Dr. rer. nat. Jan Langbein
+49 38208 68-802
Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN)
Institute of Behavioural Physiology
Applied Ethology Unit
Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2
18196 Dummerstorf
Institute of Behavioural Physiology
Applied Ethology Unit
Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2
18196 Dummerstorf
Research interests
- Animal husbandry is currently characterized by increasing levels of automation and introduction of advanced self-management systems. Animals have to learn automated routines and processes of different level of complexity. Various studies have shown that animals can learn such procedures often on the basis of associative learning. Until now, a general paradigm in research of learning in animals is to test single individuals in a specific learning environment and under human supervision. We go a different way.
- To study various aspects of visual discrimination learning in dwarf goats, we apply an approach of individual self controlled learning in normal social setting by using a fully automated, learning device, which is integrated in the animals home pen. This corresponds better with animal learning under husbandry conditions.
- In a long term project we investigate how goats learn to discriminate simple and complex visual signs and how flexible their learning behaviour and memory is. We search for evidence of higher learning abilities in goats like concept learning (oddity, match to sample). We want to test the influence of external (e.g. management practices) and internal (e.g. dominance status, temperament) factors on learning. Further, we want to quantify stress related to learning – both acute mental stress and long lasting psychological stress. Moreover, we investigate if successful learning of cognitive challenges has a positive effect on animal welfare in the long run (cognitive environmental enrichment). To evaluate stress related to learning online, we apply telemetric measurement of heart beat activity and analyse heart rate and heart rate variability. Other research interests are higher cognitive capabilities and emotions of farm animals, temperament in cattle and spatial-temporal pattern of behaviour of cattle in loose housing systems.
Curriculum Vitae
- 2002-present: Senior scientist at the Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) Dummerstorf, Institute of Behavioural Physiology (FBN), Applied Ethlogy Unit
Research Topics: learning behaviour and cognitive abilities of dwarf goats and pigs; cognitive enrichment; positive emotions; social dominance and aggression; temperament of cattle; analysis of heart rate variability in relation to stress and pain - 1997-2001: Institute for Applied Agroecology, Research Group Farm Animal Ecology, Rostock
Research Topics: mother-young bond in cattle; ethological aspect of farm management of game species; hear rate variability in cattle – indication of stress - 1992-1997: Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin
Research Topics: biorhythms in free ranging large ungulates; perinatal behaviour and mother-lamb relationship in free ranging mouflons; time and space pattern in wild ungulates - 1991-1992: Humboldt University of Berlin, Department of Biology, Institute of Behavioural Sciences
Research Topics: bioacoustics in mammals - 1990-1992: Doctoral Thesis (Ph.D.), Humboldt University of Berlin, Department of Biology, Institute of Behavioural Sciences
"Comparative investigations on the grazing behaviour of cattle (Holstein Friesien and Siboney de Cuba) at the tropical pasture (Cuba)" - 1984-1989: Master Thesis (Diplom), Humboldt University of Berlin, Department of Biology, Institute of Behavioural Sciences
"Investigations on the ontognesis of the function of the thermoregulation system in Cairina moschata peri partum" - 1981-1984: Military service
- 1978-1981: Professional training as cattle breeder
- Birth date: 21.04.1962, birth place: Staaken (Germany)
Teaching
- Agrar- und umweltwissenschaftliche Fakultät der Universität Rostock
Ethology; Behaviour of cattle; Behaviour of swine; Animal welfare
Publications
Langbein, J.; Siebert, K.; Nürnberg, G. (2008):
Gedächtniskapazität und -stabilität von Zwergziegen bei konkurrierender Präsentation seriell gelernter Diskriminierungsprobleme. In: Aktuelle Arbeiten zur artgemäßen Tierhaltung Aktuelle Arbeiten zur artgemäßen Tierhaltung 2008 (KTBL Schrift , 471) KTBL, Darmstadt (978-3-939371-73-1): 234-236
Zebunke, M.; Puppe, B.; Langbein, J.; Manteuffel, G. (2008):
Lernverhalten und affektive Reaktionen von Schweinen bei Fütterung mittels eines akustisch-aufrufenden, automatischen Fütterungssystems . In: Aktuelle Arbeiten zur artgemäßen Tierhaltung 2008 (KTBL Schrift , 471) KTBL, Darmstadt (978-3-939371-73-1): 37-46
