The feeding kinematics of dwarf and pygmy sperm whales (Kogia sima and K. breviceps) and bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus were characterized and compared incorporating the Ram-Suction Index (RSI). Mean RSI data support a suction feeding strategy for Kogia (-0.67+/-0.29; mean +/- s.d.) and a ram feeding strategy for Tursiops (0.94+/-0.11; mean +/- s.d.). Tursiops displayed two ram-based fe...

BACKGROUND Pet cat and dog obesity contributes to increased risk of several diseases, including cancer and diabetes mellitus as well as a worsening of orthopaedic problems, and a reduction in survival rate. This study aims to develop a better understanding of cat and dog owners' self-reported beliefs and factors that influence owner behaviour around feeding and exercising their pet cat or dog, ...

The effects of thermoregulatory behaviours on gut blood flow in white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus before and after feeding was studied using a blood flow biotelemetry system in combination with a temperature preference chamber. This is the first study to look at cardiovascular responses to feeding in white sturgeon, and also the first time behavioural tests in fish have been combined with ...

Abstract Commercial gestation housing systems for sows generally fail to cater fully their needs in terms of comfort or the ability perform highly motivated behaviours, which can lead chronic stress and an impairment welfare. We compared a typical system (CONTROL) with IMPROVED one as regards oral stereotypies, aggressive behaviour, skin lesions, locomotion, tear staining. Sows were mixed into ...

Orexins are hypothalamic neuropeptides originally discovered to play a role in the regulation of feeding behaviour. The broad connections orexin neurons mesocorticolimbic circuitry suggest they may mediating reward-related behaviour beyond homeostatic feeding. Here, we review variety eating-related behaviour, with focus on reward and motivation, neural circuits driving these effects. One emergi...

To better investigate how the parents of twins approach care their infants in terms feeding and sleeping practices after birth by examining behaviours with twin babies. Three electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO , ScienceDirect) were searched, studies published between 2006 2016 included. The Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Reviews Meta-Analyses (Moher et al., 2015) was adopted. Key f...

This study examined the prevalence and incidence of abnormal behaviour in sheep housed individually indoors. Ninety-six castrated Merino sheep were observed using 15-min instantaneous sampling between 08:15 and 18:15 h for two consecutive days over a 3-week period. Sheep on average spent 62% of their time idle, 17% feeding, 1% drinking, 5% pacing, 10% chewing pen fixtures and 4% nosing pen fixt...

BACKGROUND Parents influence their children's obesity risk through feeding behaviours and modeling of weight-related behaviours. Little is known about how the general home environment, including parental stress, may influence children's weight. The objective of this study was to explore the association between parenting stress and child body mass index (BMI) as well as obesity risk factors, phy...

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterised by progressive cognitive impairment with neuropsychiatric symptoms such as anomalous motor behaviour, depression, anxiety, weight loss, irritability and agitation. The effect of hAPP and PS1 overexpression on cognition has been well characterised in a variety of transgenic mouse models, however, non-cognitive behaviours have not been considered as syste...

The detection of odour stimuli in the environment is universally important for primal behaviours such as feeding, mating, kin interactions and escape responses. Given the ubiquity of many airborne chemical signals and the similar organisation of animal olfactory circuits, a fundamental question in our understanding of the sense of smell is how species-specific behavioural responses to odorants ...