Ruth C. Newberry, Ph.D. of the Department of VCAPP in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University

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Ruth C. Newberry, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

E-Mail: rnewberry@wsu.edu

Phone: (509) 335-2957 or (509) 335-5059

We are studying factors affecting the behavior and well-being of animals. We are developing methods of improving animal care through environmental enrichment and social grouping strategies, using play behavior as an indicator of well-being. There is strong public interest in issues surrounding animal welfare. Research in the animal well-being group is directed at understanding effects of different environmental conditions, and previous experience, on animal behavior and well-being. We pay particular attention to the social environment of animals and the management of group-housed animals.

Current research is focused on identifying factors contributing to the expression of injurious behavior in animals. We are characterizing the behavioral, morphological and neurobiological characteristics of aggressive and cannibalistic individuals with the aim of understanding the mechanisms controlling these behaviors. This information is used to develop humane animal management systems that reduce the risk of animal injury and promote animal well-being.

Ruth C. Newberry, Ph.D.

Biographical Information

Ruth C. Newberry, Associate Professor, received her B.Sc. in biology and her Ph.D. in agriculture from the University of Edinburgh in 1979 and 1983, respectively. She had an NSERC visiting fellowship at the Agriculture Canada Research Station in Agassiz, British Columbia from 1983-1985. She continued working there as a biologist and research scientist until 1996, when she joined the faculty of the Departments of VCAPP and Animal Sciences. She is the first faculty member appointed in the Center for the Study of Animal Well-being (www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-CSAW) and is currently the Senior Vice-President of the International Society for Applied Ethology (www.applied-ethology.org).

Recent Publications

Croney, C.C. and R.C. Newberry. 2006. Group size and cognitive processes. Applied Animal Behaviour Science (in press).

Cloutier, S., T.L. Skaer and R.C. Newberry. 2006. Consumption of alcohol by sows in a choice test. Physiology and Behavior (in press).

Cloutier, S., R.C. Newberry, A.J. Cambridge and K.M. Tobias. 2005. Behavioral signs of postoperative pain in cats following onychectomy or tenectomy surgery. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 92: 325-335.

Newberry, R.C. 2004. Cannibalism. pp. 239-258. In: Welfare of the Laying Hen. Ed. by G.C. Perry, CABI Publishing, Wallingford UK.

Cloutier, S., R.C. Newberry and K. Honda. 2004. Comparison of social ranks based on worm-running and aggressive behaviour in young domestic fowl. Behavioural Processes 65:79-86.

Estevez, I., L.J. Keeling and R.C. Newberry. 2003. Decreasing aggression with increasing group size in young domestic fowl. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 84, 213-218.

Keeling, L.J., I. Estevez, R.C. Newberry and M.G. Correia. 2003. Production-related traits of layers reared in different sized flocks: the concept of problematic intermediate group sizes. Poultry Science 82, 1393-1396.

Selected Publications

Donaldson, T.M., R.C. Newberry, M. �pinka & S. Cloutier. 2002. Effects of early play experience on play behaviour of piglets after weaning. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 79:221-231.

Cloutier S., R.C. Newberry, K. Honda & J.R. Alldredge. 2002. Cannibalistic behaviour spread by social learning. Animal Behaviour 63:1153-1162.

�pinka, M., R.C. Newberry & M. Bekoff. 2001. Mammalian play: training for the unexpected. The Quarterly Review of Biology 76:141-168.

Newberry, R.C., I. Estevez & L. Keeling. 2001. Group size and perching behaviour in young domestic fowl. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 73:117-129.

Newberry R.C. & J. Swanson 2001. Breaking social bonds. pp.307-331. In: Social Behaviour in Farm Animals. L.J. Keeling & H.W. Gonyou (eds.), CABI Press, Wallingford UK.

Cambridge, A.J., K.M. Tobias, R.C. Newberry & D.K. Sarkar. 2000. Evaluation of subjective and objective measurements of postoperative pain in cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 217:685-690.

Newberry, R.C. 1999. Exploratory behaviour of young domestic fowl. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 63:311-321.

Newberry, R.C., A.B. Webster, N.J. Lewis & C. Van Arnam. 1999. Management of spent hens. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 2:13-29.

Newberry, R.C. & D.M. Shackleton. 1997. Use of cover by domestic fowl: a Venetian blind effect? Animal Behaviour 54:387-395.

Mendl, M. & R.C. Newberry. 1997. Social solutions. In: Animal Welfare. M.C. Appleby & B.O. Hughes (eds.), pp. 191-203. CABI Press, Wallingford UK.

Newberry, R.C. 1995. Environmental enrichment: increasing the biological relevance of captive environments. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 44:229-244.

Newberry, R.C. & D.G.M. Wood-Gush. 1986. Social relationships of piglets in a semi-natural environment. Animal Behaviour 34:1311-1318.

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