Siebert, K.; Langbein, J.; Puppe, B.; Schön, P.-Ch.; Tuchscherer, A. (2008):
Einfluss verschiedener Isolationsintensitäten auf das Verhalten und die Vokalisation von Zwergziegen (Capra hircus).. In: Aktuelle Arbeiten zur artgemäßen Tierhaltung 2008 (KTBL Schrift , 471) KTBL, Darmstadt (978-3-939371-73-1): 182-191
Puppe, B.; Langbein, J.; Bauer, J.; Hoy, St. (2008):
A comparative view on social hierarchy formation at different stages of pig production using sociometric measures. LIVEST SCI 113 (2): 155-162
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2007.03.004
Langbein, J.; Siebert, K.; Nürnberg, G.; Manteuffel, G. (2007):
The impact of acoustical secondary reinforcement during shape discrimination learning of dwarf goats (Capra hircus). Appl Anim Behav Sci 103 (1-2): 35-44
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2006.04.019
Langbein, J.; Siebert, K.; Nürnberg, G.; Manteuffel, G. (2007):
Learning to learn during visual discrimination in group housed dwarf goats( Capra hircus). J Comp Psychol 121 (4): 447-456
https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7036.121.4.447
Puppe, B.; Langbein, J.; Bauer, J.; Hoy, St. (2007):
A comparative view on social hierarchy formation at different stages of pig production using sociometric measures. Livest Prod Sci 113 (2): 155-162
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2007.03.004
Boissy, A.; Manteuffel, G.; Jensen, M.B.; Oppermann Moe, R.; Spruijt, B.; Keeling, L.J.; Winckler, C.; Forkmann, B.; Dimitrov, I.; Langbein, J.; Bakken, M.; Veisier, I.; Aubert, A. (2007):
Assessment of positive emotions in animals to improve their welfare. Physiol Behav 92 (3): 375-392
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.02.003
Baymann, Ulrike; Langbein, J.; Siebert, K.; Nürnberg, G.; Manteuffel, G.; Mohr, E. (2007):
Kognitive Verhaltensanreicherung bei landwirtschaftlichen Nutztieren zum Einfluss des sozialen Ranges und der sozialen Umwelt auf das Lernverhalten von Zwergziegen. Berl Munch Tierarztl 120 (3-4): 89-97
https://dx.doi.org/10.2376/0005-9366-120-89
von Borell, E.; Langbein, J.; Després, Gerard; Hansen, Sven; Leterrier, Christine; Marchant-Forde, Jeremy; Marchant-Forde, Ruth; Minero, M.; Mohr, E.; Prunier, Armelle; Valance, D.; Veisier, I. (2007):
Heart rate variability as a measure of autonomic regulation of cardiac activity for assessing stress and welfare in farm animals - a review. Physiol Behav 92 (3): 293-316
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2007.01.007
Langbein, J.; Siebert, K.; Nürnberg, G.; Manteuffel, G. (2006):
The impact of acoustical secondary reinforcement during shape discrimination learning of dwarf goats (Capra hircus). Appl Anim Behav Sci 103 (1-2): 35-44
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2006.04.019
Baymann, Ulrike; Mohr, E.; Langbein, J. (2006):
Sind Alphatiere schlauer ? - Zum Einfluss des sozialen Ranges und der Stabilität der sozialen Umwelt auf das visuelle Diskriminierungslernen bei Zwergziegen. In: Aktuelle Arbeiten zur artgemäßen Tierhaltung 2006 (KTBL-Schrift , 448) KTBL, Darmstadt (978-3-939371-18-2): 99-108
Langbein, J.; Siebert, K.; Nürnberg, G. (2006):
Lernen zu lernen - learning set Formierung beim visuellen Diskriminierungslernen von Zwergzeigen. In: Aktuelle Arbeiten zur artgemäßen Tierhaltung 2006 (KTBL-Schrift , 448) KTBL, Darmstadt (978-3-939371-18-2): 89-98
Mau, M.; Müller, Christian; Langbein, J.; Rehfeldt, C.; Hildebrandt, J.; Kaiser, B. (2006):
Adhesion of bovine and goat salivary proteins to dental enamel and silicate (short communication). Arch Tierzucht 49 (5): 439-446
Langbein, J.; Nürnberg, G.; Puppe, B.; Manteuffel, G. (2006):
Self-controlled visual discrimination learning of group-housed dwarf goats (Capra hircus): behavioral strategies and effects of relocation on learning and memory. J Comp Psychol 120 (1): 58-66
https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7036.120.1.58
Langbein, J.; Siebert, K.; Nürnberg, G.; Manteuffel, G. (2005):
Visuelles Diskriminierungslernen bei Zwergziegen - Untersuchungen zur Rolle eines sekundären Verstärkers beim Erinnern und Neulernen. In: Aktuelle Arbeiten zur artgemäßen Tierhaltung. 2005 (KTBL-Schrift , 441) KTBL , Darmstadt (3-7843-2189-5): 239-247
Hagen, K.; Langbein, J.; Schmied, C.; Lexer, D.; Waiblinger, S (2005):
Heart rate variability in dairy cows - influences of breed and milking system. Physiol Behav 85 (2): 195-204
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2005.03.019
Langbein, J.; Nürnberg, G.; Manteuffel, G. (2004):
Visual discrimination learning in dwarf goats and associated changes in heart rate variability. Physiol Behav 82 (4): 601-609
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2004.05.007
Langbein, J. (2004):
Automatisierung im Stall: Wie gehen Tiere damit um?. Informationsdienst Fleisch aus Deutschland 7: 11-22