Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

In this study two types of recording methods were used, both done through a 24/7 video surveillance system.

First, the focal follow sampling method, with continuous recording of duration and frequencies of selected behaviours, and the location of the animals when performing these behaviours. Each session lasted 2 hours, starting as soon as the animals had finished eating. These recordings were only done on one group per day. The behaviours were recorded according to the ethogram shown in Table 1, using the observation sheet (Table 2).

Secondly, instantaneous scan sampling was performed over the 24 hours of each day during the three months prior to (July, August and September) and after (December, January and February) the study period, with instantaneous recording of selected behaviours as events, once every full hour for all subjects. These behaviours were recorded according to the CNRLI ethogram, which is similar, but more detailed than the one used in this study.