This study assessed the effects of changing feeding routines and using feeding boxes for macaque infants to reduce competition and stress. The researchers compared the existing 10-20-70% daily food ratio to a new 30-30-40% ratio. They found the new ratio decreased anxiety, increased social behaviors, and improved welfare. Introducing feeding boxes for infants doubled their weight gain by providing a calm space with appropriate food. The changes demonstrated that modifying feeding practices can benefit primate health and behavior in captivity.

1. Refining feeding routines for macaques
to decrease feeding competition &
improve welfare
C. Waitt1, M. Bushmitz2 & P. Honess3
1Dept Zoology, University of Oxford,
2BFC, Mazor, Israel
3Dept Veterinary Services, University of Oxford
2010 NC3Rs Primate Welfare Meeting

2. 40 – 60% time spent foraging
Primates in the wild

3. • 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

4. • 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 ?

5. 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

6. Methods
• Long tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis)
• 6 breeding groups; (30-40♀, 2-4 ♂ /group)
• 4x6x6m outdoor 2 level cages

7. • >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 .

8. What we give to the animals

9. 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 )

10. 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

11. 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

12. How Food Was Given ?
Old feeding routine New feeding routine

13. • 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
?

14. 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***)

15. 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

16. 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*)

17. 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***)

18. 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

19. 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

20. Feeding Box for Babies
60cm x 60 cm x 100cm high with
3 entrances
Provide a safe, privet, with no
competition “food court”
Babies can eat ad libitum
Babies can eat baby pellets -
25% protein

21. Cages With Feeding boxes (56)
Colony 19
11 males
11 females
weight
range
355-1585 gr.
Colony 20
20 males
14 females
weight
range
335-1565 gr.
Cages Without Feeding boxes (52)
Colony 27
13 males
14 females
weight
range
380-1480 gr.
Colony 28
16 males
9 females
weight
range
445-1590 gr.
Foraging - sunflower seeds + bread
Pellets for adult animals 20% proteins
2 types of fruits and veggies
Leaves
Pellets for Babies 25% proteins animals
With feeding box Without feeding box

22. 0
85
170
255
340
Average weight gain(gr.)/ animal
184
143
323336
19
20
27
28
0
1
3
4
5
Average weight gain (gr.) / animal/ day
2.45
1.91
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

23. • 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

24. Contact:
• Corri Waitt - Dept. Zoology, University of Oxford :
corri.waitt@zoo.ox.ac.uk
• Moshe Bushmitz - BFC, Mazor, Israel :
moshe@bushmitz.com
• Paul Honess - Dept. Veterinary Services, University of Oxford :
• paul.honess@vet.ox.ac.uk
Thank
you
for
the
a[en7on
!