The team

Calandreau Ludovic

I am interested in animal behaviour, particularly animal emotions and cognitive abilities. I conduct my research primarily in domestic birds, such as chickens and Japanese quail. My current research projects explore so-called “higher-order” cognitive abilities that have not yet been investigated in these birds. Indeed, the breadth of the cognitive repertoire underlying many behaviours remains poorly understood in domestic birds. My initial training as a neurobiologist also leads me to investigate the neural circuits underlying the behaviours and cognitive abilities I study. My research is fundamental in nature, but it can also have practical implications: characterising the biological bases of emotions and cognitive abilities in farm animals can inform discussions and advances in their welfare under farming conditions. In this context, I am involved in several bodies with a particular interest in poultry farming and animal welfare, serving as co-coordinator of the BECOME Joint Technology Unit and as a member of ITAVI’s Scientific Council. Finally, I co-coordinate the RECABEE scientific network and the NEC (Neurobiology, Ethology and Cognition) programme within the SSBCV Doctoral School in Tours and Orléans.

ludovic.calandreau@inrae.fr