Ethology Midterm1 Flashcards
How do sows fight?
By attacking the flank. They’ll lift and push.
When are sows most aggressive?
Around piglets, to establish social order, after weaning and put back together. they use their weight and bite.
How can you modify sheep behavior?
Rearing (bottle raised vs field raised)
Training (feeding and reptition)
Flock or Herd Leaders (Judas)
Flight Zone
Distance at which sheep are going to start running/scattering. Sheep alone are pretty nervous, important to keep them together.
Types of Sheep?
Hair vs Wool Sheep
Hair sheep tend to be more flighty than wool sheep.
How would you herd sheep? What are the critical distances and flight zones?
Approach (Animals become alert and start to group. Gauge what response will be)
Flight Distance (Animals move away as a group-controlled)
Escape (lose Control of the group)
Psittaciformes
Parrots/Parrolets
Passeriformes
Sonbirds
Columbiformes
Pigeons/Doves
Galiformes
Pigeons/Doves
Anseriformes
Waterfowl
Falconiformes
Hawks/Falcons/Eagles
Strigiformes
Owls
Birds
Integumentary
Feather Picking, Self-Mutiliation
Birds
Respiratory Problems
Panting, Coughing, sneezing
Birds: Gastrointestinal Abnormal Behavior
Polyphagia (Excessive Hunger)
Polydipsia (Excessive Thirst)
Anorexia
Bird: Abnormal Musculoskeletal
Inability to Fly/stand
Bird Abnormal Cardiovascular
Syncope: Fainting
Reproductive
Bird
Abnormal Behavior
chronic egg laying
Nervous
Abnormal Bird Behavior
seizure-like activity, agitation, night-frights
Average mental age of psittacines
2 year old child
Will often experiment undesirable behaviors to gain attention
Prone to obsessive-compulsive disorders
Will dominance and aggression work with birds?
No.
Dominance and aggression which work with species like dogs will not work with birds. They respond best to positive reinforcement.
Positive Reinforcement is anything that occurs in conjunction with an act that tends to increase the likelihood that the act will occur again
Negative Reinforcement (aversion / harassment training) is anything that the subject will work to avoid
Bird Undesirable behaviors?
Sick Bird Signs
Increased, agitated vocalizations
Decreased vocalizations
Ruffled feathers
Decreased food and water intake
Solitary rather than social
Unable to stand / fly
Somnolence when undisturbed
Will often rouse when disturbed and try to appear normal
Blind spots on a horse?
Directly behind them, top of their head, over their back, space directly behind rear end , Directly beneath their nose
Vomeronasal Organ
Organ inside their upper mouth and can sense/smell phermones. Horses do this behavior–Flehman Response s
Neighs and whinnies –
long distance, esp when separated from others
Nickers –
Squeals
Short snorts
alarm, play
Groans, sighs, blow
discomfort, tired, bored
Roars and screams
extreme arousal
Foot stomp –
low level threat, discomfort
Pawing
frustration
Horses function best when?
Can graze at least 70% of the time
Conditions Conducive to Steriotypy Development
Social isolation
Restriction of movement
Sterile environment (bored, low sensory input)
Very novel environment
Conditions inducing frustration and conflict
Conditions in which species specific stimuli are absent
Headshaking in horses?
Light stimulated or neuropathically mediated trigeminal nerve pain
True or false: camelids Prefer to be touched on back and distal neck by humans
grain spit: Alpaca
saliva spit : Alpaca
Serious Spit:
Sexual behavior of camelids
How long can breeding take?
Do breed year round?:
Induced ovulators
10 -12d follicular waves
Male “rides” female until she lays down.
Breeding takes 20 minutes or more! (5 to 50 minutes)
May breed year round
Parturition in llamas/alpacas?
Criation or Unpacking
When can rebreed? Camelids
Can rebreed 10 d post partum, but better conception/pregnancy rates at 20-30 d
True or False for camelids:
Dystocia primarily due to length of neck and limbs
How many bites do cattle take a day?
30,000 bites/day
Cows: Go around or up hill?
Cattle are graders that go around the hill rather than up. Deer go up the hill.
How much time do cattle spend on forages and on concentrates?
Spends 6-10 hour per day on forages
Spends 0-6 hours per day on concentrates
What are the four major factors that contribute to free-stall usage?
Size
Lunge Space
Cushion
Friendly environment (air movement, temperature)
Who’s on top for herd in cattle? What are the factors that determine this?
Physical Attirbutes (weight, size, age)
Genetic Basis
Hormonal Basis
Familial relationships: respect their elders
Social position persists throughout life
Group reared more dominant vs individual reared
How do we deal with intra-group aggression in cattle?
Remove weapons (horns)
Castrate bulls
Avoid mixing immediately before shipping
Adequate feed/watering space
Similar groups: size, age, even color
Tricks
What is the cycle and estrous cycle for cattle?
21 day cycle with 2–18 hour estrous
How long does it take precocious calve to stand?
10-60 minutes
Why do we use the head locks?
Put more cows in less space. Bull cow can’t bully the other timid cows.
Cattle prefer uphill or downhill?
Uphill
How many cattle per area?
Usually less than 100
Flight zone in cattle?
Up to 90 feet in range cattle but five feet to non existent in dairy cattle
What is flight zone in cattle affected by?
Level of “tameness”, past experience, level of excitement and fear
