1. Animal management Flashcards
Which species have we domesticated and why?
Dogs, cats, horses, sheep, pigs, cows + sheep
- work = transport and draught, service animals, warfare, therapy
- companionship = leisure, status, culture/religious
- produce = clothing, food
What are common factors seen in domesticated animals?
- Rapid rates of growth and maturity = efficient to farm
- easily bred in captivity, often have multiple periods of fertility in a year
- majority eat a plant based diet = cheap + easy to feed
- hardy and adaptable to different conditions
- herd animals, making them easier to control as one group
- strong parental instincts = advantages for offspring survival
- Precocial young
What are precocial young?
hatched/born in an advanced state and able to feed its self almost immediately
How has this been achieved?
Selective breed (artificial selection) Individuals expressing desirable traits or characteristics are selected to breed from i.e farmers choosing those animals that are better adapted to local environments (in agriculture = meat, milk and wool)
How is selective breeding performed?
- Identify desired characteristics
- Select parents that display those characteristics
- Select offspring that display desired phenotypes and breed from them in the future
- Repeat process
What can occur as a result of taking selective breeding too far?
Belgian blue cattle: double muscled due to selective breeding
- prone to leg weakness
- 90% births are caesarean
What are common changes seen in domesticated species?
- dwarfs and giants
- fewer vertebrate
- differences in tail morphology
- reduction in brain size and in specific regions
- increased juvinile periods
- increased docility
- changes in social communication
- changes in breeding cycles
Define a wild animal
an animal that lives and breeds outside of captivity - no human interaction
Define a tame animal
A wild animal that tolerates humans naturally or through training
Define a domesticated animal
an animal that has been genetically adapted and adapted to live alongside humans
Define a feral animal
a domesticated animal living in the wild
What defines a breed
Several different definitions
- member of a species that has identifiable characteristics allowing it to be separated from other breeds in the same species
- animals that share a large percentage of their genes or DNA
- human term, created by selective breeding chosen for development and improvement of the animal
- characterised by a breed society
How does a Landrace breed occur?
Genetic adaptation to local environment: altitude, terrain, water availability, food sources, parasite and predator prevalence
- does not arise from human interaction, can occur due to human providing shelter, food and veterinary care
What are characteristics of a Landrace breed?
- concentrated in a specific geographical location
- limited numbers of animal
- geographical isolation causes genetic isolation
- no written standard
What are characteristics of a standardised breed?
- has a broad geographical distribution
- animal number can be extremely common to extremely rare
- pure breeding causes genetic isolation
- desired characteristics pinned under a written standard
Is it worth remembering older breeds?
- Studies have shown that reverting back to older dual purpose cattle breeds rather than the newer holstein friesian cattle breed can reduce the environmental impact of milk and meat production
- Businesses, farmers and charities want to cross breed older, rare breeds to prevent their extinction and for some a desire to eat rare pork
What must an intensive housing environment provide?
- clean and dry bedding
- appropriate ventilation
- easy access to food and water
- space based on differing needs e.g. pre-natal
- a safe environment with no sharp objects or places where animals can become trapped
- protection from extreme conditions
- non - invasive observation
- appropriate enrichment
What is the importance of hierarchy?
- wild = grouping occurs based on factors such as food availability and breeding status, more controlled in captivity therefore influencing group development
- by recognising co-specifics and remembering competitions - a dominant or subordinate status is gained (create a dominance hierarchy)
What are general rules for ordering a hierarchy?
- adding or removing animals will alter a dominance hierarchy
- older animals tend to be more dominant
- different ranks hold different roles
- dominant animals tend to have a priority over food sources
- subordinate animals benefit in that although they can experience aggression, they are protected in a group
- success in competition may be due to an animals needs at the time e.g. a nesting site
- larger groups may prevent the ability to recognise individuals and in some cases may prevent aggression e.g. in a flock of hens
What is the production system classification (FAO)?
Solely livestock
↓
landless grassland based
↓ ↓
monogastric subcategorised according to climate
(meat/eggs)
↓
ruminant
(meat/milk)
mixed farming
↓
rain fed irrigated
↓ ↓
subcategorised according to climate
Why do we need classification systems?
- different animals have different values
- biomass of species is different
- economic investment is different
- consume different levels of feed and excrete different levels of waste
- no. of employees
- quantity of produce
- amount of money generated
- type + quantity of resources used
- balance of how costs are structured
What is intensive (landless) livestock production?
Mainly pigs and poultry in some cases dairy systems and beef systems
Controlled systems and this is mainly indoors
Number of animals per unit area is high (high stocking rate/density)
Much of the food is processed and produced off the farm
Levels of production and the concentration of animals mean very high health status is needed
What is a grassland production system?
Intensive and extensive production
- rangeland/extensive grazing
- permanent grasslands
- leys
Majority of sheep and a high proportion of cattle
Animals kept outside for most some of the year
Majority of forage is grown on the farm
Number of animals per unit land is few - lower stocking rates/density
