Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Moving hens into cages affects cognitive performance, extinction learning and motivation for rewards.

Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)·2026
Same author

Gentle human interactions trigger positive emotions in chicks.

Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)·2026
Same author

Facilitating perspective-taking with animals in human decision-making.

Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)·2026
Same author

Calves disbudded with local nerve block and analgesic show conditioned place aversion two days later but not in the hours post-disbudding.

Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)·2026
Same author

Calves fed more milk prioritise play over feeding in a hole-board test.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

From welfare indicator to welfare contributor: the role of play in building flexibility and resilience in captive animals.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 28, 2025

The Modified Hole Board - Measuring Behavior, Cognition and Social Interaction in Mice and Rats
08:16

The Modified Hole Board - Measuring Behavior, Cognition and Social Interaction in Mice and Rats

Published on: April 8, 2015

18.0K

Assessing cognitive performance in dairy calves using a modified hole-board test.

Benjamin Lecorps1,2, Raphaela E Woodroffe1, Marina A G von Keyserlingk1

  • 1Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia, 2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z6, Canada.

Animal Cognition
|March 29, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Researchers adapted the hole-board test for dairy calves to assess cognitive abilities. This modified test effectively measures working and reference memory in young cattle, offering insights into their learning capabilities.

Keywords:
Animal welfareDairy cattleLong-term memoryShort-term memory

More Related Videos

The Use of Traditional Fear Tests to Evaluate Different Emotional Circuits in Cattle
12:08

The Use of Traditional Fear Tests to Evaluate Different Emotional Circuits in Cattle

Published on: April 22, 2020

8.8K
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
10:13

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach

Published on: February 14, 2014

13.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 28, 2025

The Modified Hole Board - Measuring Behavior, Cognition and Social Interaction in Mice and Rats
08:16

The Modified Hole Board - Measuring Behavior, Cognition and Social Interaction in Mice and Rats

Published on: April 8, 2015

18.0K
The Use of Traditional Fear Tests to Evaluate Different Emotional Circuits in Cattle
12:08

The Use of Traditional Fear Tests to Evaluate Different Emotional Circuits in Cattle

Published on: April 22, 2020

8.8K
Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
10:13

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach

Published on: February 14, 2014

13.8K

Area of Science:

  • Animal Cognition
  • Ethology
  • Animal Welfare Science

Background:

  • The hole-board test is a standard tool for evaluating memory in various animal species.
  • Previous research has not utilized the hole-board test to assess cognitive functions in cattle.
  • Dairy calves' cognitive abilities are crucial for understanding their welfare and response to environmental factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a modified hole-board test suitable for assessing cognitive functions in dairy calves.
  • To evaluate the test's efficacy in measuring working memory, general working memory, and reference memory.
  • To determine the test's sensitivity to changes in learning environments, such as altered reward locations.

Main Methods:

  • A modified hole-board test was designed with 15 bottles, 4 baited with milk, arranged in a test arena.
  • Dairy calves underwent an 11-day learning period with constant baited bottle locations.
  • A subsequent 7-day re-learning period was implemented after changing the baited bottle locations.

Main Results:

  • Calf performance showed significant improvement in reference and general working memory during the initial learning phase.
  • Working memory performance demonstrated a non-significant trend towards improvement.
  • A shift in baited bottle locations temporarily decreased performance, which then recovered during the re-learning period.

Conclusions:

  • The modified hole-board test is a viable tool for assessing cognitive abilities in dairy calves.
  • This method can be instrumental in future research examining how housing and rearing conditions impact calf cognition.
  • The findings support the use of this test to investigate factors influencing learning and memory in young cattle.