae F, Heinonen M, Olstad K, Aasmundstad T, Janczak AM, Valros A. 2017. To be blamed or pitied: The effect of illness on social behaviour, cytokine levels and feed intake in intact male pigs. Physiology & Behavior. 298-307.
Brantsæter M, Nordgreen J, Hansen TB, Muri K, Nødtvedt A, Moe RO, Janczak AM, 2017a. Problem behaviors in adult laying hens - identifying risk factors during rearing and egg production. Poultry Science.
Brantsæter M, Tahamtani FM, Nordgreen J, Sandberg E, Hansen TB, Rodenburg TB, Moe RO, Janczak AM, 2017. Access to litter during rearing and environmental enrichment during production reduce fearfulness in adult laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 189, 49-56.
Kittelsen KE, David B, Moe RO, Poulsen HD, Young JF, Granquist GE. 2017. Associations among gait score, production data, abattoir registrations, and postmortem tibia measurements in broiler chickens. Poultry Science. doi: 10.3382/ps/pew433
Moe RO, Bohlin J, Flø A, Vasdal G, Stubsjøen S. Hot chicks, cold feet. 2017. Physiology & Behavior 179, 42–48.
Kittelsen KE, Moe RO, Hoel K, Nafstad O, Granquist EG. 2017. Comparison of flock characteristics, journey duration and pathology between flocks with a normal and a high percentage of broilers ‘dead-on-arrival’ at abattoirs. ANIMAL, 1 of 8; doi:10.1017/S1751731117001161
Vasdal G, Moe RO, de Jong I, Granquist EG. 2017. The relationship between fear of humans and lameness in broiler chicken flocks. ANIMAL, 7:1-6. doi: 10.1017/S1751731117001434
2016
Muri K, Leine N and Valle PS. 2016 Welfare effects of a disease eradication programme for dairy goats, animal 10, 333-341. doi:10.1017/S1751731115000762
Dwyer CM, Conington J, Corbiere F, Holmøy I, Muri K, Nowak R, Rooke J, Vipond J and Gautier J-M. 2016. Invited review: Improving neonatal survival in small ruminants: science into practice, animal, 10, 449-459. doi:10.1017/S1751731115001974
Tahamtani F, Brantsæter M, Nordgreen J, Sandberg E, Hansen TB, Nødtvedt A, Rodenburg TB, Moe RO, Janczak AM 2016. Effects of litter provision during early rearing and environmental enrichment during the production phase on feather pecking and feather damage in laying hens. Poultry Science doi: 10.3382/ps/pew265.
Tahamtani FM, Nordgreen J, Brantsæter M, Østby GC, Nordquist RE, Janczak AM. 2016. Does early environmental complexity influence tyrosine hydroxylase in the chicken hippocampus and “prefrontal” caudolateral nidopallium? Frontiers in Veterinary Science 3
Brantsæter M, Nordgreen J, Rodenburg T.B, Tahamtani FM, Popova A, Janczak AM. 2016. Exposure to increased environmental complexity during rearing reduces fearfulness and increases use of three-dimensional space in laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). Frontiers in Veterinary Science 3
Brantsæter MB, Tahamtani FM, Moe R, Hansen TB, Orritt R, Nicol C, Janczak AM. 2016. Rearing Laying Hens in Aviaries Reduces Fearfulness Following Transfer to Furnished Cages. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 3 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00013
Pichova K, Nordgreen J, Leterrier C, Kostal L, Moe RO. 2016. The effects of food-related environmental complexity on litter directed behaviour, fear and exploration of novel stimuli in young broiler chickens. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 174, 83–89.
