Dr Peta Taylor

Senior Lecturer , Animal behaviour and welfare - Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law; School of Environmental and Rural Science

Peta Taylor

Phone: +61 02 6773 1808

Email: Peta.Taylor@une.edu.au

Twitter: @peta_taylor

Biography

Peta is driven to find out what animals need, what they want and how we can provide this to them so we can improve the quality of life of captive animals. Peta graduated from La Trobe University with a Bachelor of Animal Veterinary Bioscience with honours where she investigated the effects of dietary manipulations on the behaviour and physiology of fat-tailed dunnarts. Peta completed her PhD studies at the Animal Welfare Science Centre at the University of Melbourne on the behaviour and welfare of free-range broiler chickens. Her passions include the behaviour and welfare of production animals, with a particular interest in poultry and focus on combining assessments of physiology and behaviour.

Qualifications

BAnVetBioSc, (H1, Hons) La Trobe University (2011), PhD Animal Welfare Science Centre, Melbourne University (2018)

Awards

Teaching Areas

  • ANSC304 – Animals and us: ethics and welfare (Unit coordinator)
  • ANSC120 – Animals and society (Unit coordinator)
  • ANPR321 – Animal function, health and welfare
  • ANSC201 – Animal Structure and function
  • ANPR315/415/515 - Constraints to Animal Production

Primary Research Area/s

Animal welfare; Animal behaviour; Poultry welfare

Research Interests

  • Free-range poultry behaviour and welfare
  • Effective enrichment
  • Methods to assess affective state: Neurobiology and behaviour
  • Maternal envrionments to improve poultry welfare

Research Supervision Experience

  • Current students
  • Bonnie Mayes (PhD, UNE). Recommended stocking densities for improved sheep welfare during Australian live export voyages. Primary supervisor
  • Maxine Rice (PhD, AWSC, University of Melbourne). What is the behavioural motivation behind piling and smothering? - Co-supervisor
  • Jade Fountain (PhD, UNE). The affective experience of animal training. Primary supervisor.
  • Ariella Moser (PhD, UNE).  Detecting Better Dogs: Defining and Measuring Traits Associated with Detector Dog Performance. Co-Supervisor
  • Completed students
  • Bilal Ahmad. (Masters, UNE). Assessing leg health of meat chickens. Primary supervisor.
  • Mohammad Shahzeb Nawaz. (Masters, UNE). Validating novel technology for remote monitoring of chicken behaviour.
  • Manisha Kolaksyapati (PhD, UNE). Individual ranging behaviour of commercial laying hens and the relationships with welfare. Co-supervisor

Publications

Fanning, Lara; Larsen, Hannah; Taylor, Peta (2020). A Preliminary Study Investigating the Impact of Musical Concerts on the Behavior of Captive Fiordland Penguins (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus) and Collared Peccaries (Pecari tajacu). Animals, 10(11), p. 1-19, issn:2076-2615. 10.3390/ani10112035.

Fountain, Jade; Hazel, Susan J; Ryan, Terry; Taylor, Peta (2020). Operant learning is disrupted when opioid reward pathways are blocked in the domesticated hen. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, v.232, p. 1-6, issn:1872-9045.

Kolakshyapati, Manisha; Taylor, Peta; Hamlin, Adam; Sibanda, Terence Zimazile; de Souza Vilela, Jessica; Ruhnke, Isabelle (2020). Frequent Visits to an Outdoor Range and Lower Areas of an Aviary System Is Related to Curiosity in Commercial Free-Range Laying Hens. Animals, 10(9), p. 1-20, issn:2076-2615. 10.3390/ani10091706.

Iqbal, Zafar; Drake, Kelly; Swick, Robert Alfonso; Taylor, Peta; Perez-Maldonado, Rider Anderson; Ruhnke, Isabelle (2020). Effect of pecking stones and age on feather cover, hen mortality, and performance in free-range laying hens. Poultry science, 99(5), p. 2307-2314, issn:1525-3171. 10.1016/j.psj.2019.11.068.

