A Simple and Low-Cost Environmental Enrichment Program Improves the Welfare of Calomys Callosus, a Species That Adapts to Animal Facilities

    September 2024 in “ Frontiers in Veterinary Science ”
    Sandra Gabriela Klein, Tamires Soares de Assis, Gabriel Silva Pereira, Loyane Bertagnolli Coutinho, Renan Faria Guerra, Matheus Morais Neves, Flávia Batista Ferreira, Isabela Lemos de Lima, Richard Costa Polveiro, Eloísa Amália Vieira Ferro, Murilo Vieira da Silva
    TLDR A simple enrichment program improves health and reproduction in Calomys callosus.
    The study demonstrates that implementing an Environmental Enrichment Program (EEP) for Calomys callosus in animal facilities significantly enhances their reproductive and zootechnical performance. The enriched environment led to increased female precocity, reduced interbirth intervals, and more offspring production. Additionally, there were improvements in postpartum indices, such as higher numbers of animals born alive, better weaning rates, and fewer deaths from birth to weaning. The EEP also improved the general health of C. callosus, notably reducing non-infectious lumbar alopecia, and allowed the expression of natural reproductive behaviors and improved parental care.
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