2015
Kittelsen KE, Granquist EG, Vasdal G, Tolo E, Moe RO. 2015. Effects of catching and transportation versus pre-slaughter handling at the abattoir on the prevalence of wing fractures in broilers. Animal Welfare 24: 387-389, doi: 10.7120/09627286.24.4.387
Kittelsen KE, Granquist EG, Kolbjørnsen Ø, Nafstad O, Moe RO. 2015. A Comparison of Post-Mortem Findings in Broilers Dead-on-Farm and Broilers Dead-on-Arrival at the Abattoir. Poultry Science 94, 2622-2629
David B, Moe RO, Michel M, Lund V, Mejdell C. 2015. Air quality in alternative systems may have an impact on laying hen welfare. Part I—Dust. Animals 2015, 5(3), 495-511; doi:10.3390/ani5030368
David B, Mejdell C, Michel M, Lund V, Moe RO. 2015. Air quality in alternative systems may have an impact on laying hen welfare. Part II - Ammonia. Animals 2015, 5, 886-896; doi:10.3390/ani5030389
Tahamtani F, Nordgreen J, Nordquist RE, Janczak AM. 2015. Early life in a barren environment adversely affects spatial cognition in laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus). Front. Vet. Sci. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2015.00003
2014
de Haas EN, Bolhuis JE, de Jong IC, Kemp B, Janczak AM, Rodenburg TB. 2014. Predicting feather
damage in laying hens during the laying period. Is it the past or is it the present. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 160: 75-85. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.08.009
Tahamtani FM, Hansen TB, Orritt R, Nicol C, Moe RO, Janczak AM. 2014. Does rearing laying hens in aviaries adversely affect long-term welfare following transfer to furnished cages? PLoS One. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107357
Moe, R.O., Nordgreen, J., Janczak, A.M., Bakken, M., Spruijt, B.M., Jensen, P. 2014. Anticipatory and foraging behaviors in response to palatable food reward in chickens: Effects of dopamine D2 receptor blockade and domestication. Physiology & Behaviour, 133: 170-177.
Øverli, Ø., Nordgreen, N., Mejdell, C.M., Janczak, A.M., Kittilsen, S., Johansen, I.B., Horsberg, T.E. 2014. Ectoparasitic sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) affect behaviour and brain serotonergic activity in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.): Perspectives on animal welfare. Physiology & Behaviour, 132: 44-50.
Nuruddin S, Syverstad GHE, Lillehaug S, Leergaard TB, Nilsson LNG, et al. (2014) Elevated mRNA-Levels of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone and Its Receptor in Plaque-Bearing Alzheimer's Disease Transgenic Mice. PLoS ONE 9(8): e103607. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0103607
Nordgreen, J., Tahamtani, F.M., Janczak, A.M., Horsberg, T.E. 2014a. Behavioural effects of the commonly used fish anaesthetic tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) on zebrafish (Danio rerio) and its relevance for the acetic acid pain test. PLoS ONE 9(3): e92116. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092116 PDF
Nymo, I.H., das Neves, C.G., Tryland,M., Bårdsen, B., Santos, R.L., Turchetti, A.P., Janczak, A.M., Djønne, B., Lie, E., Berg, V., Godfroid, J. 2013. Brucella pinnipedialis hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) strain in the mouse model with concurrent exposure to PCB 153. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases. 37(3): 195–204.
2013
Nuruddin, S., Krogenæs, A., Brynildsrud, O. B., Verhaegen S., Evans, N.P., Robinson, Haraldsen, I.R.H. and Ropstad, E., 2013. Peri-pubertal gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment affects sex biased gene expression of amygdala in sheep. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 38(12): 3115-3127. Category 2
Moe, R.O., Nordgreen, J., Janczak, A.M., Spruijt, B.M., Bakken, M. 2013. Effects of signalled reward type, food status and a μ-opioid receptor antagonist on cue-induced anticipatory behaviour in laying hens (Gallus domesticus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 148: 46– 53.
Nuruddin, S., Wojniusz, S., Ropstad, E., Krogenæs, A., Evans, N.P., Robinsond, J.E., Solbakk, A., Amiry-Moghaddam, M., Haraldsen, I.R.H. 2013. Peri-pubertal gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog treatment affects hippocampus gene expression without changing spatial orientation in young sheep. Behavioural Brain Research 242: 9–16.
Nuruddin, S., Bruchhage, M., Ropstad, E., Krogenæs, A., Evans, N.P., Robinson, J.E., Endestad, T., Westlye, L.T., Madison, C., Haraldsen, I.R.H. 2013. Effects of peripubertal gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist on brain development in sheep—A magnetic resonance imaging study. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 38(10):1994-2002. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.03.009 . Category 2
Coulon, M., Wellman, C.L., Bohlin, J., Mercy, I.S., Janczak, A.M., Zanella, A. 2013. Early adverse experience alters dendritic spine density and gene expression in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus in lambs. Psychoneurendocrinology doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.10.018. Category 2
Nordgreen, J., Bjørge, M.H., Janczak, A.M., Poppe, T., Koppang, E.O., Ranheim, B., Horsberg, T.E. 2013. The effect of morphine on changes in behaviour and physiology in intraperitoneally vaccinated Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 145(3-4): 129-137.
