Research group: Ethology and animal environment
Bjarne O. Braastad Research group: Ethology and animal environment |
The research group has a broad background in the fields of ethology and animal welfare for most farm animal species, as well as dogs and cats.
Most of the group's research is related to animal welfare and establishing the knowledge base for understanding the effect of the physical and social environment on animal behaviour, as well as various aspects of human-animal relationships. Research focuses on gaining a basic understanding of how animal behaviour develops as a result of genotype-environment interaction from the embryonic stage (prenatal stress) to maturity. Other research topics include the study of emotional behaviour as an indicator of an animal's welfare level, and the relationship between social behaviour and the physical environment in cattle and pigs. In the field of companion animals, human-animal relationships are being studied, as well as the heritability of behavioural traits in various dog and cat breeds.
The research group has considerable focus on mutual human-animal relationships. The way in which humans treat animals can have a significant effect on animal welfare. On the other hand, having contact with animals can have positive effects on humans' physical and mental health. An important focus of the group is thus assessing the effect of working with farm animals on the mental health of persons with emotional dysfunction ("green care"). This implies cooperation between ethologists and psychiatrists.
The research group is extensively involved in international research cooperation, with emphasis on European/Nordic cooperation. The group's activities within prenatal stress and green care on livestock farms are at the forefront of European research in these areas. The follow-up of the white paper on animal husbandry and welfare, in the form of a new animal welfare research programme, will be extremely important for the research group in the years ahead.
Updated: 14.02.06
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Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences
P.O. Box 5003
N-1432 Ås
Phone: +47 64 96 51 00
Fax: +47 64 96 51 01
E-mail: iha@umb.no
N-1432 Ås
Phone: +47 64 96 51 00
Fax: +47 64 96 51 01
E-mail: iha@umb.no
