refining feeding routines for macaques
TRANSCRIPT
Refining feeding routines for macaques to decrease feeding competition &
improve welfare C. Waitt1, M. Bushmitz2 & P. Honess3
1Dept Zoology, University of Oxford, 2BFC, Mazor, Israel3Dept Veterinary Services, University of Oxford
2010 NC3Rs Primate Welfare Meeting
40 – 60% time spent foraging
Primates in the wild
• Feeding is the most significant daily event affects the daily pattern of behavior
• Feeding routine often based on tradition, staff convenience or efficiency rather than impact on animals
• Not all animals have the same access to food -this might affect the reproduction and animals might have higher % of health problems due to bad nutrition.
Feeding of Captive Primates
• Feeding aggression & stress
• Feeding associated with aggression • Anticipation of feeding causes stress • Training for cooperative feeding reduces aggression
• Feeding routine components No. feeds/day?
• Types of food to give at each feed?
• Proportion of the daily food ration per feed?
• How we give the food to the animals ?
Aim & Goals
• Aim: Assess effect on behavior of changing the daily food ration distribution across 3 feeding events
• Goal: Optimize feeding procedures to:
• Minimize competition during feedings to reduce stress preceding, during & following feeding
• Improve access to food, especially for low-ranking animals & weaned infants
Methods• Long tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis)• 6 breeding groups; (30-40♀, 2-4 ♂ /group)• 4x6x6m outdoor 2 level cages
• >80hrs scan sampling (3 wks) before/after food delivered
• Compared feeding :• Existing: 10%, 20%, 70% daily ratio - old feeding program• Experimental: 30%, 30%, 40% - new feeding program
Compare different types of behaviors before and after food was given .
What we give to the animals
BFC Feeding program
• Our basic feeding :
• We take Female as average 5kg and males 8kg.
• 100kcal/day/kg body weight - Breeder• 125kcal/day/kg body weight - Pregnant• 150kcal/day/kg body weight - Lactating mother
• # of breeders - lactating / 2 = estimated # Pregnant mothers
• this give us the total caloric request of the colony at present (this change every 3-4 months when we do weaning )
Food proportion - Old vs New Feeding
0
18
35
53
70
old feeding new feeding
40
70
30
20
30
10
08:00 12:00 16:00
What was given -‐when ?
Bread
sunflower seeds
dry food
vegetables or fruits
fiber or leaves
08:00 08:00
12:00 12:00
16:00 16:00
Old feeding routine New feeding routine
Different types of food in each feed All types of food in each feed
How Food Was Given ?Old feeding routine New feeding routine
• Agonism (aggression & submission), • Displacement behavior (chewing items & wiping) • Eating • Anxiety (self-directed & abnormal behavior) • Social behavior (allogrooming, play) • Locomotion • Resting (alert & unalert)
What behaviors we observed ?
Results of Ra7on Change• No effect on agonism or locomo0on • All benefit in reduced anxiety (Pre: F1,15=6.688, p=0.021, Post:
F1,15=5.761, p=0.03)
– An7cipa7on anxiety reduces most before Feed 2 (Feed x Treatment: F2,14=8.409, p=0.004**)
– Compe77on anxiety reduces most aSer Feed 1 (Feed x Treatment: F2,14=22.622, p=0.000***)
Social Behaviour
• Social behaviour increased for all a<er feeding (Feed x Treatment: F2,14=17.06, p=0.000***), except aSer Feed 1 for males (F=17.931, df=2, p=0.000***) where it decreases
Displacement Behaviour
• Exhibited most by infants before feeds (F=23.365, df=2, p=0.000***) levels related to the an7cipated ra7on size: bigger ra7on is preceded by more displacement (FeedxTreatmentxASC: F4,30=3.842, p=0.012*)
Res7ng
• No effect on res0ng before feeds. However all rest more a<er Feed 3 (Feed x Treatment: F2,14=20.403, p=0.000***) , esp. infants, propor7onally (Feed x TreatmentxASC: F2,15=11.718, p=0.001***)
Ea7ng
• No effect on ea0ng before feeds. All increase ea0ng a<er Feed 1 & decrease a<er Feed 3 (Feed*Treatment: F2,14=62.464,
p=0.000***). Females & infants also increase aSer Feed 2, but males decrease
Feeding Babies in a breeding group
Babies have difficulty to compete on food with adults and actually they feed on milk and collect small leftovers from the ground
Bioculture Mauritius
Feeding Box for Babies
60cm x 60 cm x 100cm high with 3 entrancesProvide a safe, privet, with no competition “food court”Babies can eat ad libitumBabies can eat baby pellets - 25% protein
Cages With Feeding boxes (56)
Colony 19 11 males11 females
weight range
355-1585 gr.
Colony 20 20 males14 females
weight range
335-1565 gr.
Cages Without Feeding boxes (52)
Colony 27 13 males14 females
weight range
380-1480 gr.
Colony 28 16 males9 females
weight range
445-1590 gr.
Foraging - sunflower seeds + breadPellets for adult animals 20% proteins
2 types of fruits and veggiesLeaves
Pellets for Babies 25% proteins animals
With feeding box Without feeding box
0
85
170
255
340
Average weight gain(gr.)/ animal
184143
323336
19202728
0
1
3
4
5
Average weight gain (gr.) / animal/ day
2.451.91
4.314.48
Weight gain in 4 colonies over 75 days
cage with feeding box for babies
cage with feeding box for babies
cage without feeding box for babies
cage without feeding box for babies
19 2720 28 19 20 27 28
• The change from 10% /20% /70% to 30% /30% /40% feeding routine:• Decreased male dominance over food → increased
feeding by females & infants• Decreased both anticipation anxiety & competition anxiety
= reduced stress & improved welfare• Increased positive social behavior
• Overall: resulted in improvements in the animals’ behavior and a decrease in competition for food• Baby feeding box - double the weight gain and allow
babies to get better food in a calm environment.
Conclusion
Contact:
• Corri Waitt - Dept. Zoology, University of Oxford :
• Moshe Bushmitz - BFC, Mazor, Israel :
• Paul Honess - Dept. Veterinary Services, University of Oxford :
Thank you for the a[en7on !