How Studying Interactions Between Animal Emotions, Cognition, and Personality Can Contribute to Improve Farm - Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals - page 99

currently housed in more enriched or more stable cages ( Brydges et al.,
2011 ; Harding et al.,2004 ). Similar results have been reported in farm
animals. For instance, pigs that have spent time in an enriched environ-
ment have more optimistic judgment biases, indicative of a more positive
affective state, in comparison with counterparts reared in a barren environ-
ment ( Douglas et al., 2012 ).
However, there are several critical requirements, particularly in the farm-
ing sector. Practicality is paramount, e.g., enrichment devices must be safe
(no sharp edges or protrusions), hygienic, affordable, durable, accessible to
all members of the group, and retain interest as long as possible to reduce
the need for frequent change. Ideally, we should determine what sorts of
stimuli the animals find attractive and interesting ( Bracke et al., 2006; Jones,
2004; Wilson et al., 2002 ). Important questions include: Are there unlearned
preferences? Are movement and change important? Is physical interaction
with the device essential? At what rates of introduction and stages of the
animals' development would enrichment be most beneficial? Identifying
the factors governing an animal's perception of a safe and interesting world
would greatly facilitate

the development of effective environmental

enrichment.

Positive Human Contact and Training Programs
Poor human animal relationships cause the animals to be fearful of humans

(Manteca et al., 2009). In some production systems (e.g., extensive farming),
the animals are less likely to experience human contact which could in turn
make them even more fearful of people through a lack of habituation
( Boissy et al., 2005b ). Remedial efforts for more tractable animals focus
on two main approaches, which can also be integrated in a complementary
fashion: (i) regular and positive human contact and (ii) stockmanship training
programs.
Picking an animal up regularly, stroking it or giving it food reliably
reduces fear of people in farm mammals ( Coulon et al., 2012; Hemsworth
et al., 1993 ). Nevertheless, it is clearly not a practical option in modern agri-
culture with the tendency to increase the herd size and by contrast to reduce
the labor force. Encouragingly though, simply allowing regular visual contact
with people reduced fear of humans in lambs ( Tallet et al., 2008 ). Training
programs are the main strategy for achieving and maintaining a good
human animal relationship ( Hemsworth, 2003 ). A team of European

and Australian researchers in the EU-funded Welfare Quality s project
( www.welfarequality.net ) developed a multimedia-based training package
(courses, software, manuals, newsletters, etc.) designed to help stock-
persons improve the quality of their interactions with cattle, pigs, and
chickens, and hence enhance the human

animal relationship ( Boivin and

Ruis, 2011 ).