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Relevance of state-behaviour feedbacks for animal welfare
Camille M Montalcini1,2, Charles C Driver3, Michael T Mendl4
1Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, Radolfzell, 78315, Germany.
Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society
|March 24, 2025
Summary
Animal behavior and state are linked, impacting farm animal welfare. Understanding these feedback loops can identify welfare risks and guide improvements for captive animals.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior and welfare science
- Animal physiology and health
Background:
- Animal behavior and state (health, affective) are dynamic and interconnected.
- Limited research exists on the interplay between animal state and behavior in welfare studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- Review evidence of state-behavior feedbacks and their welfare consequences.
- Propose methods to utilize feedback loop understanding for welfare enhancement.
- Provide practical guidance and dynamic modeling approaches for welfare assessment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of state-behavior feedback mechanisms in farm animals.
- Analysis of state variables influencing behavioral costs and benefits.
- Conceptualization of dynamic models integrating longitudinal behavior and state data.
Main Results:
- Evidence supports common positive state-behavior feedback loops in livestock.
- These loops can lead to detrimental welfare outcomes like abnormal behaviors and negative affective states.
- Identified potential for feedback loops to cause 'tipping points' in animal states.
Conclusions:
- Understanding state-behavior dynamics is crucial for farm animal welfare.
- Dynamic models and analysis of within-individual feedback loops can reveal welfare differences.
- Harnessing positive feedback loops can promote positive affective states in captive animals.
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