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Added Value of Sensor-Based Behavioural Monitoring in an Infectious Disease Study with Sheep Infected with Toxoplasma
Harmen P Doekes1,2, Ronald Petie2, Rineke de Jong2
1Animal Breeding and Genomics, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|July 13, 2024
Summary
Sensor technologies like accelerometers and video monitoring offer objective insights into animal health. These tools tracked reduced activity and drinking in rams infected with Toxoplasma gondii, aiding disease research.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Behavior Science
- Biomedical Research
Background:
- Monitoring laboratory animal behavior is crucial for disease research.
- Sensor technologies are increasingly adopted for objective behavioral assessment.
- Toxoplasma gondii infection in rams serves as a model for studying host response.
Observation:
- Vectorial dynamic body acceleration (VDBA) from accelerometers quantified activity levels.
- Video analysis with Aruco markers enabled individual identification and drinking bout assessment.
- Data collection spanned 5 days pre-inoculation to 22 days post-inoculation with T. gondii.
Findings:
- Rams exhibited decreased daytime VDBA (60-80% of baseline) from days 4-10 post-inoculation.
- Drinking behavior, including visits and duration, decreased by up to 50%.
- Fever and lethargy were observed, with sickness behaviors lasting until day 10.
Implications:
- Sensor technologies provide continuous, detailed, and objective data, enhancing disease trial quality.
- These methods offer additional insights compared to traditional observational methods.
- Wider implementation of sensor technologies is recommended for refining animal disease experiments.