Taylor, Peta; Hamlin, Adam S; Crowley, Tamsyn M. (2020). Anticipatory Behavior for a Mealworm Reward in Laying Hens Is Reduced by Opioid Receptor Antagonism but Not Standard Feed Intake. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, v.13, p. 1-11, issn:1662-5153. 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00290.

Taylor, Peta; Hemsworth, P H; Groves, P J; Gebhardt-Henrich, S G; Rault, J-L. (2020). Frequent range visits further from the shed relate positively to free-range broiler chicken welfare. Animal, 14(1), p. 138-149, issn:1751-732X. 10.1017/S1751731119001514. https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/30922.

Campbell, Dana L M; Taylor, Peta; Hernandez, Carlos E; Stewart, Mairi; Belson, Sue; Lee, Caroline. (2019). An attention bias test to assess anxiety states in laying hens. PeerJ, v.7, p. 1-27, issn:2167-8359. 10.7717/peerj.7303

Cowley, Frances; Tait, Amy; Wilkes, Janelle; Taylor, Peta; Hegarty, Roger; McGilchrist, Peter. (2019) B.FLT.0244: Graded levels of woodchip during wet feedlot conditions. https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/29138 Research Report for An External Body - Industry Report (Z21).

Taylor, Peta.; Hemsworth, Paul H; Groves, Peter J; Gebhardt-Henrich, Sabine G; Rault, Jean-Loup. (2018). Ranging behavior relates to welfare indicators pre- and post-range access in commercial free-range broilers. Poultry science, 97(6), p. 1861-1871, issn:1525-3171. 10.3382/ps/pey060.

Rault, Jean-Loup; Taylor, Peta (2017). Indoor side fidelity and outdoor ranging in commercial free-range chickens in single- or double-sided sheds. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, v.194, p. 48-53, issn:1872-9045. 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.05.010. https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/30923

Taylor, Peta; Hemsworth, Paul H; Groves, Peter J; Gebhardt-Henrich, Sabine G; Rault, Jean-Loup. (2017). Ranging Behaviour of Commercial Free-Range Broiler Chickens 1: Factors Related to Flock Variability. Animals, 7(7), p. 1-14, issn:2076-2615. 10.3390/ani7070054.

Taylor, Peta; Hemsworth, Paul H; Groves, Peter J; Gebhardt-Henrich, Sabine G; Rault, Jean-Loup. (2017). Ranging Behaviour of Commercial Free-Range Broiler Chickens 2: Individual Variation. Animals, 7(7), p. 1-9, issn:2076-2615. 10.3390/ani7070055.

Taylor, Peta; Hemsworth, P H; Dawkins, M S; Groves, P; Rault, J-L.. (2015). Free-range broiler chicken behavioural time budgets: Inside and outside of the shed. Proceedings of the 26th Annual Australian Poultry Science Symposium, v.26, p. 227-229, issn:1034-6260. Australian Poultry Science Symposium, Sydney, Australia, 9th - 11th February 2015.

Conference presentations

Taylor, Peta (2020). The role of education and attitudes towards hen welfare: a case study of furnished cages. p. 1-1. Poultry Hub Ideas Exchange, Sydney, 10 - 11th September.

Kolakshyapati, M; Taylor, Peta, Hamlin, Adam; Sibanda, Terence Zimazile; Ruhnke, Isabelle (2020). Curiosity, fearfulness and use of aviary space in commercial free-range hens
ISAE 2020 Global Virtual Meeting: Online Programme Book, p. 12-12
International Society for Applied Ethology (ISAE) 2020, Online Event, 6th - 7th August, 2020

Rice, M. , Acharya, R. , Fisher, A , Taylor, Peta , Hemsworth, P.H. (2020). Characterising piling behaviour in Australian free-range commercial laying hens. ISAE 2020: Global Virtual Meeting, p. 16-16, International Society for Applied Ethology, Virtual meeting, 6-7 August 2020.

Taylor, Peta (2019), Wade, B., Craven, M. , Hamlin, A.  and Crowley, T. Pharmacological intervention of the reward system in the laying hen has an impact on anticipatory behaviour. ISAE 2019: Proceedings of the 53rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, p. 342-342, isbn:9789086868896. International Society for Applied Ethology, Bergen, Norway, 5-9 August 2019.

