On the intra-laboratory replicability of results in animal cognition research, obtained in animals that were not exposed to, or unaffected by, experimental manipulations - Exemplified by spatial learning in pigs (Sus Scrofa Domesticus) across 12 holeboard studies

Across twelve porcine holeboard studies in Sus scrofa domesticus, spatial working memory and reference memory show robust, replicable linear learning improvements, while inter-visit interval varies more.

• Why it matters: Replicability of unmanipulated control groups has been largely neglected in animal cognition, limiting how reliably spatial learning measures can be compared across studies.
• What they did: Using data from twelve independent in-lab porcine holeboard experiments, the authors analyzed unexposed (typically control) groups, including eight Terra x Finnish Landrace x Duroc studies, tracking WM, RM, and IVI across trial blocks.
• The result: All studies showed predominantly linear improvements in WM and learning rates; despite greater IVI variation across trial blocks, WM and RM learning were unaffected, supporting stable spatial learning indices and motivating broader cross-laboratory replication.

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