MP reduced symptoms of fatigue and depression when compared with placebo. The effect of MP on fatigue was dose-dependent and sustained over the duration of the study.

In the present report, we examined the effects of group formation strategy and corral design on wounding and reproduction rates in rhesus macaques. Specifically, we examined group formation using a staged strategy, in which small groups of animals were introduced incrementally over a period of weeks, and a rapid formation strategy, in which all animals were introduced in 1 day. We also examined group formation using a divided corral design that facilitated visual and social separation of individuals, and an undivided corral design that did not facilitate visual or social separation. Dependent measures were wounding and reproductive rates over each of the 2 years that followed group formation. Results indicate that incrementally releasing subgroups of animals, and using a corral design that provides for visual and social separation of individuals, are effective strategies for reducing rates of traumatic wounding when forming multimale‐multifemale rhesus macaque breeding groups. However, it must be noted that differences in formation strategy and corral design did not lead to higher reproductive rates. We conclude that incrementally releasing animals in hierarchical subgroups, and using a divided vs. undivided housing design, reduced intra‐group wounding and associated demands on veterinary and animal management resources following formation of rhesus macaque breeding groups. Am. J. Primatol. 49:339–347, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

This study examined the reproductive performance of rhesus macaques maintained in two different housing conditions: high‐density semi‐sheltered gang cages and low‐density outdoor corrals. Two hundred sixteen subjects were housed in 49 gang cages, each of which contained one breeding male and between one and eight breeding females. Two hundred seven subjects were housed in 13 corrals, each of which contained between two and four breeding males and between 9 and 26 breeding females. Over a 3‐year period, pregnancy, live birth, and production rates were significantly greater for females in corrals than for females in gang cages. Fetal death rate was lower in corrals than in gang cages, while neonatal death rates did not differ between housing conditions. These differences did not result from potential confounds such as differential age structures or virological statuses between housing conditions. We conclude that, for rhesus macaques, outdoor corral housing leads to better reproductive performance than does semi‐sheltered gang housing, probably as a result of increased individual space and relaxation of intense social stressors. Am. J. Primatol. 50:87–93, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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