Fountain, J., Hazel, S.J., Ryan, T.  and Taylor, Peta (2019). Operant learning is disrupted when opioid reward pathways are blocked in the laying hen.ISAE 2019: Proceedings of the 53rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, p. 342-342, isbn:9789086868896. International Society for Applied Ethology, Bergen, Norway, 5-9 August 2019.

Kolakshyapati, Manisha; Taylor, Peta; Sibanda, Terence; Ruhnke, Isabelle (2019). Association of fearfulness at the end of lay with range visits during 18-22 weeks of age in commercial laying hens
ISAE 2019: Proceedings of the 53rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, p. 342-342, isbn:9789086868896. International Society for Applied Ethology, Bergen, Norway, 5-9 August 2019.

Nolan, H., Hemsworth, L and Taylor, Peta (2019).What’s in a name- the role of education and rhetoric in improving laying hen welfare?ISAE 2019: Proceedings of the 53rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, p. 342-342, International Society for Applied Ethology, Bergen, Norway, 5-9 August 2019.

Power– Geary J., Nolan, H.R.J., Hemsworth L., Taylor, Peta. (2019). ‘Understanding the perceptions and knowledge of laying hen welfare: industry and community stakeholder focus groups’. Proceedings of the 30th Annual Australian Poultry Science Symposium, Sydney, Australia, 17 – 20 February 2019. Conference Publication (E3).

Taylor, Peta (2018). Satisfying natural behaviour in meat chickens, effects on welfare and production. 8th National Primary Industries Animal Welfare RD&E (NAWRDES) Forum, p. 1-20. National Animal Welfare RD&E forum, Melbourne, 7th November.

Taylor, Peta (2018). Ranging behaviour and welfare. Poultry Information Exchange and Australasian Milling Conference: Supplying chain opportunities - Farmers to Consumers, p. 139-142. Poultry Information Exchange, Gold Coast, 3rd - 5th June 2018.

Taylor, Peta , Groves, P. , Gebhardt-Henrich, S. G. , Hemsworth, P.H. , Rault, J-L. (2017). Relationships between accessing an outdoor range and fearfulness in commercial free-range broiler chickens (Brisbane). ISAE Australiasia/Africa Regional meeting . 11th of November.

Taylor, Peta, Hemsworth, Paul., Groves, Peter, Gebhardt-Henrich, Sabine., & Rault, Jean-Loup (2017). Relationships between ranging behaviour and welfare in commercial free-range broiler chickens. Australian Veterinary Poultry Association meeting November 15th – 17th Geelong, Australia.

Taylor, Peta, Hemsworth, P.H. , Rault, J-L. (2016). Patterns of range access of individual broiler chickens in commercial free-range flocks. ISAE 2016: Proceedings of the 50th Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, p. 152-152. Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 12-15th July, 2016.

Taylor, Peta, Hemsworth, P.H. , Groves, P. , Rault, J-L. (2016). Productivity, leg health and range use of individual broiler chickens on a free-range commercial farm. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production, 31, 87.

Taylor, Peta, Hemsworth, P.H., Rault, J-L. (2015).The effects of environmental complexity on fear responses of broiler chickens?ISAE 2015:  Proceedings of the 49th Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology, p. 209-209, International Society for Applied Ethology, Sapporo, Japan, 14-17 September 2015.

Taylor, Peta, Hemsworth, P.H. , Rault, J-L. (2015). The effects of environmental enrichment on broiler chicken behaviour. Behaviour2015, Cairns, Australia, 9-14th August, 2015.

Taylor, Peta , Dawkins, M.S. , Groves, P. , Hemsworth, P.H. , Rault, J-L. (2015). Free-range broiler chicken behavioural time budgets: Inside and outside of the shed.Proceedings of the Australian Poultry Science Symposium, 26, 227-229.

Clinical Skills and Experience

Memberships

International Society of Applied Ethology

Australian and New Zealand Laboratory Animals Association (ANZLAA)

Consultancy Interests

Community and Advocacy Organisation Collaborations

Related Links

Home | Peta Taylor

Further Information