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Gareth Pearce

Gareth’s research group focuses on two main areas: (1) animal health - welfare - behaviour interactions in farm animals particularly cattle and pigs; and (2) ecology and conservation of wild animals particularly marine animals.

Recent research has included analysis of behavioural and physiological indicators of stress and individual temperament in dairy cattle in the UK and Australia and captive dolphins in Mexico, the use of social network analysis to investigate disease dynamics and welfare in populations of free-living wild animals (meerkats in the South African Kalahari) and farmed animals (Atlantic salmon in Norway) and the use of underwater ultrasonography and stereo video photogammetry to study the reproductive ecology of reef manta rays in the Maldives (https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/researchers-obtain-first-ever-underwater-ultrasound-scans-of-wild-reef-manta-rays).

Key Publications

Google Scholar - list of all publications  

Temperament, health and fertility outcomes in dairy cattle. Britten, N. and Pearce, G. P. (2021) Advances in Animal Biosciences 12: 125.

Laterality and temperament in dairy cattle. Britten, N. and Pearce, G. P. (2021) Recent Advances in Animal Welfare Science VIII.

Quantifying temperament using behavioural testing in adult dairy cattle. Britten, N. and Pearce, G. P. (2021) Advances in Animal Biosciences 12: 124.

Laterality and social behaviour in dairy cattle. Britten, N. and Pearce, G. P. (2021) Recent Advances in Animal Welfare Science VIII.

Investigating the relationship between temperament and social role in dairy cattle. Britten, N. and Pearce, G. P. (2020) Advances in Animal Biosciences 11: 183. Download full text in PDF

Underwater, contactless and portable ultrasonography: a new non-invasive methodology to study the internal anatomy and reproduction of reef manta rays. Froman, N., Genain, M-A., Stevens, G., Rochester, R., Dunbar, L. and Pearce, G. (2019). Australian Marine Sciences Association "Marine Science for a Blue Economy" Conference 2019: 95.

Factors influencing whitetip (Triaenodon obesus) and blacktip (Carcharhinus melanopterus) reef shark sightings associated with the dive tourism industry. Selman, R., Prokop, N., Restif, O., Froman, N. and Pearce, G. (2019). Australian Marine Sciences Association "Marine Science for a Blue Economy" Conference 2019: 228.

A forced lateralisation test for dairy cows and its relation to their behaviour. Amira Goma, Gareth Pearce, Jashim Uddin, Eloise Rimon, Harriet Davies and Clive Phillips (2018).  Applied Animal Behaviour Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.06.008

Over-expression of antibiotic resistance genes in hospital effluents over time. Will Rowe, Craig Baker-Austin, David W. Verner-Jeffreys, Jim J. Ryan, Christianne Micallef, Duncan J. Maskell, Gareth P. Pearce (2017)  Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy https://doi.org/10.1093/jac/dkx017

Evaluating the effects of a short-term feed restriction period on the behavior and welfare of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, parr using social network analysis and fin damage. Cañon-Jones, H.A., Noble, C., Damsgård, B. and Pearce, G.P. (2016). Journal of the World Aquaculture Society doi: 10.1111/jwas.12322 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jwas.12322/full

Comparative metagenomics reveals a diverse range of antimicrobial resistance genes in effluents entering a river catchment. Will Rowe, David W. Verner-Jeffreys, Craig Baker-Austin, Jim J. Ryan, Duncan J. Maskell, Gareth P. Pearce (2015) Water Science and Technology 73(7), 1541-1549.

Lateralization of behavior in dairy cows in response to conspecifics and novel persons. Phillips, C.J.C., Oevermans, H., Syrett, K.L., Jespersen, A.Y. and Pearce, G.P. (2015). Journal of Dairy Science. 98(4):2389-2400.

Molecular identification of poxviruses associated with epidermal lesions in UK cetaceans. Blacklaws, B.A, Gajda, A.M., Tippelt, S., Jepson, P.D., Deaville, R., Van Bressem, M-F. and Pearce, G.P. (2013) PLoS ONE 8(8): e71734.

Integrating contact network structure into tuberculosis epidemiology in meerkats in South Africa: Implications for control .Drewe, J. A., Eames, K. T., Madden, J. R., and Pearce, G. P. (2011). Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 101(1-2), 113-120.

 Gareth Pearce

Dr Gareth Pearce

University Senior Lecturer in Farm Animal Health and Production

gpp28@cam.ac.uk

Group members:

Nick Britten- Social dynamics in dairy cows

Niv Froman -  Reproductive ecology of the reef manta ray

Cristina Acasuso-Rivero - Welfare of captive bottlenose dolphins

Nicolas Demblans-Dechans - Increasing the commercial value of Fishery Improvement Projects for retailers and distributors in the UK

    Plain English

    The way that animals behave in response to their environment and management can have profound influences on their welfare, productivity and disease status.  Our research examines the factors that influence animals’ responses to their physical, social and emotional environments so that we can manage these factors to optimise animal welfare, productivity and disease control. We use a variety of techniques ranging from real time observation, remote sensing and video capture to non-invasive hormonal measurement, disease surveillance, DNA sequencing and meta-genomics.    

    Funding

    UFAW
    BBSRC

    Gareth is currently accepting PhD Student applications

    Gareth is also available for consultancy