Adaptation Physiology Group
The Adaptation Physiology group, led by chairholder Bas Rodenburg, studies how adaptation to a changing and challenging environment impacts welfare and health of animals. We do this in a multidisciplinary manner, by combining expertise in energy metabolism, behavioural biology, immunology, reproductive physiology and modelling. We contribute to quality of life by providing knowledge about conditions that facilitate resilience and positive experiences in animals.
Research themes
Transition periods
Throughout their lives, animals experience a number of transitions that invoke large physiological and behavioural changes. From hatching in chickens to weaning in piglets, we investigate how animals cope with these transitions under changing and challenging conditions.
Physical and social environment
Both the physical and social environment of animals crucially affect their health and welfare. We study the impact of environmental conditions, such as housing systems and interactions between group members, on resilience and emotional states of animals.
Global challenges, sustainability and resilience
Global challenges and mitigation measures affect the animals we keep. We study the impacts of global changes on animal health and welfare, and strategies to facilitate adaptation to changes that animals encounter.
Education
Education by Adaptation Physiology
We are a multidisciplinary group working on various animal species and topics in relation to adaptation of animals, with a common objective: to improve and facilitate adaptation of animals to challenges they encounter in different stages of their lives.
Publications & Projects
The Adaptation Physiology group investigates the impact of changing and challenging conditions on the health and welfare of animals. Our research is characterised by a multidisciplinary approach, combining expertise in energy metabolism, behavioural biology, immunology, reproductive physiology and modelling, and a strong collaboration with other groups within and outside WUR.
Highlighted publications
- Investigating the relationship between dairy dam preconception and gestation characteristics and heifer offspring variables from birth to lactation
- A consensus on the definition of positive animal welfare
- An adaptive expert-in-the-loop algorithm for flock-specific anomaly detection in laying hen production
Chairholder
Bas Rodenburg has a background in Animal Biology and works as a full professor and chairholder of the Adaptation Physiology group since 1 September 2026. His research focuses on farm animal behaviour and welfare in relation to their husbandry conditions. His publications cover a range of topics, from prevention of damaging behaviour in farm animals to development of methods for automatic tracking of animal behaviour.
People of Adaptation Physiology
Each chair group of Wageningen University & Research, under leadership of a professor, has its own area of expertise. Meet the people of Adaptation Physiology.
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