Repeatability of an attention bias test for sheep suggests variable influence of state and trait affect on behaviour.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the effects of repeated testing on behaviour is essential for behavioural tests that are re-applied to the same individuals for research and welfare assessment purposes. Assessing the repeatability of behaviour can also help us understand the influence of persistent traits vs transient states on animal responses during testing. This study examined the repeatability of behavioural responses in an attention bias test developed for sheep as a measure of affective state. Sheep were assessed in the attention bias test three times (n = 81 sheep), with testing occurring at intervals of 1 year then 2 weeks. During testing, individual sheep were exposed to a dog located behind a window for 3 s in a 4 × 4 m arena, then the dog was obscured from view, removed and sheep beh

SUBMITTER: Monk JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9899428 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature