Table 6.
Techniques used for the analysis of behavioral parameters
| Behavioral parameters | Number of indications over all studies |
|---|---|
| Locomotor activity (in 2 studies, 2 techniques were used) | 317 |
| Manual evaluation | 91 |
| Beam-based tracking | 81 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 54 |
| Telemetry | 48 |
| Electronic sensors and transducers | 13 |
| Vibration, force and weight-sensitive tracking | 12 |
| RFID (radio-frequency identification) | 11 |
| Not indicated | 7 |
| Feeding (drinking, food) (in 2 studies, 2 techniques were used) | 213 |
| Manual evaluation | 123 |
| Beam-based tracking | 21 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 13 |
| Drinkometer/lickometer | 11 |
| RFID* | 11 |
| Vibration, force and weight-sensitive tracking | 9 |
| Electronic sensors and transducers | 4 |
| Other (automatic food dispenser) | 1 |
| Not indicated | 20 |
| Social behavior | 117 |
| Manual evaluation | 101 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 11 |
| RFID | 2 |
| Audio recording | 1 |
| Beam-based tracking | 1 |
| Not indicated | 1 |
| Burrowing and nesting | 56 |
| Manual evaluation | 47 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 3 |
| Beam-based tracking | 4 |
| Vibration, force and weight-sensitive tracking | 1 |
| Not indicated | 1 |
| Wheel running | 51 |
| Running wheel (counter) | 25 |
| Electronic sensors and transducers | 8 |
| Beam-based tracking | 4 |
| Manual evaluation | 2 |
| RFID | 1 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 1 |
| Not indicated | 10 |
| Abnormal behaviors (e.g., infanticide, barbering, stereotypy) | 34 |
| Manual evaluation | 31 |
| Electronic sensors and transducers | 1 |
| RFID | 1 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 1 |
| Facial expression and body posture | 29 |
| Manual evaluation | 25 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 4 |
| Grooming | 27 |
| Manual evaluation | 20 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 4 |
| Vibration, force and weight-sensitive tracking | 3 |
| Learning and memory | 25 |
| Manual evaluation | 6 |
| Beam-based tracking | 5 |
| RFID | 4 |
| Drinkometer/lickometer | 2 |
| Electronic sensors and transducers | 1 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 2 |
| Other (lever) | 2 |
| Not indicated | 3 |
| Anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia | 15 |
| Manual evaluation | 10 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 4 |
| Not indicated | 1 |
| Sleep behavior | 12 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 7 |
| Manual evaluation | 3 |
| Telemetry | 1 |
| Vibration, force, and weight-sensitive tracking | 1 |
| Vocalization | 11 |
| Manual evaluation | 6 |
| Audio recording | 5 |
| Motor and sensory functions | 9 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 3 |
| Manual evaluation | 2 |
| RFID | 2 |
| Beam-based tracking | 1 |
| Electronic sensors and transducers | 1 |
| Spatial preference | 6 |
| Vibration, force, and weight-sensitive tracking | 2 |
| Manual evaluation | 2 |
| RFID | 1 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 1 |
| Defecation and urination | 5 |
| Manual evaluation | 4 |
| Not indicated | 1 |
| Sniffing | 4 |
| Manual evaluation | 3 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 1 |
| Seizures | 3 |
| Manual evaluation | 2 |
| Visual object tracking (video) | 1 |
| Other (each n = 1) |
Clinical signs not further specified—manual evaluation; Curiosity/alertness—manual evaluation; Sneezing—manual evaluation; Sign of pain or distress not further specified—manual evaluation; Twitches—visual object tracking (video); Behavior not further specified—visual object tracking (video); Behavior not further specified (“champing behavior”) —manual evaluation
More than one parameter and/or technique could be indicated in a publication and more than one technique could be used to measure a parameter. Note that in some cases, RFID systems are combined with other techniques to identify the animals before a parameter is measured