Nordgreen, J., Bjørge, M.H., Janczak, A.M., Hovland, A-L., Moe, R.O., Ranheim, B., Horsberg, T.E. 2013. The time budget of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) held in enriched tanks. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 144(3-4): 147-152
Muri K, Stubsjøen SM, Valle PS 2013. Development and testing of an on-farm welfare assessment protocol for dairy goats. Animal Welfare 22: 385-400
2012
Holmøy IH, Kielland C, Stubsjøen SM, Hektoen L, Waage S 2012. Housing conditions and management practices associated with neonatal lamb mortality in sheep flocks in Norway. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 107(3-4):231-41 Category 2
Muri, K., Tufte, P.A., Skjerve, E., Valle, P.S. 2012. Human-animal relationships in the Norwegian dairy goat industry: attitudes and empathy towards goats (Part I). Animal Welfare 21(4): 535-545 DOI: 10.7120/09627286.21.4.535
Muri, K., Walle, P.S. 2012. Human-animal relationships in the Norwegian dairy goat industry: assessment of pain and provision of veterinary treatment (Part II). Animal Welfare 21(4): 547-558 DOI: 10.7120/09627286.21.4.547
Janczak, A.M., Hild, S., Fosse, T., Ranheim, B., Nordgreen, J., Moe, R.O., Zanella, A. 2012. Factors affecting mechanical (nociceptive) thresholds in piglets. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia 39: 628–635 PDF Category 2
Moe et al. 2012. Peripheral temperature drop in response to anticipation and consumption of a signaled palatable reward in laying hens (Gallus domesticus) Physiology & Behavior 106(4): 527–533. Category 2
Wilson, K., Zanella, R., Ventura, C., Johansen, H.L., Framstad, T., Janczak, A.M., Zanella, A.J. Neibergs, H.L. 2012. Identification of chromosomal locations associated with tail biting and being a victim of tail-biting behaviour in the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus). Journal of applied genetics. 53(4):449-56
Zupan, M., Janczak, A.M., Framstad, T., Zanella, A.J., 2012. The effect of biting tails and having tails bitten in pigs. Physiology & behavior. 05/2012; 106(5):638-44. Category 2
2011
Bjørge, M.H., Nordgreen, J., Janczak, A.M., Poppe, T., Ranheim, B., Horsberg, T.E. 2011. Behavioural changes following intraperitoneal vaccination in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 133 (1-2): 127-135.
Moe, R.O., Nordgreen, J., Janczak, A.M., Spruijt, B.M., Kostal, L., Skjerve, E., Zanella, A.J., Bakken, M. 2011. Effects of haloperidol, a dopamine D2-like receptor antagonist, on reward-related behaviors in laying hens. Physiology and Behavior 102: 400-405. Category 2
Hild, S., Coulon, M., Schroeer, A., et al. 2011. Gentle vs. aversive handling of pregnant ewes: I. Maternal cortisol and behavior. Physiology & Behavior 104(3): 384-391 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.04.022 Category 2
Coulon, M., Hild, S., Schroeer, A., Janczak, A. M., Zanella, A. J. 2011. Gentle vs. aversive handling of pregnant ewes: II. Physiology and behavior of the lambs. Physiology & Behavior 103 (5): 575-584. Category 2
Hild, S., Clark, C.C. A., Dwyer, C., et al. 2011. Ewes are more attentive to their offspring experiencing pain but not stress. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 132(3-4) 114-120 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2011.04.003
Poletto, R., Janczak, A.M., Marchant-Forde, R.M, Marchant-Forde, J.N., Matthews, L., Dowell, C.A., Hogan, D.F., Freeman, L., Lay, D.Jr. 2011. Identification of low and high frequency ranges for heart rate variability and blood pressure variability analyses using pharmacological autonomic blockade with atropine and propranolol in swine. Physiology and Behavior, 103 (2): 188-196. Category 2
Stubsjøen, S.M., Hektoen, L., Valle, P.S., Janczak, A.M., Zanella, A.J. 2011. Assessment of sheep welfare using on-farm registrations and performance. Animal Welfare. 20(2): 239-251.
Holmoy, I.H., Kielland, C., Stubsjoen, S.M., et al. 2012. Housing conditions and management practices associated with neo natal lamb mortality in sheep flocks in Norway. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 107(3-4): 231-241 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.06.007 Category 2
POPULAR SCIENTIFIC AND NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS
2014
- Haatveit HM, Moe RO, Nesje M. 2014. Dyrevelferd ved kronisk smerte hos hund- Veterinærers vurdering og oppfølging. Fagartikkel. Nor Vet Tidsskr 8; 679-686.
- Stubsjøen SM, Moe RO. 2014. Stress og velferd hos rein: En oversikt. Fagartikkel. Nor Vet Tidsskr 126; 116-120. (peer reviewed)