Madeleine McAuley Position/Title: PhD Student email: mmcauley@uoguelph.ca Phone: Office: Research Gate LinkedIn Twitter

From 2017-2021, I obtained my honours Bachelor’s of Science degree at the University of Guelph, majoring in animal biology. This provided me with a solid foundation of knowledge on the physiology and husbandry of agricultural animals, most of which was very new to me as someone who was born and raised in the city of Toronto. During the summers, I nurtured my fondness for companion animals and wildlife by working and volunteering at dog and cat veterinary clinics and Toronto Wildlife Centre. Taking my first animal behaviour course in my third year was the biggest ‘aha’ moment of my undergraduate career, and I quickly fell in love with the field. In my final semester, I completed a group research project supervised by Dr. Jim Squires comparing housing types and enrichment on the behaviour and physiology of farrowing sows, which was everything I hoped it would be and a great introduction into the world of scientific research.

I completed a Master's by coursework from 2021-2022, studying laying hen behaviour and welfare under the supervision of Dr. Tina Widowski. My project was a part of a broader set of studies that are being conducted within the Widowski and Harlander labs to investigate the effects of pecking blocks as enrichment items for hens, of which Rachel Lui and I conducted the first pilot studies. Pecking blocks are a form of edible enrichment with varying nutrient and mineral compositions that are increasing in popularity on laying hen farms. They allow hens to express pecking behaviour, which is a key component of foraging behaviour and they may also blunt the beaks, and thus they are thought to deter hens from engaging in damaging feather pecking behaviours. My study specifically looked at whether hens showed a preference between a softer and harder high-calcium mineral-based block, and whether they showed a diurnal rhythm of pecking block use that could be related to their specific appetite for calcium. 

I have greatly enjoyed my time as a graduate student thus far, so I am thrilled to be continuing my work in Dr. Widowski's lab as a PhD student as of May 2023. My project builds on the results of my experiment and the various pecking block studies conducted by my colleagues (Faith, Violet, Nithucha, Alvaro) to comprehensively examine the effects of pecking blocks on the behaviour, health, and welfare of laying hens in enriched colony cages. My project is using two different strains of laying hen (one white-feathered and one brown-feathered) and I am assessing foraging behaviour at the pecking blocks and scratch mats, feather pecking behaviour, and feather condition. Other health outcomes that are being evaluated include keel bone damage, body weight, mortality, egg production, and egg quality. I am currently in the data collection phase of my trial.

In my free time, I enjoy photography, reading, hiking, and spending time with my friends and family.