 |
Mackenzie MarminaPosition/Title: M.Sc. by Coursework Candidate email: mmarmina@uoguelph.ca Phone: Office:
|
Education
H.B.Sc in Animal Biology (University of Guelph, 2016-2021)
M.Sc by coursework in Animal Behaviour and Welfare (University of Guelph, 2021-present)
Advisor: Dr. Alexandra Harlander
Academic
Currently, I am a M.Sc by coursework student working under the supervision of Dr. Alexandra Harlander. For my major project, I will be looking at the effects of resistance exercise during development on the fear levels, feather pecking, and cognitive abilities of adult laying hens. This project is in correlation with work being done by my fellow labmate Grace Hong who is studying the effects of early life exercise on keel bone health.
High levels of fear within poultry flocks can lead to undesirable damaging behaviours, such as feather pecking. These behaviours can result in bird mortality and reduce the overall welfare of the flock. In previous studies done on humans and other species, exercise has been suggested to reduce symptoms of anxiety and fear. However, the effects of exercise in poultry has yet to be fully determined. My project aims to explore the possible effects that exposure to exercise training during development could have on the feather coverage and fear level of hens in adulthood.
I will also be assessing the cognitive abilities of laying hens using a coordination test. The implementation of learning criterion during testing will allow me to determine the learning abilities of the hens when faced with navigating a complex environment. This project is based on work recently published by Brianna León from the Harlander lab (https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.210196). Fearfulness can play a huge role in how an animal interacts with its environment and influence its learning strategy in novel situations, so exploring how cognition relates to both feather pecking, fear, and early-life exercise in laying hens is essential in determining the overall welfare impact.
Other Labmates Studying Locomotion in Laying Hens
Background
I graduated from the University of Guelph in 2021 with an H.B.Sc majoring in Animal Biology. Throughout my undergraduate degree, I developed a passion for animal welfare which is what inspired me to pursue my M.Sc in Animal Biosciences shortly after graduation. I’ve spent a lot of my time working with companion animal species, so I jumped at the opportunity to gain valuable experience by working with laying hens. Outside of school, I enjoy working with dogs as a kennel supervisor, hiking outdoors, and spending time with my small pets.