Lena Skånberg

Apart from lecturing in programs at the VH-faculty, I am today mainly working with research projects.

Read more about my current research here:

• Broiler breeders
• Rearing laying hens 

Through my PhD-project, between 2017-2022, I investigated the effect of the early environment on laying hens abilities to cope with challenges and to take opportunities. Read more about this project here:

• Preparing for the challenges and opportunities of life: effects on early experience on adaptive plasticity in laying hens

Preparing for the challenges and opportunities of life: effects of early experience on adaptive plasticity in laying hens | Externwebben (slu.se)

I have previously been involved in several different research projects involving dairy cows, pigs and dogs, which both have focus on aspects of positive and negative welfare.

Read more about some of these projects here:

• Using body language to assess emotional states in dairy cows

Using body language to assess emotional states in dairy cows | Externwebben (slu.se)

• The effect of transport cage size on the welfare of working dogs

The effect of transport cage size on the welfare of working dogs | Externwebben (slu.se)

Holt R. V. Skånberg L. [...] Newberry. R.C. Scientific Reports (2024). Resource choice during ontogeny enhances both the short- and longer-term welfare of laying hen pullets. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53039-7

Skånberg L. Newberry R. C.[...] Keeling L. J. Scientific Reports (2023). Environmental change or choice during early rearing improves behavioural adaptability in laying hen chicks. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33212-0

Skånberg, L. PhD thesis. 2022. Preparing for life : effects of environmental choice and change during rearing on adaptability in laying hens. https://doi.org/10.54612/a.2kbgj76mba

Nazar, F.N., Skånberg, L., McCrea, K., Keeling, L.J., 2022. Increasing Environmental Complexity by Providing Different Types of Litter and Perches during Early Rearing Boosts Coping Abilities in Domestic Fowl Chicks. Animals 2022, 12, 1969, doi: 10.3390/ani12151969.

Skånberg, L., Kjærsgaard Nielsen, C. B. & Keeling, L. J. 2021. Litter and perch type matter already from the start: exploring preferences and perch balance in laying hen chicks. Poult. Sci. 100, DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2020.11.041

Skånberg, L., Gauffin, O., Norling, Y., Lindsjö, J., & Keeling, L. J. 2018. Cage size affects comfort, safety and the experienced security of working dogs in cars. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 205, 132–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2018.05.028