U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Livestock Behavior Research: West Lafayette, IN
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    CareersSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Midwest Area West Lafayette, Indiana Livestock Behavior Research





- ARS News & Events
- AgResearch Magazine
- Image Gallery
- News

Newsheadline bar July 20, 2017 -LBRU Update Summer 2017is now available.April 13, 2016 - LBRU Update Spring 2016 is now available.March 31, 2014 - LBRU Update Spring 2014 can be viewed now. It contains information on some of our current research projects, outreach activities, publications and personnel additions within the unit over the last few months.July 12, 2011 - The LBRU is co-hosting the 45th Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, which will be held in Indianapolis July 31st - August 4th. The Congress is the major conference for scientists working on animal welfare issues across the world and further information can be found at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/meetings/ISAE2011.July 12, 2011 - LBRU scientists have produced the second of a series of fact sheets covering important farm animal welfare and food safety topics. Castration Fact Sheet
Dairy Cow Heat Stress Fact Sheet
Farrowing System Fact Sheet
Laying Hen Housing Fact Sheet
Genetic Selection Fact Sheet
Organic Pork Food Safety Fact SheetOctober 14, 2010 - Animal welfare and food safety are emotive topics and it is often difficult to access clear, concise and impartial information about these issues. The LBRU is committed to furthering our scientific understanding of farm animal welfare and food safety, and communicating research findings to all stakeholders. As part of this committment, LBRU scientists have produced the first of a series of fact sheets covering important farm animal welfare and food safety topics. More titles in the series will be posted as they are completed.
Sow Welfare: Housing
Sow Welfare: Lameness
Laying Hen Welfare: Beak Trimming
Food Safety: Stress in Farm Animals and Food Safety
Dairy Cow Welfare: LamenessMay 12, 2010 - LBRU Update Spring 2010can be viewed now. It contains information on some of our current research projects, outreach activities, publications and personnel additions within the unit over the last few months.October 17, 2008 - LBRU Update Fall 2008can be viewed now. It contains information on some of our current research projects, outreach activities, publications and personnel additions within the unit over the last few months.April 27, 2007 - LBRU Update Spring 2007can be viewed now. It contains information on some of our current research projects, outreach activities, publications and personnel additions within the unit over the last few months.June 12, 2006 - LBRU Update Spring 2006can be viewed now. It contains information on some of our current research projects, outreach activities, publications and personnel additions within the unit over the last three months.November 29, 2005 - LBRU Update Fall 2005can be viewed now. It contains information on some of our current research projects, outreach activities, publications and personnel additions within the unit over the last three months.On March 3 rd, 2004 Jerry Perkins, Farm Editor of the Des Moines Register, published an article titled ???Creature Comforts???. A significant amount of information for this article was obtained from Dr.???s Donald C Lay Jr. and Jeremy Marchant-Forde regarding a sow???s biological needs and housing.On March 3 rd, 2004 Jerry Perkins, Farm Editor of the Des Monies Register, published an article titled ???Creature Comforts???. A significant amount of information for this article was obtained from Dr. Heng-wei Cheng regarding his investigations in modifying current poultry managements to improve chicken well-being.On March 16 th, 2004, Dr. Susan Eicher Co-chaired the ???Genetic Aspects of Animal Well-being??? symposium at the Midwest American Association of Animal Science and American Dairy Science Association meetings in Des Moines, Iowa.On March 15-17, Heng-wei Cheng, neuroscientist, ARS Livestock behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN, was invited to the the Keystone Symposium on Breeding and Genetics, Animal Behavior, Housing and Well-Being. This meeting was held in Des Moines, Iowa, and presented the current ARS research on Physiological Aspects of Genetic Selection in Farm Animals.A luncheon was held on 3/22/04 at 12:00pm in NSERL honoring National Women???s History Month. Chili was served while a Power Point Presentation highlighted Women in Agricultural History.The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN hosted an Open House on June 3 rdfrom 1-3pm, to celebrate the construction of their new research facility. This facility will allow expanded research of pre-harvest food safety in swine.Dr. Jeremy Marchant-Forde with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN was invited to talk on ???Bridging differences between Europe and the USA??? as part of the Future Trends in Animal Agriculture symposium entitled ???Local and Global Considerations in Animal Agriculture: The Big Picture.??? The venue was the Jefferson Auditorium of the USDA South Agriculture Building in Washington, DC on September 22 nd, 2004.Donald C. Lay Jr. with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN hosted the Regional NCR-131 ???Animal Behavior and Welfare??? meeting on Friday June 18 th, 2004 in the conference room of the National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory.Donald C. Lay Jr. with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) ??? Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN co-hosted, with Purdue University, the North American Regional Meeting of the International Society of Applied Ethology held at Purdue University, on June 19 th2004.Ruth Marchant-Forde with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN presented a talk on ???Circadian rhythms in behavior and cardiac activity of gilts and heifers??? at the North American Regional Meeting of the International Society of Applied Ethology held at Purdue University, on June 19 th2004.Michael Toscano with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN presented a talk on the ???Effects of pre-natal stress on behavioral response, salivary cortisol, and body surface temperature to an LPS challenge on 8 week old pigs??? at the North American Regional Meeting of the International Society of Applied Ethology held at Purdue University, on June 19 th2004.Trina Johnson with Purdue University, presented research at the North American International Society of Applied Ethology. This research was conducted with Dr. Susan Eicher (USDA-ARS), Dr. Jeremy Marchant-Forde (USDA-ARS), and Daniel Cary (Purdue University). The international meeting was held at Purdue University on June 19, 2004. The title of the presentation was ???Age at Transport Effects on Behavioral Responses in Dairy Calves to Novel Stimuli???. The research investigated the long term fear response of dairy calves that were stressed by transport in the first week of life.Dr. Donald C. Lay Jr. with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN was interviewed on June 16 th, 2004 by Connie Smith from Vistacomm. The interview was used for an article on the newly constructed lab. This article was then dispersed to Ag Cooperatives for use on their web sites.Dr. Donald C. Lay Jr. with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN was interviewed on June 24 th, 2004 by Rebecca Wilson from the Indy Agri News regarding the ???USDA New Research Lab??? and animal well-being research.Dr. Donald C. Lay Jr. with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN was interviewed on June 24 th, 2004 by Lisa Shepherd from the National Hog Farmer regarding swine well-being.Dr. Heng-wei Cheng with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN presented some of his research data on ???markers of pain.??? This seminar was given to a research group at Michigan State University and will address neurobiological indicators of pain in domestic animals. The presentation took place on July 15-16, 2004 at Michigan State University.Trina Johnson with Purdue University, supervised by Susan D. Eicher with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN, presented her defense on July 16, 2004 at 1:00pm in the National Soils Erosion Research Laboratory. The presentation was titled, ???Expression of toll-like receptors 2 and 4 after enteric challenge with Salmonella Dublin in-vitro stimulation with peptidoglycan and beta-glucan in neonatal dairy calves.???Donald C. Lay Jr. with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) - Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, IN presented, ???The effects of mixing stress on plasma cortisol, corticosteroid-binding globulin and free cortisol index in prenatally-stressed pigs.??? Dr. Lay presented this research at the American Society of Animal Science annual meeting in St. Louis, July 27 th, 2004.Dr. Susan D. Eicher gave an oral presentation on July 28, 2004 titled"A yeast cell-wall derivative and ascorbic acid fed to neonatal dairy calves is protective against enteric challenge with Salmonella dublin"Dr. Susan D. Eicher gave two poster presentations at the International Veterinary Immunological Symposium in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada on July 28, 2004. The poster presentations are titled "TLR2, TLR2, IL-=1 and IL-1Ra Expression from Glucocorticoid Treated and Colostrum Fed Calves" and "Toll-like Receptors 2 (TLR2) and 4 (TLR4) of Porcine Blood Leukocytes during Heat-stress". Dr. Susan D. Eicher has also received an invited presentation to the Workshop titled Environment & Immune Response.   ARS News Articles  Producers Can Now go "Whole Hog" on New Heat Stress App for PigsJun 15, 2023Piglets Pay the Price of Mom’s Heat StressMay 18, 2021Amino Acid Helps Shore Up Defenses of SwineNov 19, 2020Antibiotic Alternative Scores Well in Second Round of Swine TrialsMay 29, 2019USDA's Agricultural Research Service Honors Scientists of the YearApr 09, 2019Alternative Antibiotic Gives Piglets a BoostJan 24, 2018USDA's Agricultural Research Service Honors Scientists of the YearSep 12, 2017Pig Pens: A Look at Mirrors and MatsJun 12, 2017Tryptophan-enriched Diet Reduces Pig AggressionMar 18, 2010Breeding Gentler Laying Hens that Still Produce Eggs to Industry StandardJun 10, 2009Company or a Snack? Letting Pregnant Sows ChooseMar 15, 2005


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov